noun
Refers to a people, tribe, race, or human-like group. In modern real-world contexts it can sound broad, anthropological, or old-fashioned compared with 民族 or 人種; it is also common for races in fantasy or games.
その島には複数の種族が暮らしている。
Several tribes live on that island.
ゲームの最初に、キャラクターの種族を選ぶ。
At the start of the game, you choose your character's race.
noun
species; genus; family; taxonomic group
Used for a biological kind or lineage, sometimes broadly enough to correspond to species, genus, or family. In strict modern taxonomy, more precise terms such as 種, 属, and 科 are often used.
同じ種族に属する動物でも、環境によって体の大きさが違う。
Even animals belonging to the same species can differ in body size depending on their environment.
この植物は、近い種族のものと花の形がよく似ている。
This plant has flowers very similar in shape to those of a closely related species.
noun
stellar population
Astronomy term used in classifications such as 種族I, 種族II, and 種族III, corresponding to stellar populations I, II, and III.
天文学では、星を種族Iと種族IIに分けて説明することがある。
In astronomy, stars are sometimes described as divided into Population I and Population II.
The precise biological term for species; 種族 is broader and less exact, sometimes referring to a larger biological grouping.
Sino-Japanese compound written with 種, meaning kind or species, and 族, meaning group, family, or tribe. This explains the conventional written meaning, though it is not a detailed historical derivation.