Noun: subphylum (subphyla) 'súb,fI-lum or ,súb'fI-lum
- (biology) a taxonomic group ranking between a phylum and a class
"Vertebrata is a subphylum of the phylum Chordata"
Derived forms: subphyla
Type of: taxon, taxonomic category, taxonomic group
Part of: phylum
Encyclopedia: Subphylum