The term " alpha taxonomy " is primarily used to refer to the discipline of finding, describing, and naming taxa, particularly species. In earlier literature, the term had a different meaning, referring to morphological taxonomy, and the products of research through the end of the 19th century.

"Alpha taxonomy" is a sub-discipline of taxonomy and is concerned with describing new species, and defining boundaries between species. Activities of alpha taxonomists include finding new species, preparing species descriptions, developing keys for identification, and cataloging the species.

Taxonomy in biology encompasses the description, identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms. Uses of taxonomy include: Alpha taxonomy, the description and basic classification of new species, subspecies, and other taxa