SPECIES: noun

A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g., Homo sapiens

A group subordinate to a genus and containing individuals agreeing in some common attributes and called by a common name

SUBSPECIES: noun

A taxonomic category that ranks below species, usually a fairly permanent geographically isolated race. Subspecies are designated by a Latin trinomial, e.g., (in zoology) Ursus arctos horribilis or (in botany) Beta vulgaris subsp. crassa

BREED: noun

A stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection. (ie domestication)

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I see people getting species and breed mixed up all the time. Often it seems that people think the two are interchangeable.
News flash; they are not!

The term 'breed' only applies to the different varieties of plants/animals within a species that were created artificially by Man.
I know that probably sounds confusing, so here are some clearer examples:

This animal's species is "grey wolf". Its subspecies is "arctic wolf".
This animal's breed is "Labrador retriever", while its species is "domestic dog".
This animal's species is "maned wolf". End of story. It is not a "breed" of wolf or fox. It is a completely different type of canid.

This animal's breed is "Abyssinian", while its species is "house cat".
This animal's coat color is called "calico" or "tortoiseshell and white". That is just its color, its breed is "Japanese bobtail", and its species is "house cat".

This animal has a color mutation called "king cheetah". Its species is still "cheetah", it has no breed. King cheetahs are not a breed.
Neither are white tigers, white lions, tabby tigers, ligers, black panthers, etc.

Wolves* don't have breeds; they have different species and subspecies. See here.
Tigers don't have breeds, they have subspecies. See here and here.
Leopards don't have breeds either. See here.
And so on and so forth.

_{*referring to wild wolves only, as domestic dogs and their breeds are technically a subspecies of wolf.}

Basic rule of thumb: if it's a type of wild animal, you can't call it a "breed"!

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Phew, glad that's out there. Many thanks to my sis *comixqueen for helping me word my argument.

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