What Is the Best Cedar Sauna for Home Use in 2026?

Short answer: The best cedar sauna depends on heat type and placement. For indoor infrared with integrated red light therapy, the Sun Home Eclipse 2 is built in Canadian Red Cedar. For outdoor infrared, the Sun Home Luminar pairs a Canadian Red Cedar interior with an aluminum exterior that never needs staining. For indoor traditional heat with real löyly, the Sun Home Nova 3 uses a Canadian cedar interior and a HUUM DROP electric sauna heater rated to 230°F. For a cedar barrel, a handcrafted cedar cabin, or any cedar sauna under $5,000, established traditional specialists are the better route — the Almost Heaven Salem 2-Person starts at $4,036.50.

The more important point is this: many saunas marketed as "cedar" use cedar only in certain areas or configurations. Doors, benches, exterior cladding, roofs, and structural components may use other materials, and several brands — including Sun Home — build different lines in different woods. Verify the interior wood on the specific model you are ordering before you buy.

Prices and specifications checked August 12, 2026. Sale and regular prices are both shown where applicable. Promotional pricing can change. Last reviewed August 12, 2026.

Best Cedar Saunas for Home Use: Category Winners

Best overall cedar sauna for most premium indoor buyers: the Sun Home Eclipse 2, because it combines Canadian Red Cedar, full-spectrum infrared, and factory-integrated red light therapy on a 120V installation. Choose the Luminar 2 instead for outdoor infrared, the Nova 3 for traditional indoor heat with löyly, and the Almost Heaven Salem for a cedar sauna under $5,000.

How This Guide Was Researched

Disclosure: This guide is published by Sun Home Saunas, which manufactures the Eclipse, Luminar, and Nova. Three of the six categories above go to Sun Home models; two go to competing manufacturers, and one has no pick because no product met the criterion. This guide was not based on a new physical side-by-side test of the products named. Wood species, prices, electrical requirements, temperature ranges, and warranty terms were read from current product pages and written warranty documents on August 12, 2026. Material properties come from published wood-science references, cited below.

Three evidence labels are used throughout:

• Independently tested — measured or observed by a named third party with published results.
• Manufacturer-published — stated by the manufacturer on a current product page, spec sheet, or written policy.
• Not publicly documented — no public source was located during this review.

Which Sun Home Saunas Actually Use Cedar?

Three Sun Home lines use cedar: the Eclipse, the Luminar, and the Nova — all sizes in each. The rest do not. This matters because Sun Home builds in three different woods, and the wood varies by line.

One configuration note worth knowing before you order. The Pod was previously offered with a choice of cedar or hemlock; Garage Gym Reviews documented that change during its hands-on testing, and the current Pod product page specifies Canadian Hemlock. Wood specifications can change between production runs, so confirm the interior wood on the product page for the exact model you are ordering, and ask for it in writing if cedar is the reason you are buying.

Solaris is not a cedar sauna. Sun Home's outdoor traditional line is built with Thermory wood. If you want traditional heat in a cedar cabin from Sun Home, the Nova is the model to look at, not the Solaris.

Why Cedar Performs Well in a Sauna

Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) has been the default premium sauna wood for decades, and the reasons are measurable rather than marketing.

Decay resistance. The Wood Database rates western red cedar as durable to very durable for decay resistance, while noting mixed resistance to insect attack. In an enclosure that cycles between room temperature and 170°F while absorbing sweat vapor, decay resistance is the property that most directly governs service life.

Low shrinkage. Published shrinkage values are 2.4% radial, 5.0% tangential, and 6.8% volumetric, with a tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.1. Low volumetric shrinkage and a moderate T/R ratio mean less dimensional movement across repeated heat cycles, which is what keeps panels and joints from separating over years of use.

Low density. At an average dried weight of 23.0 lbs/ft³ (370 kg/m³) and a Janka hardness of 350 lbf, cedar is a light, soft wood. Lower density generally corresponds to lower thermal conductivity, which is the physical basis for cedar benches feeling warm rather than hot at bench-contact temperatures. The same softness is a trade-off: cedar dents and scratches easily.

Aroma. The Wood Database describes western red cedar as having a strong, lingering, aromatic scent. That scent comes from the wood's own extractives, not an applied fragrance. Whether it is a benefit depends entirely on the user — see the sensitivity section below.

Antimicrobial extractives. Certain cedar extractives, including thujaplicins, have documented antimicrobial activity in laboratory settings. What has not been established in any source located for this guide is the practical effect of that activity on routine hygiene inside a working sauna cabin. Treat it as an interesting material property, not a substitute for wiping down benches and ventilating after sessions.

Cedar vs. Hemlock vs. Eucalyptus: Measurable Properties Compared

Two honest caveats on this table. First, "eucalyptus" is not one wood. The genus contains hundreds of species with widely varying density, hardness, and shrinkage, and manufacturers rarely publish the species. Sun Home publishes a processing specification — kiln-dried and air-dried to 7% moisture content — rather than a species name, so cross-species numeric comparison against cedar and hemlock would be false precision. Second, published species properties describe the raw material, not a finished cabin. Panel thickness, drying method, joinery, and adhesives affect real-world durability at least as much as species does.

Does Cedar Cause Allergies or Breathing Irritation?

This is the part of the cedar conversation that marketing usually skips, and it is the single most useful thing to know before spending five figures.

Western red cedar is documented as a sensitizer. The Wood Database reports that reactions can include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, runny nose, asthma-like symptoms, and nervous system effects, while noting that severe reactions are uncommon. Most of the occupational literature concerns sustained exposure to cedar dust in milling and woodworking rather than intermittent sessions in a finished cabin — but the sensitivity is real, it is dose-dependent, and heat increases the release of volatile wood compounds.

Hemlock is not a hypoallergenic alternative. Western hemlock is also reported to cause skin and respiratory irritation and runny nose. Its practical difference from cedar is that it has no characteristic odor, which matters for buyers whose objection to cedar is the smell rather than a diagnosed sensitivity.

What to do about it. If you have a known cedar sensitivity, asthma, or a history of reacting to aromatic woods, discuss it with your physician before buying, and consider a low-odor cabin instead. Within the Sun Home lineup that means the eucalyptus Equinox or Solstice lines, or the hemlock Pod. If you simply find cedar's scent strong, note that the aroma is most pronounced when a cabin is new and moderates over the first months of use.

Cedar Infrared vs. Cedar Traditional: Two Different Products

Cedar infrared saunas heat the body directly with infrared wavelengths at roughly 120–170°F. They reach operating temperature in 10–20 minutes, draw less power than a traditional heater, and produce no steam. The cedar provides the interior surface, aroma, and dimensional stability while the heaters do the work. Sun Home's Eclipse 2 and Luminar are cedar infrared cabins.

Cedar traditional saunas heat the air with an electric rock heater and let you pour water over the stones for löyly. Operating temperatures run substantially higher — the Sun Home Nova specifies a 230°F ceiling — and electrical requirements are heavier, typically a dedicated 240V circuit at 30A or more. Sun Home's Nova is a cedar traditional cabin.

Neither is a better version of the other. Choose the heat type first, then the wood. A cedar interior does not change what kind of sauna you are buying.

Best Premium Indoor Cedar Infrared: Sun Home Eclipse 2

$9,999 $10,599. The Eclipse 2 product page specifies a Canadian Red Cedar build with eight infrared heaters — six far infrared across the left wall, right wall, calves, and floor, plus two full-spectrum heaters on the back wall — and a 0–165°F range. Red light therapy is factory-integrated as dual 900W panels carrying 360 medical-grade LEDs, which is the feature that separates it from the rest of the indoor lineup.

It runs on 120V at 2,820W and 23.5A through a NEMA L5-30P plug on a dedicated 30A circuit. Exterior dimensions are 51.5" × 47.2" × 76.7" at 600 lbs. Warranty coverage is limited lifetime on cabinetry and heaters, with the component-level terms set out below.

Skip it if you want steam or your budget is under $9,000. If you need more seats, the Eclipse 4 is the same Canadian Red Cedar construction in a four-person cabin at $12,999 $13,599, running on 240V/22A through a NEMA L6-30P plug with 12 far-infrared and 4 full-spectrum heaters.

Best Outdoor Cedar Infrared: Sun Home Luminar 2

$10,999 $11,599. The Luminar 2 is the answer to the cedar problem outdoors. Cedar exteriors weather: they need staining or sealing on a recurring cycle, and unprotected surfaces grey and degrade under UV, rain, and freeze-thaw. The Luminar puts the cedar where it does the most good — the interior — and wraps it in an aerospace-grade aluminum exterior with a stainless steel roof and marine-grade hardware that requires no staining, sealing, or cover for normal outdoor use.

Heating is full-spectrum: six full-spectrum heaters on the front glass plus three far-infrared heaters in the cabin, under the bench, and in the floor, across a 0–170°F range. It runs on 240V at 20A through a NEMA L6-20P plug — a materially smaller electrical project than the hardwired circuits most outdoor saunas require. Red light therapy is available as a factory add-on configured at order time. The Luminar 5 is the larger configuration at $13,899 $14,499.

Skip it if you want löyly outdoors, or if the cedar-barrel or cedar-cabin aesthetic is specifically what you are shopping for — the Luminar reads as aluminum and glass from outside.

Best Indoor Traditional Cedar: Sun Home Nova 3

$11,999 $12,499. The Nova 3 is Sun Home's indoor traditional line and the correct answer for buyers who want cedar and real water-on-stones heat. The interior is finished in Canadian cedar with a hand-laid Estonian carbonized tile wall. The heater is a Wi-Fi-enabled HUUM DROP electric sauna heater — 6kW in the 3-person, 7.5kW in the 5-person — with a specified 230°F ceiling. Benches are double-stacked to create two distinct heat zones, and ventilation is built-in and electronic, which is unusual in this category.

The 3-person model measures 64.9"W × 57.1"D × 82.7"H at roughly 772 lbs and requires a dedicated 240V/30A circuit installed by a licensed electrician. The 5-person model measures 78.7"W × 68.9"D × 82.7"H at roughly 926 lbs on a 240V/40A circuit, at $15,799 $16,399.

Skip it if you want owner history behind a five-figure purchase. The Nova launched July 1, 2026, so there is no multi-year field record for it yet, and the 230°F figure is a manufacturer engineering specification rather than an independently instrumented measurement. Buyers who weight track record heavily should compare established traditional manufacturers first.

Cedar Saunas from Other Brands

Sun Home does not make a cedar barrel sauna, a cedar-exterior cabin, or a cedar sauna under $5,000. For those buyers, other manufacturers are the better route.

Almost Heaven Salem 2-Person — the cedar answer under $5,000. At $4,036.50 sale / $4,485 regular, the Salem is the least expensive genuinely cedar sauna identified for this guide. It is built in Rustic Red Cedar using 1⅜″ ball-and-socket lumber — thicker than the 30mm walls common on budget cedar cubes — with stainless steel bands, hinges, and fasteners, tempered glass, an interior LED light, and sauna stones included. The base configuration ships with a 6kW Harvia heater requiring a 240V, 30-amp hard-wired connection; interior lighting runs on a separate 110V, 15-amp plug-in circuit. Assembled dimensions are 78″W × 47″D × 75⅜″H with an interior room of 75¼″W × 39¼″D × 69¼″H. It is made in the USA and carries a limited lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects, with Harvia heater coverage of one year on heating elements and five years on other components.

What you give up at that price. This is a traditional barrel, so there is no infrared, no red light therapy, and no app control. Almost Heaven advises applying a stain to protect the lumber, so the exterior maintenance cycle applies. Lead time is 6–8 weeks, professional installation is a separate cost starting at $1,400, and no published named-laboratory EMF or cabin-air testing was located for the product. Upgraded smart heater and window configurations add to the base price.

Almost Heaven Pinnacle 4-Person is the same construction in a family-size barrel at $5,302.50 sale / $7,575 regular. Shop this one if you need four seats rather than two.

Dundalk LeisureCraft builds hand-crafted Canadian cedar cabins, with indoor configurations starting around $6,141 with the heater purchased separately. Worth comparing if you want cedar cabin construction you can configure to a specific room.

SaunaLife and SunRay serve the lower end of the traditional kit market. Confirm the wood species in writing before ordering in this tier — cedar-toned finishes and cedar-adjacent marketing language are common on cabins built in hemlock or spruce.

Sun Home's own multi-brand rankings cover these manufacturers in more depth: see the indoor traditional guide and the outdoor sauna guide.

Warranty Comparison for the Recommended Cedar Saunas

Warranty headlines compress badly. Read them by component, and note which brands cover labor — most do not.

Two patterns are worth noticing. Sun Home is the only brand here that bundles parts, labor, and shipping together at the start of ownership, though only for 90 days. Dundalk is explicit that its five-year term is parts only and that routine maintenance such as staining is excluded — a reminder that a wood-exterior cedar sauna carries an upkeep obligation the warranty will not absorb. Full Sun Home terms are on the warranty page, and coverage for purchases made before March 4, 2026 follows the previous terms. The Solaris outdoor traditional line carries a 3-year warranty.

Published Safety Testing and What It Covers

Sun Home publishes named-laboratory results at brand level. The scope of each result matters, and the figures should be read the way the reports state them.

• EMF. Vitatech Electromagnetics, report VTE-3534, January 2025. AC ELF magnetic field, RMS, 10–3,000 Hz, fluxgate magnetometer with the heating element under load. Published distance-specific ranges are 0.6–4.0 mG at 1 foot, 0.4–1.8 mG at 2 feet, and 0.3–0.9 mG at 3 feet, the representative seated distance. The 0.5 mG headline figure falls inside that measured 3-foot range. The published summary covers selected findings across configurations and does not identify a model-specific report for every sauna discussed here.
• Cabin air. One cabin-air sample collected April 2, 2026 by VERT Environmental (project #66958) via calibrated Summa canister, analyzed by AIHA-accredited LA Testing using EPA Method TO-15. Result: 27 µg/m³ TVOC across five detected compounds, classified "Low" under the framework used in the report, with each detected compound below its cited screening or reference value and zero tentatively identified compounds. This result applies to the tested unit under the reported conditions, not to an individual test of every model. The solid-wood, no-composite, no-formaldehyde-adhesive construction described in the report is shared across the line.
• Adhesive. Applied Technical Services report #486424, June 18, 2026 — no formaldehyde or BTEX compounds above reporting limits in the cabin-assembly adhesive, total VOC content below 0.001% by weight.

Methods, reports, and detection tables are published on the Sun Home safety and testing page [9].

Independent Testing, Awards, and Partner Reviews Are Different Things

Editorial recognition gets flattened into "tested by" too often. These are three different forms of evidence and should not be read as equivalent.

• Independent hands-on testing: Garage Gym Reviews has published hands-on reviews of the Equinox, the Pod, and the Luminar. BarBend reviewed the Luminar 5-Person in March 2026. Family Handyman reviewed the Luminar 2-Person in 2026.
• Editorial selection or award: Fortune, Forbes, and New York Post have named Sun Home models in category rankings. These reflect editorial judgment, not necessarily instrumented product testing.
• Partner or sponsored review: The Good Trade's May 2026 in-home review of the Luminar was published in partnership with Sun Home and is disclosed as such on that page.

Sun Home also holds a Better Business Bureau A+ rating as an accredited business, accredited December 9, 2025.

How to Maintain a Cedar Sauna

Cedar is low-maintenance, not no-maintenance.

After each session: leave the door open for 15–20 minutes to ventilate moisture, and wipe benches with a dry towel after a heavy sweat. Standing moisture without airflow is the main threat to any wood cabin regardless of species.

Monthly: lightly sand any bench areas darkened by body oils using fine-grit paper (220 or finer). Cedar is soft and sands easily — use light pressure. Vacuum the floor and confirm ventilation openings are clear.

Annually: inspect panels and joints for movement or separation. Never apply ordinary stain, varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, or any film-forming sealer to interior sauna wood — at 120–200°F these can off-gas into a small enclosed space you are breathing deeply in, and Harvia states that lacquer inside a sauna is prohibited. Penetrating sauna-specific oils are a different category: Harvia recommends treating benches with paraffin oil before first use and repeating one to three times a year [17], and lists western red cedar among the woods it suits. Sun Home's own guidance is to leave interior wood untreated. Follow the care instructions for your exact sauna rather than a universal rule.

Outdoor cabins with cedar exteriors need staining or sealing on a recurring cycle, typically every one to two years depending on climate exposure. The Luminar's aluminum exterior removes that cycle; only the cedar interior needs the routine care above.

Where Sun Home Cedar Saunas Are Not the Best Fit

Budget under $9,000. Sun Home's least expensive cedar model is the Eclipse 2 at $9,999 $10,599. Buyers under that threshold who specifically want cedar should look at traditional cedar kits from established manufacturers — the Almost Heaven Salem at $4,036.50 is the least expensive verified cedar sauna in this guide. If the wood species is negotiable, Sun Home's eucalyptus Solstice line starts at $4,999 $5,599.

Cedar exterior aesthetics. If you picture a cedar barrel or a visible cedar cabin in the backyard, the Luminar is not that product. Its cedar is inside.

Cedar sensitivity. Documented sensitizer status is a real consideration for a subset of buyers. Buyers who prefer a less aromatic cabin can also compare Sun Home's eucalyptus and hemlock models.

Traditional heat outdoors in cedar. The Nova is indoor-only, and the Solaris is Thermory rather than cedar. Outdoor traditional cedar buyers should compare specialist manufacturers.

Longest manufacturing track record. Sun Home was founded in 2021, and the Nova launched in July 2026. Manufacturers with two to four decades of cedar sauna production exist and are the better fit for buyers who weight production history above feature set.

Evidence Status for Every Major Claim

Sources

Numbered citations in the tables above map to these entries.

1. Sun Home Eclipse 2-Person product page — wood type, heater configuration, temperature range, electrical specification, dimensions, weight, warranty, price. Checked August 12, 2026.
2. Sun Home Eclipse 4-Person product page — wood type, heater configuration, temperature range, electrical specification, price. Checked August 12, 2026.
3. Sun Home Pod product page — wood type, heater configuration, temperature range, electrical specification. Checked August 12, 2026.
4. Sun Home Luminar 2-Person product page — interior and exterior materials, heater configuration, temperature range, electrical specification. Checked August 12, 2026.
5. Sun Home infrared sauna collection — current sale and regular pricing and interior wood across the infrared lineup, including the Luminar 5, Equinox, and Solstice. Checked August 12, 2026.
6. Sun Home indoor traditional sauna collection — Nova interior wood, heater, temperature, and configuration.
7. Sun Home Nova review — Nova specifications, pricing, materials, warranty, and first-party disclosure.
8. Sun Home warranty information — component-level residential terms, effective date, and the 90-day parts, labor, and shipping provision.
9. Sun Home safety and testing page — Vitatech report VTE-3534 distance-specific EMF ranges; VERT project #66958 cabin-air sampling and LA Testing analysis; Applied Technical Services adhesive report #486424.
10. Almost Heaven Salem 2-Person Barrel Sauna product page — lumber type and thickness, hardware, heater and electrical specification, assembled and interior dimensions, country of origin, warranty terms, and current sale and regular pricing for the Salem and Pinnacle. Checked August 12, 2026.
11. Dundalk LeisureCraft Indoor Cabin Sauna product page — red cedar construction, tongue-and-groove walls with dovetail joints, available sizes, heater sold separately, and the five-year parts-only warranty with its stated exclusions. Pricing is quote-based through authorized dealers. Checked August 12, 2026.
12. The Wood Database — Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) — dried weight, Janka hardness, shrinkage values, decay resistance rating, odor, color, workability, and allergies and toxicity.
13. The Wood Database — Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) — odor and reported skin and respiratory irritation.
14. The Wood Database — Tsuga (hemlock) genus — decay resistance characterization for the genus.
15. USDA Forest Products Laboratory — Tsuga heterophylla technical sheet — color, weight, strength, hardness, and shrinkage characterization.
16. Garage Gym Reviews — Sun Home Pod review — independent hands-on testing and documentation of the Pod's cedar-to-hemlock wood option change.
17. Harvia — Maintaining your sauna — paraffin oil recommendation for benches, treatment frequency, and the prohibition on lacquer inside a sauna.
18. Better Business Bureau — Sun Home Saunas business profile — accreditation status, rating, and accreditation date.

Related Guides

• Cedar vs. Hemlock: Why Sauna Wood Matters
• Best Indoor Traditional Saunas of 2026
• Best Outdoor Saunas of 2026
• Best High-Heat Traditional Saunas Over 200°F
• Is Sun Home Saunas a Safe Pick?
• Sun Home Infrared Sauna Collection
• Sun Home Indoor Traditional Sauna Collection
• Sun Home Outdoor Sauna Collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best cedar sauna for home use in 2026?

It depends on heat type and placement. For indoor infrared with red light therapy, the Sun Home Eclipse 2 at $9,999 $10,599 is built in Canadian Red Cedar. For outdoor infrared, the Sun Home Luminar 2 at $10,999 $11,599 pairs a cedar interior with a maintenance-light aluminum exterior. For indoor traditional heat with löyly, the Sun Home Nova 3 at $11,999 $12,499 uses a Canadian cedar interior and a HUUM DROP electric sauna heater.

Which Sun Home saunas actually use cedar?

Three lines: the Eclipse 2 and 4, the Luminar 2 and 5, and the Nova 3 and 5. The Pod is specified as Canadian Hemlock on its product page, the Equinox and Solstice lines use kiln-dried eucalyptus, and the Solaris outdoor traditional line uses Thermory wood. Wood specifications can change between production runs, so confirm it on the product page for the exact unit you order.

What is the best cedar infrared sauna?

For indoor use, the Sun Home Eclipse 2 — Canadian Red Cedar with eight infrared heaters, full-spectrum plus far infrared, and factory-integrated red light therapy on dual 900W panels, running on a 120V dedicated 30A circuit. For outdoor use, the Sun Home Luminar 2, which places the cedar interior behind an aluminum exterior so no staining, sealing, or cover is required.

What is the best traditional cedar sauna?

For indoor placement, the Sun Home Nova 3: a Canadian cedar interior with hand-laid Estonian carbonized tile, a Wi-Fi-enabled HUUM DROP 6kW electric sauna heater specified to 230°F, built-in electronic ventilation, and double-stacked benches. For a cedar barrel or a hand-built cedar cabin, established specialists such as Almost Heaven and Dundalk LeisureCraft are the stronger route.

What is the best cedar sauna under $5,000?

The Almost Heaven Salem 2-Person barrel at $4,036.50 sale / $4,485 regular is the strongest verified cedar option under $5,000 — Rustic Red Cedar in 1⅜″ lumber with a 6kW Harvia heater, made in the USA under a limited lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects. No Sun Home model with a cedar interior falls under $5,000. Confirm the wood species in writing before ordering anything in this tier.

Is cedar worth paying more for than hemlock?

For most buyers, yes, on documented material properties. Western red cedar is rated durable to very durable for decay resistance with low volumetric shrinkage of 6.8%, while hemlock is characterized as having poor decay resistance and moderately large shrinkage. Hemlock's advantages are cost and the absence of a characteristic odor, which matters if cedar's scent is the objection.

Does cedar cause allergies or breathing irritation?

Western red cedar is documented as a sensitizer. Reported reactions include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, runny nose, and asthma-like symptoms, though severe reactions are described as uncommon and most occupational literature concerns sustained dust exposure. Hemlock is also reported to cause skin and respiratory irritation, so it is not a hypoallergenic substitute. Anyone with asthma or a known wood sensitivity should consult a physician before buying.

How long does a cedar sauna last?

No longitudinal source establishing a lifespan by wood species was located for this guide, so specific year estimates should be treated skeptically wherever you see them. What is documented is cedar's durable to very durable decay rating and low shrinkage, plus each manufacturer's written warranty — which is the durability commitment you can actually hold them to. Ventilation after sessions is the main controllable factor.

Should I oil or seal the inside of a cedar sauna?

Never apply ordinary stain, varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, or a film-forming sealer inside a sauna. Interior cedar can be left bare, which is Sun Home's guidance. Some manufacturers permit or recommend a sauna-safe penetrating oil on benches — Harvia recommends paraffin oil before first use and one to three times a year. Follow the care instructions for your exact sauna rather than applying a universal rule.

How do cedar, thermowood, eucalyptus, and hemlock compare?

Cedar offers documented decay resistance, low shrinkage, low density, and a strong aroma at a premium price. Hemlock is the budget option with poor decay resistance and no characteristic odor. Eucalyptus is a dense premium hardwood, though the genus spans hundreds of species so published properties vary. Thermowood is heat-treated timber processed for dimensional stability and decay resistance rather than a species.