Small semigroups generating varieties with continuum many subvarieties. (Q2270176)

The smallest finitely based semigroup currently known to generate a variety with continuum many subvarieties is of order seven [\textit{M. Jackson}, J. Algebra 228, No. 2, 512-535 (2000; Zbl 0959.20052)]. The present paper introduces a new example of order six and comments on the possibility of the existence of a smaller example. It is shown that if such an example exists, then it must be isomorphic or anti-isomorphic to a unique monoid \(D\) of order five. To prove the last fact the authors find two new identity systems which define a hereditary finitely based variety.