Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.
🔑Concepts
Binomial Nomenclature is the formal system of naming organisms using two components: the Genus name and the Species name.
The system was introduced by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus, who is widely regarded as the 'Father of Taxonomy'.
The scientific name is universal and helps avoid confusion caused by local or vernacular names in different languages.
Rule 1: The first word denotes the Genus and must start with a capital letter (e.g., ).
Rule 2: The second word denotes the species and must start with a small letter (e.g., ).
Rule 3: Scientific names are always written in italics when printed and must be underlined separately when handwritten (e.g., ).
The names are usually derived from Latin or Greek because these are 'dead languages' and their meanings do not change over time.
Organisms are classified into a hierarchy: .
📐Formulae
💡Examples
Problem 1:
What is the scientific name of the Common House Cat?
Solution:
Explanation:
In this name, represents the Genus and represents the specific species. Note the capitalization and italics.
Problem 2:
Rewrite the scientific name of the Mango tree correctly: 'mangifera indica'.
Solution:
Explanation:
According to the rules, the Genus name must begin with a capital letter () and the species name with a small letter ().
Problem 3:
Identify the Genus and Species for the Frog, known scientifically as .
Solution:
Genus: , Species:
Explanation:
The first part of the binomial name always indicates the Genus, and the second part indicates the Species.
Problem 4:
List the scientific name for a Human Being.
Solution:
Explanation:
is the genus to which humans belong, and is the species name meaning 'wise'.