Tag: nomenclature in classification

Rule of Binomial Nomenclatures-

• Felis domesticus is any domesticated member of the genus Felis. Cat, name applied broadly to the carnivorous mammals constitutes the family Felidae, and specifically to the domestic cat, Felis catus. 

According to binomial nomenclature, as first implemented by C. Linnaeus, each species is assigned two names, the first generic names and second species epithet. Since, generic name is mostly a proper noun, it is written with first letter capitalized while the species epithet is objective and is written in small letters only. It is customary to mention the name of the person who described the species with year after species epithet. Since, the scientific names are formulated in Latin language, they are always written in italics and are underlined when handwritten. Option A is incorrect as “luberosum” is misspelled and the name is not italicized. Option B is incorrect as species epithet “Tuberosum” is written with first letter capitalized and the name is not written in italics. Option C is incorrect as species epithet “luberosum” is misspelled and the name is not written in italics. 

ICBN stands for International code of Botanical Nomenclature.
The Code is an internationally-recognized authority,intended to encourage stability within botanical nomenclature. It provides a stable method of naming taxonomic groups, avoiding and rejecting the use of names which may cause error or ambiguity or throw science into confusion.
Some features of ICBN/ICZN:
- Purpose is to ensure a unique, stable scientific name for every taxon.
- Provides rules for publication, validation, documentation and typification of names.
- Allow assignment and changes in names without interfering with scientific freedom.
- Commissions provide an administrative system to oversee and interpret rules, but not based on case law.
Previous cases that are not involved in a case currently under consideration have no bearing on a case under consideration.  
Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

• Binomial nomenclature is the system of naming organisms by giving a name which consists of two parts where the first part denotes Genus of that particular organism and its first letter is capitalized, the second part denotes Species of that particular organism and it is written in the small form.
• The generic name is followed by a specific epithet and then the name of the discoverer in full or an abbreviation. The name of the author is kept in Roman script. The names are derived either from the Latin language or are Latinized because of the  Latin language is dead and therefore, it will not change in form or spellings with the passage of time.
• From the example, Tamarindus and Mangifera are the generic names of Tamarind and Mango respectively whereas indicia denotes the specific name of both Tamarind and Mango respectively.
• The (L) followed by a specific name in both Tamarind and Mango describes the scientist who initially gave them the scientific name i.e, (L) refers to the Swedish botanist Linnaeus.
• So the correct option is 'The letter L means that the Swedish botanist who gave the scientific name'.

• Most plants and animals have local, popular names, but a system needed to be devised so that they will be recognized everywhere. When Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus started to devise a system of classifying organisms, he gave different phyla and species Latin names, because Latin was such a universal scholarly language in Europe.
• Using Latin names helps to avert confusion caused by the often contradictory and multiple common names an individual may have. European scholars throughout the continent spoke Latin as a common language between various European nations. Key scientific figures such as Newton and Mendeleev published their papers and findings in Latin.
• Latin is used throughout the world as it is a dead language and is universally identified and it will not change in the form or spelling with the passage of time.
• Most of the scientist, used Latin to publish their papers. So it is only logical for Linnaeus to come out with his classification system for living things (binomial nomenclature) in Latin or else he would not have probably gained much recognition from the academia at that time.

Homo sapiens is the scientific name of human beings. Rana tigrina is a tiger. Brassica rapa is a turnip and Pavo cristatus is the Indian peacock.

The scientific name of a genus may be called as the generic name or generic epithet. It is always capitalized in both, plants and animals. It plays a pivotal role in binomial nomenclature, the system of naming organisms.