Binomial nomenclature





In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming
species. As the word 'binomial' suggests, the scientific name of each
organism is actually the combination of two names: the genus and the species
(as epithet). The genus is typically capitalized, while the species is not;
both are typeset in italics. For example: Homo sapiens. Often the genus will
be abbreviated; an example is E. coli.

The value of this system lies chiefly in the fact that, although a given
species may be named differently in different languages, the scientific name
will always be the same. Ideally, scientists can meaningfully and
unambiguously refer to a species when describing their work to other
scientists. Nomenclature intends to keep names stable, but quite often this
is not true: an organism may have several names, reflecting different rank
and position in taxonomy, depending on opinion (see synonymy), conservation
according to nomenclature codes, and new findings based on molecular
phylogeny. Nomenclature must acknowledge the achievement of scientists who
were first to name a taxon.

The genus and species name are, of course, only part of the larger
classification of the organism:

   * Kingdom
   * Phylum
   * Class
   * Order
   * Family
   * Genus
   * Species

Carolus Linnaeus invented this classification, but it is a common
misconception that he also invented binomial nomenclature; in fact it dates
back to the Bauhins. Linnaeus only was the first to popularize it, and it is
only one aspect of his systematical achievements or misachievements (such as
oversimplifying fungal systematics).

Binomial nomenclature is only one of many conventions used to name
organisms. Nomenclature codes rule the naming of plants (incl. Fungi,
cyanobacteria) / cultivated plants / animals / bacteria / viruses. These
codes differ. For example, the ICBN plant nomenclature does not allow
tautonymy, whereas the ICZN animal code allows it. A BioCode has been
suggested to replace several codes, but there also is debate of a PhyloCode
to name clades of phylogenetic trees.