How to Write Scientific Name

How to Write Scientific Name – A scientific name is basically the binomial nomenclature system that’s used to classify every organism on the planet. These names are based on the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN). There are more than 1.8 million species of organisms, and 549,278 of them have scientific names assigned to them. The system was first introduced by Swedish scientist Carl von Linné (Dr. Linnaeus).

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Understanding the rules for writing a scientific name

Precise terminology is vital in scientific writing. Therefore, the current system of taxonomy ensures that authors use standard scientific terms.

While naming and categorizing plants and animals has been a common human practice for thousands of years, early attempts were not systematic, so they were sometimes a bit flawed. For instance, in Ancient Greece, Plato was renowned at one point for his definition of a man as a “featherless biped.” His fellow philosopher Diogenes responded by bringing forth a plucked chicken and proclaiming it to be a man.

The creation of a universal system of scientific names is relatively recent, starting in the eighteenth century with the foundational work of naturalists such as Carl Linnaeus. The modern system of taxonomy ensures that, no matter a person’s spoken language, they can be confident that they are referring to the exact same species or taxa as other scientists. This standard framework underpins the entire body of scientific research that seeks to understand the living things in our world and how they relate to each other.

Accordingly, learning and following the rules for writing a scientific name is essential for any scientific work. This post will provide a brief overview of the taxonomic system of living organisms and how to write the scientific name of any plant or animal.

International Codes of Nomenclature

Taxonomists have established several “codes” for scientific nomenclature. These codes are universal and are periodically updated by consensus. The protocol for naming species was invented in the 1700s by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. Linnaeus created the system of “binomial nomenclature,” which uses only two designations–genus and specific epithet as the species name.

In the mid-1800s, scientists agreed on an expanded system of nomenclature. The following codes are used today:

Common names of species can vary by geographic region but a universal protocol helps avoid ambiguity and ensures consistency.

Hierarchy

Known as the “taxonomic hierarchy,” the system consists of several groups of species based on genetic and phylogenic characteristics. The highest level is the “kingdom.” The first kingdom comprised only two types of living organisms—animals and plants. We have seven classifications within the kingdom domain—Bacteria, Archaea, Protozoa, Chromista, Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia.

Note that the designations are in Latin. This could be challenging for some who are not familiar with that language; however, the terms are globally consistent. There is no need to interpret them or translate them into another language.https://www.youtube.com/embed/VaISgB7Vx8s?enablejsapi=1
The levels from highest to lowest classification are as follows:

Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Family
Genus
Species
Subspecies

Using this system, the gray wolf, for example, would be identified as follows:

Domain: Eukarya.
Kingdom: Animalia.
Phylum: Chordata.
Class: Mammalia.
Order: Carnivora.
Suborder: Caniformia.
Family: Canidae.
Genus: Canis.
Species: lupus.

Binomial Name

The binomial name consists of a genus name and specific epithet. The scientific names of species are italicized. The genus name is always capitalized and is written first; the specific epithet follows the genus name and is not capitalized. There is no exception to this.

From above example, note that the classifications go from general (Animalia) to specific (C. lupus). A species, by definition, is the combination of both the genus and specific epithet, not just the epithet. For example, we can use the term gray wolf but we cannot use just Canis or lupus to describe this animal. Canis lupus is a species.

How to write scientific names

The basics: What is binomial nomenclature?

The system of binomial nomenclature was first developed by Linnaeus and is still used today.

In it, each individual species of organism is given a Latin name consisting of two key elements:

the genus and
the species, in that order.

However, it is important to note that a scientific name can also contain a subspecies if additional information is necessary to correctly identify a specific animal.

All scientific names are standardized by international codes.

Example: What is the scientific name of a cat?

For instance, the scientific name of the domestic housecat is Felis catus (note that because scientific names are in Latin, they are always italicized when written, and the first word is always capitalized).

In this case, Felis denotes the genus and catus denotes the species. Together, these two pieces create the scientific name of a domestic cat.

To better understand the significance of these categories and how this furry little carnivore fits into the natural order of things, let’s briefly review the hierarchy of all seven classification levels of the domestic cat.

Classifying the domestic cat: All seven classification levels

While these classifications are useful and interesting, only genus, species, and (if applicable) subspecies are necessary to create a standard binomial scientific name.

Kingdom:Animalia—this category encompasses all animals.

Phylum: Chordata (subphylum Vertebrata)—this category includes all animals that have chordates or backbones.

Class: Mammalia—this category includes all mammals (i.e., animals that have hair, three middle-ear bones, and mammary glands).

Order: Carnivora—as you can probably guess from the name, this category includes all carnivores.

Family: Felidae—this category encompasses both wild and domestic cats.

Genus: Felis—this category encompasses cats that are smaller and/or cannot roar.

Species: Catus—here, we’ve finally arrived at the particular brand of small cat that has become a friend (or master) of humans. This species includes between 40 and 50 breeds of cats.

Example: What is the scientific name of a dog?

Likewise, the scientific name for the domestic dog is Canis lupus familiaris. In this case, Canis denotes the genus; lupus, the species; and familiaris, the subspecies.

Your friendly neighborhood Pomeranian is considered a subspecies of Canis lupus—the gray wolf!

How to format scientific names in academic writing

Italicization

Publications and style guides may vary. However, the scientific name of any species of plants or animals should almost always be italicized.

Capitalization

In addition, the genus (the first component of the name) should always be capitalized, while the species and subspecies are kept in lowercase.

Categories above genus

As mentioned, binomial scientific names should always be italicized, but any category above the level of genus is typically written in roman (i.e., non-italicized) text. The exceptions are bacteria, fungi, and viruses; for these taxa, italics are also used at the family level.

Multiple appearances

Additionally, when writing a scientific name multiple times in a text, the genus is often abbreviated to include only the first letter after the first use of the name. For instance, one may write:

“Felis catus belongs to the order Carnivora. This means that F. catus subsists primarily on meat.”

Subspecies

The subspecies is always formatted in the same way as the species—lowercase and italicized. If the subspecies name is the same as the species name (e.g., the tiger Panthera tigris tigris), the species can be abbreviated to the first letter (Panthera t. tigris).

Unknown species

If a species is unknown, the abbreviation “sp.” is used in place of the species name and is non-italicized. The abbreviation “spp.” is similarly used to indicate a group of unknown species. The term “sp. novo” is used to indicate a species that is being described for the first time.

Discoverers’ names

Sometimes, the abbreviated or full surname of the person who named the species is included after the scientific name (e.g., “Quercus alba L.” or “Quercus alba Linnaeus”). This part of the scientific name is never italicized.

What About Mutations?

The evolution of plant life is based on mutations, which are constantly occurring. Very often a particular individual of a species will mutate to a different color, size, or growth habit. These characteristics are passed on to its progeny (offspring). When this happens, a population of pants exists with the same scientific name, but a sub-group exhibits different characteristics. If the mutated group is significantly different from the parents and is stable (the traits are passed on from generation to generation), then this new group of plants is often assigned a variety name.

Variety Names

Variety names are given when the mutation occurs in nature.
The abbreviation var. is used to signify that the mutation is a variety. var. is placed after the specific epithet and is not underlined or italicized.
The variety name is written after var.
Capitalize the first letter of the variety name only if it is a proper noun.
Underline or italicize the variety name.

Mutations can also occur because of human interventions such as breeding, applying mutagens, propagation, or by cultural practices. In these cases, the new group of mutated plants is called a cultivar. “Cultivar” is an abbreviated form of cultivated variety. The mutated plants are assigned a cultivar name.

Cultivar Names

Cultivar names are given when the mutation occurs due to human influence.
The abreviation cv. is used to signify that the mutation is a cultivar. cv. is placed after the specific epithet and is not underlined or italicized.
The cultivar name is written after cv. or within the single quotes.
Capitalize the cultivar name.
Never underline or italicize the cultivar name.

Writing Scientific Names of Plants

Plant names also follow binomial nomenclature (similar to animal names).

Royal grevillea (Grevillea victoriae) is found in New South Wales and Victoria.

In the plant kingdom, classification after species is subspecies (subsp.) and variety (var.). For example, there are three subspecies of Grevillea victoriae.

Grevillea victoriae subsp. victoriae
Grevillea victoriae subsp. nivalis
Grevillea victoriae subsp. brindabella

When the species of a plant is unknown, a plant can be referred as Grevillea sp.

Moreover, when we collectively want to refer few or all species, we use Grevillea spp.

Similar to animal names, it is common to see a specific epithet that refers to a geographic area or the person who discovered it. For example, Grevillea victoriae F.Muell. Although these are proper nouns, they are still written in lowercase font. Be mindful that some word processors might attempt to capitalize these references.

This is something to check when proofreading your text.

Cultivar names are dictated by International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants

When writing, the cultivar name is added after genus or specific epithet and is put in single quotes without italicization. For example,

Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’
Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Rosy Posy’

Consistency

One of the basic rules of scientific writing is consistency. Regardless of your choice of scientific or common name, you must maintain consistency. Always check the author guidelines when preparing manuscripts. Formats for citations and references, headings, and section placement can be different. Be assured that the format for writing scientific names is internationally consistent regardless of the intended journal. The rules presented above will help.

In the next article in this series, we will discuss tips on how to write scientific names of bacterial species in a journal manuscript.

You see that the common name of the species you are studying has several variations depending on the geographic area. Which do you use and why? What other challenges do you face when using scientific nomenclature? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Conclusion

The scientific name of a species is unique and used universally to identify that species. It consists of two parts, the genus name and the species name. The scientific names are also known as binomial nomenclature, binominal nomenclature, or simply binomials.

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