Brief note on Nomenclature

Nomenclature

     It is estimated that the number of species known and described ranges between 1.7 to 1.8 million. They are called by their local names (in regional languages),which vary from place to place and even within the same country. So there is need to standardise the naming pattern of living organisms such that a particular organism is known by the same name all over the world/universally. This process of naming of animals with a per the guide lines of the International code of zoological nomenclature (ICZN). Binomial nomenclature (originally called binomial nomenclature) is used in naming organisms all over the world.

1. Binomial Nomenclature 

 Carolus Linnaeus,  a swedish botanist,  popularised the 'binomial nomenclature 'By using it in the 10th edition of his book Systema nomenclature. It is the type of nomenclature in which each organism is provided with an appropriate scientific name consisting of two components, the "binomen". The first word refers to the 'genus'(pl:general) and the second word is the 'specific epithet'(species name).  The word that refers to the 'genus'  is a 'noun' and the specific epithet that refers to the species is mostly an 'adjective'.  The generic name begins with a capital letter and the specific name with a small letter.  Names must be in Latin or latinised form and are usually 'printed'.  in italic type. When 'written' the two words are to be underlined separately. Let us take the example of a 'lion's to understand binomial nomenclature. The scientific name of lion is Felis Leo. In the name, the word 'Felis' represents the genus, while the word 'Leo' is the specific epithet. The name of the taxonomist follows the scientific name either in full form or in an abbreviated form e.g. Felis Leo Linnaeus or Felis Leo Linn.  or Felis Leo L. It indicates that this species was first described by Linnaeus. The year of the discovery is written after the name of the person who discovered it -e.g. Felis leo Linnaeus, 1758. When the name of the genus is not the one under which the original author placed a species, or if the generic name is changed subsequently, the original author's name and the year are kept in parenthesis e.g. Panthera Leo (Linnaeus, 1758). It is written so, to understand that Linnaeus originally placed the species name 'Leo' under the genus 'Felis' and it was later shifted to the genus panthera.

2. Trinominal Nomenclature 

It is the extension of the binomial system of nomenclature. This system permits the designation of subspecies with a three-word name called 'trinomen'.  This system of nomenclature is used to name the subspecies, which is a category below the level of species.  The word denoting the name of sub species also begins with a small letter and it is a latinised word, printed in italics e.g. Homo sapient ; Corvus splendens splendens. 

TAUTONYMY: The practice of naming the animals, in which the generic name and species name are the same,  is called tautonymy. So the name is called tautonym e.g. Axis axis (spotted deer) ; Naja naja ( the Indian cobra).