SCIENTIFIC NAME 101

• What is the scientific name of the whale shark?

  Rhincodon typus
• What are the two components of a species name?

  The genus name and the specific epithet
• What is the specific epithet in the species name Rhincodon typus?


  typus
• How should the genus be written in documents after its first use?

  It can be abbreviated by its initial letter followed by a period
• Why can't scientific names be used without the genus?

  Because the genus can stand alone, but the specific epithet cannot
• How should scientific names be formatted when written?

  They should be italicized or underlined when handwritten
• What is the capitalization rule for genus and specific epithet?

  The genus is always capitalized, while the specific epithet is never capitalized
• What does 'spp.' refer to in scientific naming?


  'spp.' refers to several species of the same genus
• What is the difference between 'spp.' and 'ssp.'?

  'spp.' refers to multiple species, while 'ssp.' refers to subspecies
• How should you define a common name in terms of scientific naming?

  You should first define it using the scientific name
• What should you do if the species is not known?

  You can use 'sp.' which should not be italicized
• How should the scientific name of Bignay be written?

  Antidesma bunius
• What should you do when mentioning an animal's scientific name for the first time?

  You should write the author's name and year of publication
• What should you do when mentioning a plant's scientific name for the first time?

  You should write the author's name
• What should you avoid when using two genera with the same specific epithet?

  You should avoid abbreviating the genus
• What is tautonomy in taxonomic designation?

  Tautonomy is when the genus and species names are the same
• What is the rule regarding the gender of specific epithets and genera?

  Each code has its own rules regarding gender
• How can specific epithets be named to honor a group of people?

  By using the suffix -orum for men and -arum for women
• What are the basic rules for writing scientific names?

  1. Genus in full at first use, then abbreviated
  2. Scientific names must be italicized or underlined
  3. Genus is capitalized, specific epithet is not
  4. Use 'spp.' for multiple species, 'sp.' for unknown species
  5. Avoid tautonomy in plants
  6. Include author's name and year for animals, author's name for plants
  7. Avoid abbreviating genus with same specific epithet