1.5 System of Binomial Nomenclature

• Binomial Nomenclature:

• The scientific naming system of organisms is known as binomial nomenclature, which involves two parts:

1. Genus Name: The first part denotes the genus to which the species belongs.

2. Species Name: The second part identifies the specific species within the genus.

• Example: Solanum tuberosum (scientific name of potato)

• Solanum: Genus name

• tuberosum: Species name

Aim of Binomial Nomenclature

• The purpose of binomial nomenclature is to provide a unique, unambiguous name for every organism, ensuring it is easily identifiable and recognized globally.

Rules of Binomial Nomenclature

1. Language: The scientific names are in Latin, ensuring global consistency.

• Example: Zakerana dhaka, a frog species discovered by Sazid Ali Haoladar in Dhaka, honors Kazi Zaker Hossain, a zoologist.

2. Two-Part Naming: Every scientific name has two parts:

• Genus (first part)

• Species (second part)

• Example: Labeo rohita (scientific name of rohu fish)

• Labeo: Genus

• rohita: Species

3. Uniqueness: Each scientific name must be unique; no two distinct organisms can share the same legitimate name.

4. Capitalization:

• The genus name starts with a capital letter, while the species name is entirely in lowercase.

• Example: Allium cepa (Onion), Panthera leo (Lion)

5. Italics: The scientific name should be written in italics when printed.

• Example: Oryza sativa (Rice), Catla catla (Katla fish)

6. Handwritten Names: When written by hand, both parts of the scientific name should be underlined separately.

• Example: Oryza sativa, Catla catla

7. Priority Rule: If an organism’s name has been assigned by multiple scientists, the earliest valid name is accepted.

8. Scientist’s Citation: The scientist who names the organism can have their name cited in abbreviation at the end of the binomial name, along with the year of naming.

• Example: Homo sapiens L., 1758, Oryza sativa L., 1753

• L stands for Linnaeus.

Examples of Binomial Names

General Name Scientific Name

Rice Oryza sativa

Jute Corchorus capsularis

Mango Mangifera indica

Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus

Water lily Nymphaea nouchali

China rose Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Causal organism of cholera Vibrio cholerae

Causal organism of malaria Plasmodium vivax

Cockroach Periplaneta americana

Honey bee Apis indica

Ilish (Fish) Tenualosa ilisha

Asian toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus

Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis

Tiger Panthera tigris

Humans (Homo sapiens) Homo sapiens