The system of scientific naming or nomenclature we use today was introduced by Carolus Linnaeus in the eighteenth century. The scientific name of an organism is the result of the process of classification which puts it along with the organisms it is most related to. But when we actually name the species, we do not list out the whole hierarchy of groups it belongs to. Instead, we limit ourselves to writing the name of the genus
and species of that particular organism. World over, it has been agreed that both these names will be used in Latin forms.
Certain conventions are followed while writing the scientific names:
- The name of the genus begins with a capital letter.
- The name of the species begins with a small letter.
- When printed, the scientific name is When written by hand, the genus name
- and the species name have to be underlined separately.
| Animals & Birds | Scientific Names |
|---|---|
| Lion | Panthera leo |
| Elephant | Elephas maximus |
| Wild Ass | Equus africanus asinus |
| Leopard or panther | Panthera pardus |