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Questions and Answers
What is the specific epithet in the scientific name Homo sapiens?
Which part of the scientific name is italicized?
What does it mean when a genus can be abbreviated to a single letter with the species name (e.g., P. sativum)?
Why are scientific names used universally by biologists?
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When referring to a group of related species using a scientific name, which part of the name is typically used alone?
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Study Notes
Scientific Names
- Taxonomists assign a binomial, or two-part, name to each species, consisting of a genus and a specific epithet.
- The genus name is capitalized, while the specific epithet is not.
- The scientific name is written in italics, with both genus and species names.
- The genus name can be used alone to refer to a group of related species.
Characteristics of Scientific Names
- Scientific names are in a common language, which is Latin.
- This universal language avoids confusion among biologists.
Comparison to Common Names
- Common names tend to overlap across multiple species.
- Scientific names are distinct and do not overlap between species.
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Description
Test your knowledge of taxonomy and binomial nomenclature used in biological classification. Learn about assigning scientific names to species based on genus and specific epithet, as well as the rules and conventions followed in naming organisms.
