How to write binomial nomenclature?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the rules and conventions for writing binomial nomenclature, which is the formal system of naming species in biology. It typically involves the use of Latin names where the first part identifies the genus and the second part identifies the species.
Answer
The genus is written first and capitalized, followed by the species in lowercase. Both names are italicized.
The genus is written first and capitalized, followed by the species, which is not capitalized. Both the genus and species names are italicized (or underlined if handwritten), for example, Homo sapiens.
Answer for screen readers
The genus is written first and capitalized, followed by the species, which is not capitalized. Both the genus and species names are italicized (or underlined if handwritten), for example, Homo sapiens.
More Information
This system of nomenclature was developed by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century and remains a fundamental principle in taxonomy.
Tips
A common mistake is to forget to italicize or to capitalize the species name by mistake.