Science
Binomial nomenclature.
Definition
Binomial nomenclature is the formal system developed by Carl Linnaeus for naming species using two Latin words: the genus name (capitalized) and the species epithet (lowercase), both italicized. This system provides a universal, unambiguous way to identify every species.
Examples
Real-world.
- 1 Humans are Homo sapiens (genus Homo, species sapiens)
- 2 The domestic dog is Canis lupus familiaris
- 3 The common fruit fly used in genetics research is Drosophila melanogaster
Key Fact
Format: Genus species (italicized); genus is capitalized, species is lowercase.