BINOMIAL

NOMENCLATURE The system of

classifying and

naming organisms

that was

developed by

Carolus Linnaeus

in the 1700’s that

is still in use today

SCIENTIFIC NAMES

• Every organism is given its own unique two-part name, which is called its scientific name.

Bi= two Nomen= name

Nomial= number Clature= classify

“Two Number Name Classify”

=

Two-Part Classification Name

GENUS & SPECIES • Scientific names are made up of

two names, a GENUS name and a

SPECIES name.

GENUS Pinus

SPECIES taeda

“Pinus taeda”

COMMON NAMES • This tree is known by three different

English names, depending on where

you live in the United States…

Loblolly Pine

Longstraw Pine

Indian Pine

Using common names can be

very confusing because there

are usually multiple (many)

different names given to the

same organism using different

languages that are not known to

everyone…

SCIENTIFIC NAMES • Scientific names are unique to only one

type of organism and use Latin so that no

matter what country a scientist is from or

what language they speak, they will

understand each other…

Pinus taeda

(Genus species)

*No other organism has this exact

Latin name, it is unique

GENUS • A GENUS name is

written first in a scientific name

• Organisms that belong to the same GENUS are similar, but not exactly alike

• All of these organisms belong to the same

GENUS= Felis

SPECIES • A SPECIES name is

written second in a scientific name

• Organisms that belong to the same SPECIES are so similar that they can mate and have fertile offspring

• All of these organisms belong to the same

SPECIES= domesticus

GENUS vs SPECIES • Genus groups are

bigger than species groups, but organisms are less alike

• Species groups are smaller than genus groups, but the organisms are more alike

Same Genus Same Genus

Different Species Same Species

Same GENUS Different SPECIES

Genus = Felis

Species = concolor Felis concolor “Cougar”

Genus = Felis

Species = pardalis Felis pardalis “Ocelot”

Genus = Felis

Species = domesticus Felis domesticus “House Cat”

Same GENUS Same SPECIES

Genus = Felis

Species = domesticus Felis domesticus “House Cat”

Genus = Felis

Species = domesticus Felis domesticus “House Cat”

Genus = Felis

Species = domesticus Felis domesticus “House Cat”

SPECIES can MATE and

have FERTILE offspring…

+ +

= YES!! = NO!!

MORE EXAMPLES

GENUS= Canis

SPECIES= familiaris

“Dog”

MORE EXAMPLES

GENUS= Canis

SPECIES= lupus “Wolf”

SPECIES can MATE and

have FERTILE offspring…

+ +

= YES!! = NO!!

LATIN NAME MEANINGS

• Latin word parts

are put together

to create names

• Names describe

something about

the organism

• A grizzly bear has

a “horrible”

reputation

GENUS= Ursus

SPECIES= horribilis

LATIN NAME MEANINGS

GENUS= Ursus

SPECIES= arctos

GENUS= Ursus

SPECIES= americanus

“American Black Bear” “Arctic Polar Bear”

RULES OF LATIN

SCIENTIFIC NAMES

• Names can describe a physical

characteristic about the organism

• Names can include the name of the

place the organism lives in or where it

was discovered

• Names can include the name of the

scientist that discovered the organism

Pheidole fullerae

Ant discovered by a scientist

named Fuller

Viola missouriensis

Discovered in Missouri

LATIN SCIENTIFIC NAME

MEANINGS

WRITING SCIENTIFIC NAMES

• Genus names

are capitalized

• Species names

are lowercase

• Underline or

italicize both

names

GENUS= Drosophila

SPECIES= melanogaster

“Fruit Fly”=

Drosophila melanogaster

EVEN YOU HAVE A

SCIENTIFIC NAME!!

GENUS= Homo SPECIES= sapiens

“Humans” = Homo sapiens

EXAMPLES USED DURING

PRESENTATION • Felis concolor

• Felis pardalis

• Felis domesticus

• Canis lupus

• Canis familiaris

• Ursus horribilis

• Ursus arctos

• Ursus americanus

• Viola missouriensis

• Pheidole fullerae

• Drosophila

melanogaster

• Homo sapiens

**ALL EXAMPLES FOLLOW THE PROPER RULES

OF CREATING AND WRITING SCIENTIFIC NAMES**

APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT SCIENTIFIC NAMES

The following names describe three different types of

North American Pocket Mice. Study the names and

answer the questions at the end of your study sheet.

*Use only these three names to answer each question!*

Perognathus californicus

Perognathus nelsoni

Perognathus spinatus

Perognathus californicus

Perognathus nelsoni

Perognathus spinatus

1. What is the GENUS name of this

group?

2. How many SPECIES are there in this

group?

3. What are the SPECIES names?

Perognathus californicus

Perognathus nelsoni

Perognathus spinatus

4. Give an example of two of these

organisms that CANNOT MATE and

have fertile offspring.

5. Give an example of two of these

organisms that CAN MATE and have

fertile offspring.

Perognathus californicus

Perognathus nelsoni

Perognathus spinatus

6. What can you INFER about the three

types of mice from the SCIENTIFIC

NAME that was chosen for them?