Question

What is binomial nomenclature? Who proposed it?

Answer 1

Binomial nomenclature is the biological system of naming the organisms in which the name is composed of two terms, where, the first term indicates the genus, and the second term indicates the species of the organism. Linnaeus established the practice of binomial nomenclature.

Complete answer:
- The first part of the name is called the generic name and the second part is called the specific epithet.
- Carl Linnaeus is the one credited for the introduction of binomial nomenclature with his work in the book Species Plantarum in 1753.
- This is used mainly by taxonomists in identifying a particular organism.
- It is used to come up with a scientific name for a species that is often based on the Latin language.
- Taxonomists from all over the world can identify an organism by knowing its species name.

Additional information:
- When applying the binomial nomenclature system, the name of the species is written in italics or enclosed within the quotation marks.
Example:
a) Apple: Pyrus maleus
b) Human: Homo sapiens
- Hierarchical classification system was also proposed by Carl Linnaeus.
- For classifying organisms Linnaeus used animal morphology, records from fossils, and living organisms.this system was mainly known as the “Artificial system of plant classification”.
- It is commonly known as the sexual system of plant classification because floral characters were also considered while classifying organisms.

Note: Carolus Linnaeus is known as the Father of taxonomy. He was a Swedish botanist and had published books like Systema Naturae, Species Plantarum, Philosophia Botanica. Identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms are all involved in this branch of biology.