Binomial nomenclature

From EvoWiki

Binomial nomenclature is the most common naming convention used for organisms. Names of organisms take the form Genus species, e.g. Homo sapiens (sometimes the genus is abbreviated: H. sapiens, E. coli, especially if it has already been given in full). This simplifies taxonomy and breaks language barriers in science.

The system was devised by Carolus Linnaeus (the latinized name of a Swedish naturalist, Karl von Linne). Linnaeus argued that for purposes of clarity, each individual organism should be given a fixed, immutable name, of two parts, a generic, and trivial (or specific). As Latin and Greek were (and are) the languages of the sciences, spoken or at least known by many naturalists in different countries, these languages were standardized for this purpose. Binomials are far more useful than common or regional names, which as their name implies, vary substantially, and they are often descriptive. For instance, the binomial for a type of tremalale, Pseudohydnum gelatinosa, is marvelously descriptive, meaning: "gelatinous false-tooth" which admirably describes this organism. A more famous exmaple is Archaeopteryx lithographica, the "ancient lithographic wing."

See also: Taxonomy and Phylogeny.