Page 1 : Who can give scientific names?, 1. Anyone can study, describe, identify and give a scientific name to an organism following certain, universal rules., 2. These rules are framed and standardised by International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) and, International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)., 3. The codes are established and improved upon at International Botanical and Zoological Congresses, held from time to time., 4. The names of bacteria and viruses are provided following the rules framed by International Code of, Bacterial Nomenclature (ICBN) and International Code of Viral Nomenclature (ICVN)respectively., 5. Similarly, there is a separate International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP). The, codes framed for naming the organisms help in avoiding errors, duplication, confusion and ambiguity in, scientific names., , Guidelines for Naming the Organisms, The universally accepted norms for nomenclature are as follows:, 1. Each organism is provided with one scientific name, consisting of two words, generic and specific. A, third word can be used for a sub species or a variety., 2. The generic name is written first followed by the specific name. The name or abbreviated name of the, author is written after the specific name, e.g., Homo sapiens Linnaeus., 3. The generic name begins with capital letter while the specific name starts with small letter, except, when it denotes a place or person., 4. The scientific names were taken from Latin and Greek languages. When words in a language other, than Latin or Greek are used, they are latinised with suitable ending. For example, banyan tree is Ficus, bengalensis. Here bengalensis means from Bengal, where the banyan tree is commonly found., 5. Names are printed in italics or the generic and specific names are underlined separately in, handwritten descriptions to indicate their Latin origin., 6. To avoid confusion, no two generic names in any kingdom can be the same. However, the specific, names can be repeated because they often qualify the generic name. For example, the specific name of, both mango (Mangifera indica) and tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) are the same (indica and indicus), mean of 'India'. The difference in word ending is because the gender of the specific name follows the, gender of generic name in Latin., 7. No names are recognised prior to those used by Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of "Systema, Naturae"., 8. When a species is transferred or revised to another genus, the name of the original taxonomist is, retained in parenthesis, e.g., Syzygium cumini (L) Skeels.

Page 2 : 9. The nomenclature of a taxonomic group is determined by the priority of publication and, all other names are synonyms., 10. In publishing a new name, type specimen of the organism is kept in herbarium or museums for, reference. The selected name is such that it has no resemblance with any previously published name., , Advantages of Scientific Names, The scientific names are slightly difficult to remember but have a number of advantages over common, names:, 1. Every species has a single and precise name., 2. All the organisms, irrespective of their utility have been given scientific names., 3. The names are of universal application for, all the countries and the languages., 4. The names indicate relationship of a species, With others present in the same genus. 5. The scientific names are often descriptive indicating some, important characteristics of the organism., 6. The names are derived from Latin and Greek. Both of these are dead language. Hence, there is no, possibility of change in the meaning of the name., 7. An incorrect or inappropriate name can be easily corrected.