Scientific Names

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.

taeda

SPECIES

Pinus

GENUS

“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

SPECIES can MATE and
have FERTILE offspring…

+
+

= YES!!

= NO!!

SPECIES can MATE and
have FERTILE offspring…

+
+

= YES!!

= NO!!

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

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