Taxonomy and Species Naming
Taxa Naming Conventions
- Above Genus Level:
- Taxa are uninomial (single name).
- Written with a capital letter, not in italics.
- Examples:
- Hominidae: Family including humans.
- Echinodermata: Phylum including starfish and sea urchins.
- Rosaceae: Rose family.
- Animal family names end in "-idae" (e.g., Hominidae, Felidae).
- Plant family names end in "-aceae" (e.g., Rosaceae).
Genus and Species Naming
-
Genus Names:
- Capitalized and italicized or underlined.
- Used underlining before word processors.
- Examples of genera include Canis (wolves, coyotes, jackals).
-
Species Names:
- Binomial nomenclature: Composed of genus and specific name.
- Should always be italicized or underlined.
- Example: Homo sapiens (humans).
- Can abbreviate genus name after first reference (e.g., H. sapiens).
- Optionally cite author and date of the naming (e.g., Linnaeus for Homo sapiens).
Adjectives and Common Names
- Derived from taxa names, used informally.
- Not capitalized (e.g., hominid from Hominidae, peripheron from Periphera).
Type Specimen
- Each species name is tied to a type specimen:
- Designated by the person naming the organism.
- Links the taxon name to a real organism.
- Not meant to be typical of the species.
- If a species is split, the type specimen helps determine which retains the original name.
Case Study: Big-Eared Climbing Rat
- New species being named: Ototylomys chiophensis.
- Located in Chiapas, Mexico.
- Specimen borrowed from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at Berkeley to serve as the type specimen.
- Includes both skin and skull for study and description.
- Type specimen held in a special museum cabinet.
- Type specimen chosen not for typicality but for condition.
- Species description will include an illustration and specimen number.
These notes encompass the key aspects of naming conventions in taxonomy, with special emphasis on genus and species naming, the role of type specimens, and a real-world application of these principles.