How to Write Scientific Names in Journal Manuscripts – Plant and Animal Species (Part 1 of 2)

The format for writing scientific names of animals and plants is standardized and globally accepted. “Scientific nomenclature” refers to several names according to a particular field of study. This article is the first in a two-part series on scientific nomenclature within specific kingdoms.

Generally, animals and plants are recognized by common and scientific names.

Common name: These are used locally and are likely to vary by region or country.

Scientific name: These are unique names used by the scientific community to accurately and universally identify species.

While we help you understand the nuances of writing scientific names in journal manuscripts, you may also opt for an AI-driven writing tool, Trinka. It helps you effortlessly choose the relevant scientific names for academic and technical writing.

International Codes of Nomenclature

Taxonomists have created numerous “codes” for scientific nomenclature. These codes are universal and are periodically revised by consensus. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus invented the protocol for naming species in the 1700s. Linnaeus devised the system of “binomial nomenclature,” which uses only two designations – genus and specific epithet as the species name.

In the mid-1800s, scientists agreed on an expanded system of nomenclature. The following codes are used today:

• International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants.
• International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
• International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria recently changed to International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes.
• International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants.
• International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature.
• International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses–publishes several reports, including How to Write a Virus Name.

Common names of species can differ by geographic region, but a general protocol helps avoid uncertainty and ensures uniformity.

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) gives you the flexibility to search taxonomic data of a particular plant (and other organisms) based on its common name, scientific name, or taxonomic serial number.

Hierarchy

Known as the “taxonomic hierarchy,” the system contains numerous groups of species based on genetic and phylogenic characteristics. The highest level is the “kingdom.” The first kingdom comprised just two types of living organisms—animals and plants. We have seven classifications within the kingdom domain—Bacteria, Archaea, Protozoa, Chromista, Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia.

Remember that the designations are in Latin. This could be challenging for those who are not familiar with that language, but the terms are consistent worldwide. There is no need to interpret or translate them into another language.

The levels from highest to lowest classification are as follows:

• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Suborder
• Family
• Genus
• Species
• Subspecies

Using this system, the gray wolf, for instance, would be identified as follows:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Carnivora
• Suborder: Caniformia
• Family: Canidae
• Genus: Canis
• Species: lupus

Binomial Name

The binomial name consists of a genus name and specific epithet. The scientific names of species are italicized. The genus name is always capitalized and is written first; the specific epithet follows the genus name and is not capitalized. No exceptions.

The above instance shows that the classifications go from general (Animalia) to specific (C. lupus). A species, by definition, is the combination of both the genus and specific epithet, not just the epithet. For instance, we can use the term gray wolf, but we cannot use just Canis or lupus to describe this animal. Canis lupus is a species.

The rules for scientific nomenclature vary with the organism. In the case of botanical nomenclature, generally, both the genus and the species names have to be italicized. For protozoans, the genus name, when used in the singular form, should always be in italics. e.g., Leishmania donovani. However, when used in the plural form, you need not italicize the genus name. e.g., Leishmania are responsible for causing the disease leishmaniasis.

Animal Kingdom

When writing, we use both the scientific and the common name on the first mention. We then choose which to use throughout and make it consistent.

• Gray wolf (Canis lupus) is native to North America and Eurasia.

In subsequent references, we can use either the common or scientific name. If we use the scientific name, we only need to use the first letter of the genus followed by a period and the specific epithet. For instance:

• In North America, the gray wolf was all but hunted to extinction.
• In North America, C. lupus was all but hunted to extinction.

It is also common to refer to several species under one genus when you want to point out similar characteristics within a genus. For instance:

• All species of Canis are known to be moderate to large and have large skulls.

You could also write this information as follows:

• Canis spp. are known to be moderate to large and have large skulls.

In this case, “spp.” is an abbreviation for “several species” (“sp” is the designation for one species) in the genus. Either of the above is acceptable. If you are focusing on a few species in particular, you would refer to the species name of each one.

You might also see a scientific name followed by an initial or abbreviation. This would denote the person who discovered or named the species. For instance, in Amaranthus retroflexus L., the L (not italicized) refers to the original name given by Linnaeus.

Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to some of these rules. First, the entire genus name must be spelled out if it begins a sentence, even if a subsequent reference:

• Canis lupus was all but hunted to extinction in North America.

Second, when more than one species has the same genus initial but come from different genera, the genera names are spelled out to avoid ambiguity:

• Both the gray wolf (Canis lupus) and the beaver (Castor canadensis) are native to North America.

In this case, it is best to use the common name after the first mention, but both formats are correct.

Titles and Headers

In titles, it is preferred to write the full scientific name of animals in uppercase letters. For instance:

• A Study of the History of CANIS LUPUS in North America

In an italicized header, the species name can be written in a non-italic style. For instance:

• Canis lupus is all but extinct in North America

Plant Kingdom

Plant names also follow binomial nomenclature (similar to animal names).

• Royal grevillea (Grevillea victoriae) is found in New South Wales and Victoria.

In the plant kingdom, classification after species is subspecies (subsp.) and variety (var.). For instance, there are three subspecies of Grevillea victoriae.

•  Grevillea victoriae subsp. victoriae
• Grevillea victoriae subsp. nivalis 
• Grevillea victoriae subsp. brindabella

When the species of a plant is unknown, a plant can be referred to as Grevillea sp.

Furthermore, when we collectively want to refer a few or all species, we use Grevillea spp.

Similar to animal names, it is common to see a specific epithet that refers to a geographic area or the person who discovered it. For instance, Grevillea victoriae F.Muell. Though these are proper nouns, they are still written in lowercase font. Note that some word processors might attempt to capitalize these references.

This is something to check when proofreading your text.

Cultivar names are dictated by International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants.

When writing, the cultivar name is added after genus or specific epithet and is put in single quotes without italicization. For instance,  

•  Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’      
•  Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Rosy Posy’

Consistency

One of the fundamental rules of scientific writing is consistency. Notwithstanding your choice of a scientific or common name, you must uphold consistency. Always check the author guidelines when preparing manuscripts. Formats for citations and references, headings, and section placement can vary. Be assured that the format for writing scientific names is globally consistent regardless of the intended journal. The rules presented above will be useful.

In the final article of this two-part series, we will discuss tips on writing bacterial species in names in the journal manuscript.

You see that the common name of the species you are studying has several variations depending on the geographic area. Which do you use and why? What other challenges do you face when using scientific nomenclature? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

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