Importance of binomial nomenclature

The assigning of distinct names to each species is known as nomenclature.In different places around the world, plants and animals are known by specific names. In addition, people from different states/regions in the same country may use different names to refer to the same species.  For instance, Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) is known in Hindi as Shakarkandi; in Assamese and Bengali as ‘Meetha/Mishti aloo,’ and Telugu ‘Cilagaadumpa;’ in Marathi as ‘Rat,’ and in Kannada as ‘Sihi lgee.’

Similarly, in India, the common house sparrow is known as Goraiya, while in England, it is known as Sparrow, and in the United States, it is known as Haussperling. So you see, the common names of different species are pretty perplexing as cultures, dialects, and languages differ affecting the names by which they’re recognised.

Moreover, the first scientific names were polynomial, meaning they were made up of several words: Chrysophyllum folis, ovalis superne glabris parallel striatis subtus, tomentosonitidis was a name given to Sida acuta—a flowering plant of the mallow family. Long names were, understandably, difficult to recall. As a result, a binomial system or ‘two-name’  system of nomenclature was quickly created to make things easier.

What is binomial nomenclature? How is it formed? 

Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish scientist and taxonomist, first developed binomial nomenclature. He is known as the ‘father of modern taxonomy.’ Multiple local names of the same species make it challenging to recognise it internationally and keep track of the number of organisms. 

To eliminate the ambiguity, a standard protocol was developed. As per binomial nomenclature, each organism will have a scientific name that everyone will use to classify it.  Therefore, binomial nomenclature emerged as the standardised naming technique used by all scientists to designate different living species of plants and animals.

Under this style, each species is given a nonpartisan scientific name. For example, Harmonia axyridis is the scientific name for a ladybug found in the United States. The genus, close to Harmonia, is the initial word of a scientific name under binomial nomenclature. In most cases, one genus refers to a group of closely related species. 

The particular epithet is the second half of a scientific name, in this case, axyridis. This is used to distinguish a specific species from others in the same genus. So, the whole scientific name is the genus plus the specific epithet.

Binomial Nomenclature Rules

Because scientific names are unique identifiers for different organisms, there must never be any doubt about which organism a scientist refers to using the nomenclature. As a result, several essential principles must be followed to keep all binomial names consistent:

• Italicise the entire two-part name (or emphasised when handwritten).
• The genus name is always spoken/written first.
• It is necessary to uppercase the genus name.
• Never capitalise on a particular term.

Importance of Binomial Nomenclature

1. The use of binomial nomenclature to standardise the naming of living entities is critical. Living beings should be named uniquely so that they are known by the same name worldwide. An organism’s description should allow people (or the scientific community) worldwide to come up with the same precise name.
2. Unlike scientific names, common names of species are not unique. As a result, using common names can cause confusion and controversy about what the animal or plant is being referred to and how it interacts with other plants and animals.
3. Therefore, scientific names are assigned because it is impossible to identify the vast majority of living species by their common/vernacular/local names.
4. Binomial nomenclature is significant because it enables people from all over the world to communicate clearly about different plant and animal species. It also ensures that each scientific name is distinct.For instance, if tigers are granted the scientific name Panthera tigris, no other animal species can be named Panthera tigris.
5. So, if you’re an Indian scientist researching other species of tigers and want to talk to an American scientist about it, both of you can refer to tigers by their scientific names. You’ll understand exactly what the other person is saying, and vice versa.
6. The scientific names of plants and animals also reveal their relationships with other plants and animals.
7. A generic epithet (genus name) plus a particular epithet make up scientific names (name of species). The majority of genera have a large number of species.

Binomial Nomenclature’s Drawbacks

The following are some of the most significant disadvantages of binomial nomenclature: 

• Since binomial nomenclature is a two-word Latin system for naming creatures (the genus is the first word, while the species is the second), a genus can have several species. A species can have multiple genera; this system can be quite confusing. 
• It can also be tough to keep track of the names of multiple species.
• Linnaeus’ names before those given in the “SystemaNaturae” are equally unrecognisable.

Conclusion

Every recognised species on the planet is assigned a two-part scientific name (at least in theory), “binomial nomenclature” is the name for this system. These names are significant because they allow people worldwide to communicate about animal species clearly and concisely. This works because zoologists follow a set of international conventions for naming creatures, and they aim to avoid naming the same thing twice.