Two names for every kind
A peacock is mor in Hindi and mayil in Tamil. Its scientific name is Pavo cristatus everywhere.
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The rule
A scientific name has two parts: genus, then species. It names one kind everywhere, in every language. Give the genus a capital and the species a small letter. Use italics in print.
This system is called binomial nomenclature, which means naming by two parts. The genus groups close relatives. A species is a group of similar living things. Members of one species breed with each other. Their young can breed too.
Step 1 of 4
- Genus first, capital letter: Mangifera.
- Species second, small letter: indica.
- Both words in italics, or underlined by hand.
- Together: Mangifera indica — one kind, everywhere.
Writing a scientific name
| Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|
| Mango | Mangifera indica |
| Neem | Azadirachta indica |
| Tiger | Panthera tigris |
| Lion | Panthera leo |
| Peacock | Pavo cristatus |
The tiger and the lion share the genus Panthera. Their species names differ. So they are two species in one genus.