Specific name

This commodity needs added citations for verification. Please advice improve this article by abacus reliable references. Unsourced actual may be challenged and removed. (July 2010)

In zoological nomenclature, a specific name (sometimes, informally,^{citation needed} also: specific epithet) is the additional allotment (second name) in the name of a species (a binomen). The aboriginal allotment is the name of the genus.

Note that in botanical nomenclature, "name" always refers to the accomplished name (of a breed or otherwise), admitting in zoological classification it can accredit to either allotment of the binomen.

Example: The accurate name for bodies is Homo sapiens, which is the breed name, consisting of two names: Homo is the "generic name" (the name of the genus) and sapiens the "specific name".

Grammatically, a binomen (and a trinomen, also) have to be advised as a Latin phrase, which gives some absolution to the accepted acceptance of the byword "Latin name" for the added actual "scientific name". Grammatically (in Latin grammar), the specific name can be:

• A noun in accord with the genus: Panthera leo. The words do not necessarily accede in gender. This is actual generally a colloquial name, or the name (specific or generic) of a agnate organism.
• A noun in the genitive.
  • This is accepted in parasites: Xenos vesparum ("of the wasps").
  • Names of humans and places are acclimated in the genitive: Latimeria chalumnae (of "Chalumna").
• An adjective, accordant in case and gender with the genus: Felis silvestris ("the backwoods cat")

References

• Banks, Nathan (2009). The Entomological Code. a Code of Classification for Use in Entomology. BiblioBazaar. ISBN 1113266775.