Do you know that all the animals that we know have separate scientific names? Sometimes, it is very difficult to recall these names too. However knowledge of their scientific names would help us categorize animals according to their similarities and differences.
The system of naming that we follow today is called the binomial system. It is the formal method of naming different species. Under the binomial system, each species is given a scientific name that is formed by the combination of two terms: the genus name and the specific descriptor.
The genus is the major subdivision into which organisms are classified. The descriptor is the category into which the organism falls. For example, the scientific name for man is ‘Homo Sapiens’. ‘Homo’ is the genus name for animals that have large brains and use tools. ‘Sapiens’ is the category that pertains to modern humans.
Here is a list of the binomial name of some common animals: Dog – Canis lupus, Cat – Felis catus, Horse – Equus caballus, Goat – Capra aegagrus hircus, Donkey – Equus asinus, Cow- Bos Taurus, Tiger-Panthera Tigris, Lion – Felis Leo, Indian Elephant- Elephas maximus indicus.
Pictures credit: google