Lesson: Chapter 13 — The Living World

13.2. Naming living things 3 of 4

How the name is written

How a scientific name is written is governed by conventions too. Getting the letters right is not by itself enough to get the name right.

Convention	What it requires
Language	The scientific name is put in Greek or Latin.
Letters	It is written in English (Roman) letters.
Capitals	The first letter of the generic name is a capital; every other letter is simple.
Handwritten	Both words must be underlined.
Printed	It must be printed in italics.

Right or wrong?

Mangifera indica — correct

Mangifera Indica — the specific epithet must not be capitalised

mangifera indica — the generic name must be capitalised

Mangifera indica — not in italics

The first letter only

Only the first letter of the generic name is a capital. Every other letter of the name — including the first letter of the specific epithet — is simple.