Question

The binomial nomenclature was given by (a) Lamarck (b) Ernst Mayr (c) Carolus Linnaeus (d) Darwin

Short answer

The correct answer is (c) Carolus Linnaeus.

Step-by-step solution

Identifying Individual Contributions

Let's go through the options one by one:(a) Lamarck is better known for his theory on the inheritance of acquired characteristics, not for setting the binomial nomenclature.(b) Ernst Mayr was a significant figure in the field of evolutionary biology.(c) Carolus Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who set the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. (d) Darwin is best known for his contribution to the science of evolution.

Finding the right match

From the information in step 1, it's clear that Carolus Linnaeus was the one who set the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature.

Key concepts

Carolus Linnaeus

Recognized as the father of taxonomy, Carolus Linnaeus was a towering figure in biology whose contributions have shaped our understanding of the natural world.

He was born on May 23, 1707, in Råshult, Sweden and later went on to become a botanist, physician, and zoologist. His most notable work was the creation of a system for naming, ranking, and classifying organisms which we still use in a modified form today.

Linnaeus was very particular about making scientific knowledge accessible and systematic. He developed what we now call the binomial nomenclature - a universal language for scientists across the globe to name and categorize species. This breakthrough helped standardize and simplify scientific communication, which before Linnaeus, was riddled with lengthy and inconsistent descriptions of species.

Scientific Naming System

The scientific naming system established by Carolus Linnaeus is known as binomial nomenclature, which uses two names to identify each species of organism, the genus name and the species name.

For example, in the name Homo sapiens, Homo refers to the genus we belong to, while sapiens indicates our species. This system allows for a precise and standardized way of referring to species, reducing confusion that may arise from common names which can vary across different regions and languages.

Scientific names are based on Latin or Greek words and are used universally by the scientific community. The first name (the genus) is always capitalized, while the second name (the species) is not. This system enables scientists to convey a large amount of information about a particular organism in just two words, encompassing its evolutionary relationships and biological characteristics.

Biological Taxonomy

At the heart of biology lies the practice of biological taxonomy - the process of classifying life forms into a hierarchical structure based on their physical and genetic characteristics. It's a dynamic and ever-evolving field that helps organize our understanding of the diversity of life on Earth.

The primary goal of biological taxonomy is to arrange species into groups sharing common attributes, which facilitates identification, comparison, and study of organisms. The hierarchy used in this classification system is domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. Each level of classification is referred to as a taxonomic rank.

As our scientific knowledge expands with discoveries and genetic analysis, classifications are updated to reflect new insights into the evolutionary relationships between organisms. Taxonomy, significantly influenced by Linnaeus's early work, continues to be a fundamental subject in biology, ecology, and conservation science.