In zoology, a binomen, or binomial name, is the name of a species. The term was introduced in 1953.

A binomen is a name consisting of two names: generic name and specific name. Both names are typeset in italics, but only the generic name is capitalised.

Canis lupus the wolf.

If the generic name has already been mentioned in the same paragraph, it is often abbreviated to the initial letter in subsequent uses (C. lupus).

In a scientific publication, a name is incomplete without an author citation and publication details. This indicates who published the name; in what publication; with the date of the publication.

See also

• Nomenclature Codes
• binominal nomenclature
• in plants, a species gets a two part name, a binary name.

zoological nomenclature

Binomen | Binomen