How should genus and species names be formatted when printed or handwritten?

• A. Both names should be italicized in print or underlined when handwritten.
• B. Only the genus name is italicized.
• C. Only the species name is italicized.
• D. Neither name is formatted.

Answer: (A)

Genus and species names are written as a two-word Latin binomial. The genus is capitalized and the species epithet is lowercase, and the whole name is set in italics. In printed text, that means both words are italicized. When handwriting, you can’t use italics, so you underline the entire binomial to indicate the same emphasis. This convention keeps the names distinct from ordinary words and maintains consistency across scientific literature. So, both names are formatted, with italics in print or underlining when handwritten.