In binomial nomenclature, how are genus and species names capitalized?

• A. Genus is capitalized and species is lowercase
• B. Both names capitalized
• C. Both names lowercase
• D. Genus lowercase and species uppercase

Answer: (A)

In binomial nomenclature, the genus and species epithet have distinct capitalization rules. The genus name is always capitalized to signal the broader group it represents, while the species epithet is lowercase, even if it’s derived from a proper noun or place. Together, the two words form the unique scientific name and are typically written in italics. This convention makes it easy to distinguish the broader genus from the specific descriptor in a way that’s consistent across languages and texts. That’s why the correct choice is the one that has the genus capitalized and the species epithet lowercase.