Q&A for How to Write a Scientific Name

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What part do you capitalize?

Bess Ruff, MA
Environmental Scientist
Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group.

Bess Ruff, MA

Environmental Scientist

Expert Answer

In general, you will always capitalize the first letter in the first word of the species name, known as the genus name. If you're using the scientific name in the title of a paper, essay, or publication, you will capitalize all letters of the scientific name.

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Question

How about writing the subspecies? Is it same like species?

Han

Community Answer

The subspecies name follows the species name, is italicized, but does not get a capital letter (just like the species name). The basic format is thus "''Genus species subspecies''". For example, ''Elephas maximus indicus'' for Indian elephant. In botany, the subspecies name is preceded by an unitalicized "sups." or "ssp." For example, ''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'' for radish.

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Question

When writing a title in a publication or thesis, is it necessary to italicize after writing the names in capital letters?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

No, it's not necessary. You can format your text any way you like. Just make sure to format all items of a category the same way. If you use quotes, for example, format them the same way throughout the entire text. If your publisher or target audience has formatting preferences or requirements, ask for those and apply them.

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Question

For Anemone virginiana var. cylindroidea, do I abbreviate to A. virginiana var. cylindroidea throughout the paper, or is there a shorter option?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

You're free to do what you like.The first time you use any term, write it in full. If across 100 pages it is used only, for example, three times, then always just write the full term. The more it's used, the shorter your abbreviation; that just makes it easier to read. If you use an unconventional abbreviation, mention that: "[the long term] can be a mouthful, so for the rest of the paper I will refer to it as "AVVC"." Really, you can abbreviate it any way you like. If you have many such terms, include a glossary or provide the full name in parentheses after the abbreviation now and then as a reminder.

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