How to Write a Scientific Name Correctly (Mangifera indica Linn.)
Biology · The Living World · NEET
A scientific name has two words: the genus first (capital first letter) and the species (specific epithet) second (small first letter). Both words are printed in italics, or underlined separately when you write by hand. The full example is Mangifera indica Linn., where "Linn." is the author (Linnaeus, who first described mango) and comes at the very end. Memory hook: "Big genus, small species, both slanted — author last."
The three parts of a full scientific name: genus (capital, italic), specific epithet (small, italic), and the abbreviated author name added at the end. In print use italics; when writing by hand, underline the genus and species separately.
Your doubts, answered
Which word gets the capital letter — genus or species?
Only the genus (first word) starts with a CAPITAL letter. The species / specific epithet (second word) always starts with a small letter. So it is Mangifera indica, never Mangifera Indica. NEET loves this exact trap, so remember: Big first word, small second word.
Why is Mangifera indica written in italics?
Scientific names are generally in Latin, and the universal rules say Latin names must be shown in italics when printed. Italics is the printed signal that the word is a formal scientific name, not a normal English word. It matters for NEET because 'names are in Latin and italicised' is a correct rule they test directly.
What do I do when I write the name by hand? I cannot make italics.
When you write by hand you cannot slant the letters, so instead you UNDERLINE the name. Very important: you must underline the genus and the species SEPARATELY, not as one long line. So you write Mangifera indica with two separate underlines. This shows each word is a scientific term.
What does 'Linn.' mean in Mangifera indica Linn.?
'Linn.' is the author's name in short form. It tells you WHO first described that species — here it is Linnaeus, who first described the mango. The author name is written after the specific epithet (at the very end) and in an abbreviated form. Note: the author name is NOT italicised or underlined, only the two Latin words are.
Is 'Mangifera indica Linn.' the same as 'Mangifera indica'?
'Mangifera indica' is the complete two-word scientific name and is correct on its own. Adding 'Linn.' at the end just also credits the author (Linnaeus). In a NEET question that asks for the name 'first described by Carolus Linnaeus', the fully correct choice is Mangifera indica Linn. — with the author added at the end, not 'Car. Linn.' and not with a capital 'Indica'.
Can I write a scientific name in Hindi or any other language?
No. Scientific names are generally in Latin (or Latinised), whatever the origin of the word. 'Biological names can be written in any language' is FALSE and is a classic NEET trap answer. The whole point of scientific names is that they are the SAME everywhere, so one fixed Latin form is used worldwide.
⚠️ The NEET trap ✗ Mangifera Indica (species word capitalised) ✓ Mangifera indica Linn. (genus capital, species small, author last) 🧠 NEET repeatedly hides one wrong option that capitalises the species word (like 'Indica') or writes the author as 'Car. Linn.'. The species epithet is ALWAYS small; the author is abbreviated and added at the end. Both Latin words are italic (printed) or separately underlined (handwritten).
Real NEET questions
NEET 2019
Select the correctly written scientific name of Mango which was first described by Carolus Linnaeus:
A · Mangifera indica Car. Linn.
B · Mangifera indica Linn. ✓
C · Mangifera indica
D · Mangifera Indica
Solution: The author's name is added after the specific epithet, at the very end, in an abbreviated form. Since mango was first described by Linnaeus, it is written Mangifera indica Linn. Option A wrongly abbreviates the author as 'Car. Linn.', C omits the author, and D wrongly capitalises the species word 'Indica'.
NEET 2019 (Odisha)
Which of the following is against the rules of ICBN?
A · Hand written scientific names should be underlined.
B · Every species should have a generic name and a specific epithet.
C · Scientific names are in Latin and should be italicised.
D · Generic and specific names should be written starting with small letters. ✓
Solution: This is against the rules. The GENUS name starts with a CAPITAL letter, while only the specific epithet starts with a small letter. The other three options state correct rules of nomenclature.
NEET 2016 (Phase 1)
Nomenclature is governed by certain universal rules. Which one of the following is contrary to the rules of nomenclature?
A · Biological names can be written in any language ✓
B · The first word in a biological name represents the genus name, and the second is a specific epithet
C · The names are written in Latin and are italicised
D · When written by hand, the names are to be underlined
Solution: Biological names are NOT written in any language. By the universal rules they are generally in Latin and written in italics, Latinised irrespective of their origin. Options B, C and D are all correct rules, so A is contrary to the rules.
Solved The Living World NEET PYQs
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
How is the scientific name of mango written correctly?
Mangifera indica Linn. — genus 'Mangifera' with a capital M, species 'indica' with a small i, both in italics (or separately underlined by hand), and the author 'Linn.' added at the end.
Why is the author's name (Linn.) added?
It credits the scientist who first described the species. Here Linnaeus first described the mango, so 'Linn.' (an abbreviation of Linnaeus) is written after the specific epithet at the end of the name.
Do I underline or italicise a scientific name?
Both are used but in different situations. In print you use italics. When writing by hand you cannot slant letters, so you underline the genus and species separately instead.
Is the author name written in italics too?
No. Only the two Latin words (genus and species) are italicised or underlined. The author name like 'Linn.' is written in normal (non-italic) form and is not underlined.
What language are scientific names in?
They are generally in Latin, or Latinised from other languages. They are never written in local languages, which is why 'names can be in any language' is a wrong statement in NEET.
