Names of names Names

2007/05/23 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Botanika
• Zoologia
• Biografiak
• Historia

Linnaeus (Photo: The Lineean Society of London )

Scientists, or more limited, for those who are not biologists, it becomes a little difficult to adapt to scientific names, we become strangers, often dark (they are in Latin and with a word they are not enough and use two). But the reality is very different, since this system of designation of species gave rise to a great order and clarity in the nomenclature of living beings. The main modification occurred, rather than by the designation system, by the classification system shared with that designation system.

This change is due to a Swedish naturalist born today (May 23) three hundred years, Carl Linnaeus. Or Carolus Linnaeus, Carl von Liné, or Carl Liné. It is no joke, no; he was a man and unique, but he has also come to us with more than one name.

In fact, the binomial system of designation was not invented by Linnaeus, it was already used previously, but, despite being binomial, it was not of two words. Thanks to it, it was simplified, expanded and consolidated as standard. Therefore, he is considered the father of taxonomy, that is, the creator of the classification system of living beings. For the first time he announced his system in Systema Naturae, published in 1735. There, in addition to describing living things, he ranked them hierarchically in three great kingdoms (the animal kingdom, that of plants and minerals) and, within kingdoms, the first classes, then orders, genera and, finally, species, below them varieties. The success of his work was total and he published a dozen editions from 1735 to 1770, more and more complete. The first, eleven pages, the last, of three thousand, classified 7,700 plant species and 4,400 animal species.

The trial system was first published in Systema Naturae (Photo: Smithsonian Institute )

Linnaeus wanted to make a universal and systematic classification of all living beings, in which he put all his efforts. In his works he abandoned the long and descriptive names, greatly simplifying the classifications. The method of designation we currently use began to be used in the late 1740s. Along with the long "scientific" names of the species, he began to put what was called trivial payroll, that is, a common name, an adjective formed by one or two words. A short name, unique in a specific genus and that would not have been modified. So he called all the plants and animals that he classifies, and so we continue to do. The payroll of Linnaeus passes to the category of scientific name trivialia. Two words for each species: the first indicates the genus and the second defines the species.

Linnaeus created and gave the naturalists of the time an understandable and useful work tool that in a short time became indispensable. We must not forget that it was the time of expeditions and exploration, and that the new animals and plants were constantly. And not only for the contemporaries, but also for the descendants. The classification itself has not lasted, but it can be said that the persecuted have evolved over their systematic spirit.

Published in Berrian.