The scientific name Felis catus. Which classification level is indicated by the first part of the scientific name?

The scientific name Felis catus. Which classification level is indicated by the first part of the scientific name?

• A. Genus
• B. Species
• C. Family
• D. Order

Answer: (A)

In binomial nomenclature, the first word of a two-part scientific name designates the genus—the group of closely related species. Felis catus uses Felis as the genus, which includes various wild and domestic cats. The second word, catus, is the species epithet that identifies the domestic cat within that genus. So the first part indicates the genus. The other ranks—species would refer to the second part, while family or order are higher-level groups not indicated by the first word alone. Also note that the genus is capitalized and the species epithet is lowercase, with both usually written in italics.

In binomial nomenclature, the first word of a two-part scientific name designates the genus—the group of closely related species. Felis catus uses Felis as the genus, which includes various wild and domestic cats. The second word, catus, is the species epithet that identifies the domestic cat within that genus. So the first part indicates the genus. The other ranks—species would refer to the second part, while family or order are higher-level groups not indicated by the first word alone. Also note that the genus is capitalized and the species epithet is lowercase, with both usually written in italics.