Turtledove
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In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species. The system is also called binominal nomenclature (particularly in zoological circles), binary nomenclature (particularly in botanical circles), or the binomial classification system. The essence of it is that each species name is in the modern scientific form of Latin and has two parts, so that it is also sometimes popularly known as the "Latin name" of the species, although this terminology is frowned upon by biologists and philologists, who prefer the phrase scientific name.

Binomial nomenclature in "Secret Names"[]

Madyu found a book called Taxonomy in the ruins of an Old Time building which described the binomial nomenclature system of naming. The preface gave the example of a dog being called Canis familiaris while a wolf was called Canis lupus. The same generic first name indicated that they were related while the different specific names indicated that they were not the same beast.

The content of the book gave the scientific names of many creatures along with (in smaller print) their English names. Madyu concluded that the scientific names were the secret names of animals and incorporated them into his hunting magic.

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