Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish biologist. He was the first person to formally describe many species and he was also the first person to uniformally use the binomial naming system for organisms that is still used to this day.

Species are commonly referred to by putting the name of the person who first described a species in brackets after the name, for example:

• Lucilia sericata (Meigen)

This states that the blowfly Lucilia sericata was first described by Meigen, even if he didn't give the organism the same name that it carries now.

In Linnaeus' case so many species were described by him that his name is often abbreviated:

• Apis mellifera (Linnaeus)
• Apis mellifera (Linn.)
• Apis mellifera (L.)

An engraving of Carl Linnaeus.

Other names for (or types of) Linnaeus include:

• Carl Linnaeus
• Linn

Related terms

• Binomial naming system
• Biological classification
• Class
• Family
• Genus
• Kingdom
• Order
• Phylum
• Species
• Taxonomy
• Type specimen
• Zoologist

Related groups of terms

• Classification
• General biology

Related pages on this web site

• Insect classification

See other words beginning with L