BINOMIAL

NOMENCLATURE
MICROBIOLOGY & PARASITOLOGY LECTURE
TAXONOMY
Greek word: “taxon” = arrangement
The classification of organisms in an ordered system that indicates a natural
relationship.

Linnaean Classification
A formal system proposed by
Carolus Linnaeus in 1735.
TAXONOMY
Includes:

1. Identification - the process of studying and recording the

identical and distinguishing features.
2. Nomenclature - the process of assigning names to the various
taxonomic ranking of each living organism.
3. Classification - the orderly arrangement of organisms into
groups that shows evolutionary relationships.
METHODS OF
IDENTIFICATION
1. Morphological characteristics
Shape, color, size, arrangement of bacterial cells

2. Biochemical tests
Used for the identification of bacterial species based on the differences in the biochemical
activities of different bacteria

3. Serological tests
Used to detect viral & bacterial antigens and antibodies (IgG and IgM), to help diagnose
diseases and check immune status.
METHODS OF
CLASSIFICATION

The Intuitive Method

A microbiologist who is thoroughly familiar with the properties of the
organisms will decide that a particular organism represent a species or genus.
BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
Each organism are assigned with two names:
• The genus is the first and is always capitalized;
• The specific epithet (species name) follows and is not capitalized.

Example:
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Escherichia coli
BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
Each organism are assigned with two names:
• The genus is the first and is always capitalized;
• The specific epithet (species name) follows and is not capitalized.

Example:
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Escherichia coli
BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
SOURCE OF SPECIFIC
EXAMPLES SOURCE OF GENUS NAME
EPITHET
Streptococcus
Appearance of cells in chains (strepto-) Forms pus (pyo-)
pyogenes

Saccharomyces Fungus (-myces) that uses sugar

Makes beer (cerevisia)
cerevisiae (saccharo-)

Salmonella Honors public health microbiologist

Found in the intestines (entero-)
enterica Daniel Salmon
RULES
1. All the scientific names of organisms are usually Latin. Hence,
they are written in italics.
2. There exist two parts of a name. The first word identifies the
genus and the second word identifies the species.
3. When the names are handwritten, they are underlined or
italicized if typed. This is done to specify its Latin origin.
4. The name of the genus starts with a capital letter and the
name of the species starts with a small letter.
THREE DOMAINS

1. Eukarya
2. Archaea
3. Bacteria
EUKARYA

4 Main Kingdoms:
1. Animalia
2. Plantae
3. Fungi
4. Protista
ARCHAEA

Main Kingdom:
1. Archaebacteria
BACTERIA

Main Kingdom:
1. Eubacteria
BACTERIAL
CLASSIFICATION
1. Cocci
2. Bacilli
3. Spirilla
4. Vibrios
5. Spirochetes
GRAM POSITIVE BACTERIA
 Has THICK peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall
GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIA
 Has THIN peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall
ACID FAST BACTERIA
 Able to resist decolorization by acids
 Acid fastness is a physical property that gives
a bacterium the ability to resist decolorization
by acids during staining procedures.
BACTERIA WITHOUT CELL
WALL
 Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma
 Do not make the precursors of peptidoglycan
BACTERIAL REPRODUCTION

“Binary fission is a form of asexual reproduction in which an organism divides into two, each
part carrying one copy of genetic material.”