Writing latin names as a title

[leifus]

when writing a scientific name in a title, does it need to be italicised? And if the title was, for example, 'Pollination in Ophrys', does the Ophrys have to be italicised?

[Dogghound]

Yes latin names should still be in italics even when they are in titles.

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by leifus

when writing a scientific name in a title, does it need to be italicised? And if the title was, for example, 'Pollination in Ophrys', does the Ophrys have to be italicised?

Hi Leif

No!

John

[Dogghound]

Is it just optional? As most scientific reports have them in Italics?

[Johnny81]

I just scanned a few papers some are and some are not in italics....

[aeshna5]

Well I can tell you that Kew who know a thing or two about plants have a book called:

Ophrys The Bee Orchids of Europe

And as above Ophrys isn't italicised.

In normal scientific context the scientific names are italicised. I don't bother when I'm using them on WAB but if I'm writing a paper or article for a journal then I do.

[FungiJohn]

Preferable but not essential is the term I would use.

If I was writing a research paper I would probably use italics, but even then it would depend on the target audience.

John

[STYRBJORN]

In standard scientific practice, genus and species names should be italicised. Genus should start with a capital, species lower case. Thus,eg, Dytiscus marginalis for the greater diving beetle, or indeed Homo sapiens for our lot. Abbreviation would be H.sapiens. Kingdom, phylum . . . are all lower case Roman script, but may be initialised in upper case.

Linnaeus rules.

Ric

[leifus]

Thanks everyone, I'm doing an optional extended project in biology so I'll stick to the italics just in case!