The glossary of the ICZN defines "species name" as a binomen, and "specific
name" as the second name in a binomen or trinomen. (Subgeneric names don't
count; trinomen refers to subspecies names.) Specific and subspecific names
are also sometimes called trivial names or specific epithets. A specific or
subspecific name by itself does not refer to a taxon, whereas a species name
does. That is why when used properly, the genus name is always specified, at
least by an abbreviation.
Gary
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Gary Rosenberg, Ph.D. [log in to unmask]
Malacology & Invertebrate Paleontology gopher://erato.acnatsci.org
Academy of Natural Sciences http://www.acnatsci.org
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Phone 215-299-1033
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