Species Classification

The trinomial and quadratic taxonomic classification systems

Introduction

Typically, when classifying organisms on Earth, we use a system called the taxonomic classification system, which consists of specific scientific names assigned to each new plant and organism identified. There are two systems in place: Binomial Nomenclature (two names) and Trinomial Nomenclature (three names). Each "new" species is given a name in each of the categories of taxonomical classification, listed here broadest to most specific: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species Identifier (or "specific name").

To make it easier, each "new" species is given a two-word name (the Gray Wolf, for example, has the scientific name Canis lupus). The first word in the name is the species' genus, while the second is the Specific Name, or Species Identifier. This is Binomial Nomenclature. But considering that a species is defined by its inability to successfully interbreed with other species, what about those scenarios in which they can successfully interbreed?

That's where Trinomial Nomenclature comes in. A species is given a third name (or sometimes more if it's a plant - botany is confusing!) - the subspecies. For example, the domestic dog has recently been established as a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, its three-word name being Canis lupus familiaris (this is kindof a bad example, given the fact that whether the domestic dog really is a subspecies is an ongoing discussion, but you get the point).

So what does all of this have to do with Nhaie? Well, things get a bit interesting once you start classifying organisms from different planets. As Earthlings in the 2000s didn't really have to face this problem, it proved a fun challenge for when life was found in other galaxies during the deep-space exploration period of the 2800s. The system scientists developed is really rather basic, but very nice to use.

The Improved System

The new system of taxonomical classification is exactly the same as the old system, excepting the addition of one new piece: Species Location.

Species Location isn't included in the list of classifications for a species (one wouldn't list Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species Identifier, Species Location, in, say, a chart), however, it is a vital part of a species' scientific name. Because this piece has been added, we now use no Binomial Nomenclature, mostly Trinomial Nomenclature; and some Quadratic Nomenclature when necessary. Here're the basics on how Species Location, the last of the three or four words in a scientific name, is created.

When classifying organisms living in space, things get confusing really fast. It's necessary to provide some indicator of where each species lives, there being so many potential places, rather than just one planet. The extra word, placed at the beginning of a scientific name, shows where in space the species has been found living. The prefix of this word indicates the solar system in which this species has been found and the suffix represents the planet. Since year 0 A.E.D, space exploration has been very limited, and the specification of galaxy has not yet been needed (exploration of other galaxies was very limited before the discovery of Nhaie, so there weren't enough species found at that point to require galaxy then, either). Keeping all this in mind, the current format is as follows:

[location] [species] [subspecies (optional)],

location being [solar system prefix/planet suffix], without the slash,

and species being [genus] [species identifier].

For example, the species Yonha Canis Brontolupii. This species (the Great Wolf - see Great Wolves ) is a very large wolf that lives on the planet Nhaie. "Yonha" specifies the planet Nhaie because "Yon-" is for the solar system Yona (where Nhaie is located) and "-Nha" is for Nhaie (the planet). Two "n"s in a row would be odd so we eliminate one in order to make it flow better.

But what if a species is found on multiple planets, either in the same or in different solar systems? In this case, all necessary suffixes and all necessary prefixes (if more than one) are added to the name. For example, say the Great Wolf can be found on the planet Obriin, along with the planet Nhaie (it can't, but let's just say it can, for our purposes). We would add Obriin's prefix ("Glor-", for the solar system Gloran ) and its suffix ("-Obr") to our already established "Yonha" for Nhaie. This would give us Yonglornhaobr (yawn-glur-now-bur) (totally not a mouthful), which is a combination of the two planets' locations. Yes, more than three planets/solar systems is a pain, but you know? It's alright. And at least the system is simple.

The species locations (if there are multiple planets or solar systems listed) are put in order of where the organism was discovered. As the Great Wolf would have been discovered on Nhaie first, Yona's prefix is placed before Gloran's, and Nhaie's suffix is placed before Obriin's.

The Prefixes and Suffixes

• Yon- (Yona ; solar system)
• Glor- (Gloran ; ss)
• -Nha (Nhaie ; planet)
• -Lii (Liionge; pla)
• -Zal (Zalina; pla)
• -Pap (Papyr; pla)
• -Fri (Friis; pla)
• -Kha (Khair; pla)
• -Qii (Quiim; pla)
• -Rii (Riim; pla)
• -Var (Varse; pla)
• -Xal (Xxal; pla)
• -Bur (Burdona; pla)
• -Bar (Barma; pla)
• -Aby (Abyrrah; pla)
• -Hur (Hurmah; pla)
• -Ido (Idon; pla)
• -Mur (Murs; pla)
• -Obr (Obriin ; pla)
• -Par (Partaman; pla)
• -Wan (Wantaman; pla)
• -Uma (Uhmalah; pla)
• -Ear (Earth, pla)
  
  

Earth

So, Earth is a bit of an odd one. There are no other planets in the solar system that had life, and it doesn't even exist anymore. There are a few odd specifications. Creatures that lived on Earth and live on other planets currently keep the Earth classification, just to show that they also lived there. There isn't a solar system specification for Earth, as it's the only one in its solar system that ever needs referencing. It's also the only planet with classified creatures that's outside Nhaie's galaxy, but because it's the only one it doesn't have a galaxy specification either. And as some species only ever lived on Earth, and not elsewhere, they have the species location "Earth" rather than just "Ear".

Visual aids for this article coming... sometime!

---

Sources:

Non-Wikipedia Sources - on Taxonomy

• On Binomial Nomenclature
• On the Taxonomic Classification System
• On taxonomy of a dog

Stack Exchange - on alien classification

• On taxonomy of "alien species"
• On classification of "extraterrestrial life"
• (Those two sound like the same thing - they are! Those are just the page titles)

Wikipedia - on Taxonomy

• On Trinomial Nomenclature
• On Taxonomic Affixes
• On Greek and Latin roots commonly used in taxonomy
• On Greek and Latin roots in English
• On the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
• On Genus
• On specific names