Practice question
Question
Tautonyms are
Explanation
Tautonyms occur when generic and specific names repeat identically, such as Bison bison American bison, Rattus rattus black rat, Naja naja Indian cobra, Gorilla gorilla western gorilla. International Code of Zoological Nomenclature explicitly allows tautonymy and such names are valid and common. In contrast, International Code for algae, fungi, and plants under Article 23.4 prohibits tautonyms, rendering them invalid for plants and bacteria. This dichotomy reflects separate historical traditions of zoologists versus botanists and remains high-yield for competitive examination distinction. Knowledge of this distribution aids in understanding endemism patterns and UNESCO heritage site designations across India.
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