> Most species names differ from their genus name, for example Homo sapiens. But I suspect I misunderstand you.
A genus is typically named after a species. That species retains its name as the species name, and gets it again as the genus name.
So, for example, the Latin word for "toad" is bufo, and the name Bufo bufo went to the species that was considered the most standard, toadiest toad, which wikipedia still calls the "common toad" today. More exotic toads will be called Bufo [something weird].
Ursus arctos clearly has the same form; it's the Latin word for "bear" followed by... the Greek word for "bear". The normal thing would have been to name this species, the prototype for all bears, Ursus ursus.
Homo sapiens is a special case where we specifically wanted to say something nice about the species.
Thanks for explaining the naming of protypical species, though I think terms like 'typically', 'weird' and 'special case' overstate the case significantly. Though I'm not an expert in the field (maybe you are?), I encounter many binomial names and few where genus and species match. How does that reconcile?
Here are a list of common animals, and then a comprehensive encylopedia; notice that very few names match genus and species:
And while I'm thinking of it, among the most common binomial names - and most typical species - in science are Escherichia coli, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Danio rerio, ..., though there is Mus musculus! Homo sapiens doesn't seem like a special case.
A genus is typically named after a species. That species retains its name as the species name, and gets it again as the genus name.
So, for example, the Latin word for "toad" is bufo, and the name Bufo bufo went to the species that was considered the most standard, toadiest toad, which wikipedia still calls the "common toad" today. More exotic toads will be called Bufo [something weird].
Ursus arctos clearly has the same form; it's the Latin word for "bear" followed by... the Greek word for "bear". The normal thing would have been to name this species, the prototype for all bears, Ursus ursus.
Homo sapiens is a special case where we specifically wanted to say something nice about the species.