Nomenclature and classification of microorganisms

The document discusses the nomenclature and classification of microorganisms. It describes how scientists have historically attempted to classify living things, from Aristotle grouping them as plant or animal to Linnaeus developing the binomial naming system still used today. Microorganism names now originate from descriptive terms, scientists' names, geographic locations, or organizations. The document then outlines the taxonomic hierarchy from kingdom to species and provides an example classification for Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus. It concludes by defining rules for naming microorganisms, including when to capitalize, italicize, and use abbreviations, as well as noting plural forms.