Editing Binomial nomenclature (section)

==Relationship to classification and taxonomy==
Nomenclature (including binomial nomenclature) is not the same as classification, although the two are related. Classification is the ordering of items into groups based on similarities or differences; in [[Taxonomy (biology)|biological classification]], species are one of the kinds of item to be classified.<ref>{{cite book |last=Simpson |first=Michael G. |date=2006 |title=Plant Systematics |location=London |publisher=Elsevier Academic Press |isbn=978-0-12-644460-5}}, p. 552</ref> In principle, the names given to species could be completely independent of their classification. This is not the case for binomial names, since the first part of a binomial is the name of the genus into which the species is placed. Above the rank of genus, binomial nomenclature and classification are partly independent; for example, a species retains its binomial name if it is moved from one family to another or from one order to another, unless it better fits a different genus in the same or different family, or it is split from its old genus and placed in a newly created genus. The independence is only partial since the names of families and other higher taxa are usually based on genera.

[[Taxonomy (biology)|Taxonomy]] includes both nomenclature and classification. Its first stages (sometimes called "[[alpha taxonomy]]") are concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or [[fossil]] organisms.<ref name="Fortey">{{Citation |last=Fortey |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Fortey |date=2008 |title=Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum |location=London |publisher=Harper Perennial |isbn=978-0-00-720989-7}}</ref> Binomial nomenclature is thus an important part of taxonomy as it is the system by which species are named. Taxonomists are also concerned with classification, including its principles, procedures and rules.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davis |first1=Peter H. |author1-link=Peter Hadland Davis |last2=Heywood |first2=Vernon H. |author2-link=Vernon Heywood |date=1965 |title=Principles of Angiosperm Taxonomy |location=Edinburgh |publisher=Oliver & Boyd |page=8}}</ref>