Question

Assertion (A) The scientific name Malus malus for apple is incorrect.
Reason (R) It is a tautonym.

• A. Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
• B. Both A and R are correct, but R is not the correct explanation of A
• C. A is correct, but R is incorrect
• D. A is incorrect, but R is correct

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A

A tautonym is a Latin name with identical genus and species names, for example the scientific name of Indian cobra is Naja naja.
In the current rules for botanical nomenclature, tautonyms are explicitly prohibited. Such names are allowed in zoology, but not in botany, where the two parts of the name of a species must differ (though differences as small as one letter are permitted, as in the red date (Ziziphus zizyphus)). One of the correct scientific name of apple is Malus domestica.