Scientific names of animals and plants
The basis of scientific names for animals and plants is the Latin language.
Scientists use a naming system which is known as "Binomial nomenclature", which is basically giving the animals and plants surnames as well as christian names (or personal names).
This system of scientific names was proposed and established by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish biologist, in about 1758.
Species are grouped into clans, that is like the family name even though their genus (or surname) may be different. There personal name is the specific name for that species.
The Genus (or surname) as a general rule starts with a capital letter while the Specific name (or personal name) is written completely in lower case.
At times the Genus will be abbreviated to the first letter (the capital letter) followed by the Specific name in full, however this is only after the entire name has been written out in full once.
Animals of the Yarra Ranges National Park
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Alpine Copperhead Snake | Austrelaps ramsayi |
| Australian White Ibis | Threskiornis molucca |
| Australian Wood Duck | Chenonetta jubata |
| Barn Owl | Tyto alba |
| Black (Swamp) Wallaby | Wallabia bicolor |
| Blotched Blue tongue Lizard | Tiliqua nigrolutea |
| Brown Goshawk | Accipiter fasciatus |
| Common Brushtail Possum | Trichosurus vulpecula |
| Common Ringtail Possum | Pseudocheirus peregrinus |
| Common Wombat | Wombatus ursinus |
| Crimson Rosella | Platycercus elegans |
| Dusky Antechinus | Antechinus swainsonii |
| Eastern Grey Kangaroo | Macropus giganteus |
| Eastern Rosella | Platycercus eximius |
| Galah | Cacatua roseicapilla |
| Koala | Phascolarctos cinereus |
| Laughing Kookaburra | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Lesser Long-Eared Bat | Nyctophilius geoffroyi |
| Little Corella | Cacatua sanguinea |
| Pacific Black Duck | Anas superciliosa |
| Rainbow Lorikeet | Trichoglossus haematodus |
| Red Fox | Vulpes vulpes |
| Short-beaked Echidna | Tachyglossus aculeatus |
| Southern Boobook Owl | Ninox novaeseelandiae |
| Sugar Glider | Petaurus breviceps |
| Tawny Frogmouth | Podargus strigoides |
| Wedge Tailed Eagle | Aquila audax |
