Penicillium marneffei is classified under which genus?

Penicillium marneffei is classified under which genus?

• A. Penicillium marneffei
• B. Aspergillus fumigatus
• C. Candida albicans
• D. Penicillium

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is binomial nomenclature: the genus is the first word of a species name and groups organisms that share broad similarities. In the name Penicillium marneffei, the first word Penicillium identifies the genus. So, the organism is classified under the genus Penicillium. (Note: taxonomic updates can move this species into a closely related genus in some classifications, but given the form shown, Penicillium is the genus.) The other options are entirely different genera such as Aspergillus or Candida, which would pair with their own species names.

The main idea here is binomial nomenclature: the genus is the first word of a species name and groups organisms that share broad similarities. In the name Penicillium marneffei, the first word Penicillium identifies the genus. So, the organism is classified under the genus Penicillium. (Note: taxonomic updates can move this species into a closely related genus in some classifications, but given the form shown, Penicillium is the genus.) The other options are entirely different genera such as Aspergillus or Candida, which would pair with their own species names.