Final answer:
The statement that the initial letter of the genus is capitalized and the species is in lowercase when writing a binomial name is true. This format follows the rules of binomial nomenclature developed by Carolus Linnaeus.
Step-by-step explanation:
When writing a binomial name, the correct format includes capitalizing the initial letter of the genus and writing the species in lowercase. Therefore, the statement that the initial letter of the genus is capitalized and the species is in lowercase is true. This system of naming, known as binomial nomenclature, was developed by Carolus Linnaeus to provide a universal and consistent way to name species. An example of this would be Homo sapiens, where 'Homo' is the genus name and is capitalized, while 'sapiens' is the species name and is not capitalized.
It's important to note that in scientific texts, both genus and species names are typically italicized to distinguish them from the rest of the text. This practice helps to avoid confusion with common names and ensures that the organism can be clearly identified by scientists worldwide. The genus and species names reflect a hierarchical taxonomic system that classifies organisms based on their natural relationships.