Consider the following statements regarding biological nomenclature and classification:
I. The scientific name *Mangifera indica* Linn. indicates that the species was first described by Linnaeus.
II. In a valid scientific name, the specific epithet must always begin with a small letter.
III. According to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN), if two different genera are accidentally assigned the same name, the later name is deemed illegitimate, regardless of priority.
IV. Homonymy occurs when two different species are given the same name, while synonymy refers to one species having multiple scientific names.
Which combination of statements is correct?
Correct: A
Statement I is correct: 'Linn.' is the standard abbreviation for Carl Linnaeus, indicating that he first described and named the species. Statement II is correct: The generic name always starts with a capital letter, and the specific epithet (species name) always starts with a small letter. Statement III is incorrect: If two different taxa (e.g., genera or species) are given the same name (a homonym), the *earlier* published name (according to the rule of priority) is the legitimate one, and the later identical name is illegitimate. The illegitimacy is *due to* the rule of priority, not 'regardless of priority.' Statement IV is correct: Homonymy is when the same name is used for two different taxa. Synonymy is when one taxon has been given two or more different scientific names, with the oldest validly published name taking precedence.