What’s In A Name: The Colourful (& Sometimes Hurtful) Profession of Naming New Species

Elephas maximus borneensis, Funambulus palmarum, Ajaja ajaja, Oryza rufipogon…you may have come across these or something similar in your biology textbook or an article about wildlife. They are scientific names of animals & plants – Borneo elephant, Indian palm squirrel, Spoonbills and Wild rice, in that order.

At first read, we may not really decipher which species the name refers to. But when we do, we are pleasantly surprised.

One of the most exciting activities in the scientific community, is taxonomy – the science of grouping a newly discovered species. A part of this job involves naming the species.

While enjoyable, the process of naming a new species is also a very complicated task; which involves a lot of research, word play and sarcasm. If you’ve ever wanted to know how plants & animals get their scientific names, you’re at the right place.

 

Source: Pixabay

 

The rules of naming

The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is the governing body which has complete control over all things taxonomy. It is the Code which spells out how an animal can be named and what rules must be followed while naming.

According to the Code, there are 3 cardinal rules that all taxonomists need to follow when naming an animal:

• Don’t use a used name – The name must be completely unique.
• Don’t be insulting – The name must not be rude to anyone.
• Don’t name the species after yourself – The final name cannot include the name of the taxonomist.

Sounds simple enough? Unfortunately it isn’t.

There are many cases in the past when scientists named an animal to either gain recognition or to take a dig at a competitor.

There was Dr. May Berenbaum, the VP of Entomological Society of America, who named a species of urea-eating cockroach after herself – Xestoblatta berenbaumae. Of course, she did say that fame wasn’t her focus when she did this. Dr. Berenbaum was already a highly-reputed scientist in the community and she only wanted to showcase her passion for creepy crawlies by naming one after herself.

 

Xestoblatta berenbaumae (Source)

 

Then there was famed 1700s botanist, the Father of Taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus. He is renowned today, not just for his contribution to taxonomy, but also for being unbelievably petty and mean towards people he didn’t like. At the height of his career, he used fellow botanist and friend Johann Georg Siegesbeck’s name as inspiration to name a foul-smelling genus of weed – Sigesbeckia orientalis – after Siegesbeck publicly criticised Linnaeus’ method of species classification. This, many believe, was meant to be a dig at Siegesbeck’s  jealousy at Linnaeus’ success.  

 

Carl Linnaeus, the Father of Taxonomy (Source)

 

Sigesbeckia orientalis aka St. Paul’s Wort (Source)

 

And who can forget Daniel Rolander, Linnaeus’ most-hated protégé?  After Rolander refused to share his field study results and samples from his trip to Suriname with Linnaeus, the latter promptly went ahead and got him banned from leading scientific and academic institutions of the time. To add salt to injury, Linnaeus also named a type of dung beetle – Aphanus rolandri – after Rolander. Ouch. 

Loosely translated to English, Aphanus rolandri means “inconspicuous Rolander”. Now that’s what I call a double whammy.

 

Aphanus rolandri (Source)

 

Here’s one more – Famed palaeontologist O.A. Peterson named a species of prehistoric pig as Dinohyus hollandi, after Director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History W.J. Holland, for the latter’s annoying habit of hogging the limelight. Holland was known in scientific circles for taking credit for every research paper published by his students, irrespective of whether he contributed to it or not.

 

Fossil of Dinohyus hollandi

Representative reconstruction

 

Okay back to the rules of taxonomy

Barring these and a few other instances of inspired, but hurtful name-calling, taxonomy has for the most period, been a civilised affair.

When naming an animal or a plant, taxonomists are told to consider the specialty of the species as inspiration. So, when scientists found a new genus of tiny sea snails, they named them Ittibittium; given how they were much smaller in size compared to another genus of sea snails – Bittium.

 

Genus Ittibittium (Source)

 

The second way to name a new species – find another creature that looks exactly like it and name the new species after that. Enter Scaptia beyonceae, a species of horse fly which is renowned for possessing a giant, golden bottom. Who else in the animal kingdom had such a big, tanned, booty? Why, Beyoncé of course.

 

Scaptia beyonceae & Beyoncé (Source)

 

TV shows and story book characters have inspired species names too. A newly discovered species of jellyfish was named Bazinga reiki after The Big Bang Theory’s protagonist Sheldon Cooper’s famous catchphrase “Bazinga”. The bacteria genus Midichloria was named after a fictional alien species called “midichlorians” described in the cult classic Star Wars.  Then there’s the fossil of a large turtle, discovered in 1992 – Ninjemys oweni, named after the hit show Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

 

Bazinga reiki jellyfish

Bacteria genus Midichloria

Fossil of Ninjemys oweni

 

So, to encapsulate

Scientific names must be unique, kind, not self-glorifying and clever. They must take inspiration from the species itself or another, just like it.

Can only scientists name a new species?

Although scientists who discover the species usually get the honour of naming them, some scientists allow members of the public to send their suggestions.

In 2000, Dr Nerida Wilson discovered a species of nudibranch in the Indian ocean. She didn’t have a name for the animal. So, she decided to let the people decide. She invited names from the public and the submissions were reviewed by a panel of expert taxonomists. Finally, the entry by Patrick from New South Wales was chosen and the nudibranch was named – Moridilla fifo.

 

Moridilla fifo (Source)

 

Oh yes, here’s something else…

The names don’t need to be in Latin.

Although Latin was the language of taxonomy in the 1700s, today, there’s no strict rule requiring taxonomists to name species in Latin or Greek. You can provide a name in any language of your choice and taxonomists will tweak the spelling to resemble Latin or Greek, without actually changing or translating the name itself.

Want to name a species yourself?

Go on and keep your eyes peeled for opportunities. Who knows, the next big discovery could be named by you.

 

 

-NISHA PRAKASH

 

PS: Featured image: Hierarchy in taxonomy , Dinohyus hollandi – Fossil; Representative image, Bazinga reiki, Midichloria, Ninjemys oweni 

The 10 Best Ways To Celebrate Earth Day 2019!

Hey there everyone! Happy Earth Day!

Today is a very special day. Today is the day we celebrate the Earth and everything she stands for. Today is the day we take a pledge to protect the Earth and do our bit to keep the animals, plants & insects on our planet safe from harm and alive for our descendants to enjoy.

So, this Earth Day 2019, let’s look at the 10 simple ways in which we can do our part to keep the Earth safe.

1. Don’t drive to work – 1 gallon (3.8 litres) of gas produces 20 pounds of carbon dioxide when burnt. If everyone kept their car at home just for one day, it will stop the production of millions of pounds of carbon dioxide. This can save so many animals, plants & people.
2. Tighten the tap – A leaking tap can lose up to 5 gallons (18.9 litres) of water each day. This quantity can meet the water needs of a small community. If you have leaking taps at home, get them fixed.
3. Set up a bird bath – Many species of birds are at risk of extinction due to climate change. Installing a small bird bath on your terrace/garden/yard can provide these birds a place to cool-off in the scorching summer heat. Here is a simple guide to building a bird bath at home. You can also set-up a bird feeder, while you’re at it.
4. Plant – Plants and trees give us oxygen. They give us fruits, flowers and seeds. They are homes for many animals & insects. All of us need plants for our survival. Yet, more than 2.47 million trees are cut down each day, around the world. Imagine what would happen if we continue to cut down trees and not replace them with new ones? Planting a single tree at home can really help the environment.
5. Avoid plastics – Plastics are killers. No matter what form they come in – bags, bottles, rubber bands etc. – they are one of the greatest threats to the Earth. A single plastic bag takes 1000 years to decompose and there are more than 6.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic waste today on the Earth and in the ocean. Imagine how damaging this plastic can be on the planet. This informative blog will tell you all about it.
6. Get eco-friendly toys for your pets – A lot of pet toys are actually made from materials which can have a negative impact on your pet’s health. They are also hard to recycle, making them very burdensome on the environment. Choose toys which are biodegradable and which are preferably ISO certified. Also make sure that they use ingredients which are hygienic & body-friendly for your pets.
7. Choose re-usable bottles, coffee cups and straws – Disposable bottles, cups and straws are one of the main causes of pollution. They add to the plastic waste that’s already present on the Earth. Don’t contribute to this. Choose bottles which you can re-use multiple times. Take a coffee mug to work or to the cafe and ask the server to use that for your order. Ask for reusable straws, or better yet, avoid the straws altogether. The same goes for plastic grocery bags.
8. Donate to animal welfare – Many zoos around the world allow the public to adopt animals for up to a year. During this adoption period, the patron foots the medical and food bills of the animal for the entire duration. But this may be expensive for some people. In that case, you can just donate the amount you want to the zoo of your choice. This will go a long way in getting quality food and medication for the animals.
9. Volunteer at an animal shelter – If you’d like to play a more active role in animal welfare, then volunteer at an animal shelter or a Rescue & Rehabilitation unit. Not only will you be able to do your part for the Earth, but you’ll gain a better understanding and appreciation for your fellow-creatures.
10. Recycle – Garbage is something we can’t escape. Its bound to pile up every day. The best way to respect the Earth and reduce the damage that you may be inflicting on the planet, is to actively recycle. Encourage your kids to join in and your neighbours too. Let this be a community event; after all, it will benefit the community as a whole. Here is a wonderful guide to recycling various materials.

 

-NISHA PRAKASH 

 

P.S: Featured image: Pixabay