Reptile Names

[JeffHardy]

There is another thread on APS about hybridising carpet snakes. That thread has lead into another of my personal hates. Why do we name animals after people, either scientific or common names?

To use just a few examples from the genus Antaresia - Messrs. Children and Stimson, had pythons named after them and we also have maculosa and perthensis. OK, so the first two were named scientifically in recognition of some contribution that those persons made to science. We can't retreat from the original scientific names given to these animals, but why the hell can't we at least use a desriptive common name for the animals. Some people still insist in calling them Children's Python and Stimson's Python. Those names don't describe the animals or the regions or habitat from which they come?

So what could we come up with? How about -
A. childreni - Northern Cave Python, Crevice Python, Small Cave Python, Small Crevice Python or something else that is descriptive;
A. stimsoni - we already have an acceptable alternative in Large-blotched Python;
A. maculosa - what is wrong with the names that are already in widespread use - Spotted Python or Eastern Small-blotched Python - why do we have to use "maccy"? That's not descriptive and only reverts to the scientific name that means "spotted" anyway;
A. perthensis - Ah ha! Common sense at last - the world's smallest python so we call it the "Pygmy Python".

Over 25 years ago the Royal Australian Ornithologist's Union (now Birds Australia) published a definitive list of a single common name for every Australian bird species. Why isn't a similar exercise undertaken for reptiles?

 

[Cooperkasparek]

Why Don't we just keep the name as they are

 

[nuthn2do]

I get your point Jeff, take the P.henrylawsoni. Probably one of the most identity challenged animals on the planet, poor little buggers.
Craig

 

[JeffHardy]

At least with P. henrylawsoni, we don't call it Henry Lawson's Bearded Dragon, although two of the published names are Lawson?s Dragon and (incorrectly) Rankin?s Dragon. Other published suggested common names include Black-soil Bearded Dragon, Dumpy Dragon, Dwarf Bearded Dragon, Plains Bearded Dragon. My argument is "why can't we all agree on just one descriptive common name?"

 

[hey_im_sam]

Definately sounds a good idea in my mind! Save a lot of confusion, especially with people just getting into the hobby, but it also just makes sense!!

 

[Bryony]

lots of people (including me) get muddled up about the scientific name, then the common name, then the nick name, then the slang name.............they are all the same reptile.....but with so many names!!!!!!
so i gave up and just hassle select ppl on the site.........

please agree on just one name for these little beauties!

 

[Fuscus]

There is not such thing as a definative common name - that is one of the reason that why we have scientic names. Properlly speaking, you should always include the scientic name of the species unless it is an easy to id common name like "sleepy"

 

[JeffHardy]

lol Fuscus - I can't find "Sleepy" in any text.

 

[Fuscus]

Ahh you took the bait
If you talk to (almost) any South Australian they will know what a sleepy is. Even in the SA herp group they are refered to as sleepies. Call them a bobtail or a shingleback and you will just get blank looks.

 

[Sdaji]

I can't understand why some people have this urgent need for common names to be descriptive. My name is John. It isn't 6'3" caucasion male with auburn hair who likes eating steak, and neither should it be. A name is just a label that we use so that other people will know what we're talking about. Calling Children's pythons 'cave pythons' or 'crevice pythons' would be absurd, because it's very misleading. Most of them don't live in caves and many populations occur in areas where there are no rocks. You'll find exceptions with most descriptions. If a name is descriptive, fine. If it's not, who cares if we all know what we're talking about? If you name a new species, by all means make it descriptive, fine, but I see no great need for it and certainly not enough to warrant changing old names and creating further confusion.

Sorry if I've come across sounding a but angry there, I'm really hung over today

I rarely hear anyone call perthensis Pygmy pythons by the way, it's always 'perthensis' I'm certainly one of those people you hate, because I call childreni Children's and stimsoni Stimsons, I guess I just don't need to remind myself of their life history every time I refer to them, I know exactly what I'm talking about and so does everyone else, I think they are by far the best common names possible for those species, because they are derived from the scientific names.

Wow I ramble when I'm hung over! Sorry!

 

[JeffHardy]

Precisely my point, Fuscus - thanks for proving it. I will resist the urge to make any derisive comments about South Australian's living in a world of their own. :lol:

Another example is they call what every other Australian calls a "pee-wee" or "Magpie Lark" a "Murray Magpie". Crikey, get real over there. :roll: That species occurs almost Australia - wide. It has a similar range to the Australian Magpie (except for the pubic triangle).

I still can't find "sleepy" in a text, though I can find Shingleback, Boggi, Bobtail, Shingle-Back Lizard, Stumpy-tail and Stumpy Tail Lizard. :cry:

John - why do you use "Sdaji" as your name in posts - you're not trying to confuse anyone or hide your identity are you? Don't apologise for expressing your opinion - thats what the forum is for.

 

[ad]

I think it is all the names we get used to,
you could call them python #1, Python #2 etc.
Someone would soon be calling them 'jag 2's' or 'desert fire 5's'
when someone says blonde mac and you dont know what it is, you inquire or look it up, its all part of the intrigue of learning a hobby.

 

[Fuscus]

Precisely my point, Fuscus - thanks for proving it. I will resist the urge to make any derisive comments about South Australian's living in a world of their own. :lol:

We(they) do. But they have exactly the same chip on their shoulder as Queenslander, so would be relutant to accept something imposed on them from the east.

Another example is they call what every other Australian calls a "pee-wee" or "Magpie Lark" a "Murray Magpie". Crikey, get real over there. :roll: That species occurs almost Australia - wide. It has a similar range to the Australian Magpie (except for the pubic triangle).

Are you talking about the bird some Queenslanders call the mudlark

I still can't find "sleepy" in a text, though I can find Shingleback, Boggi, Bobtail, Shingle-Back Lizard, Stumpy-tail and Stumpy Tail Lizard. :cry:

A few links for sleepy lizard. the top one is URS
http://reptile.senet.com.au/price.html
http://users.chariot.net.au/~sah/wildlife/sleepy.htm
http://www.reptilian.biz/lizards/stumpy_tailed_lizard.htm

 

[Moclobe]

Strictly speaking we should use the scientific name when refering to animals but even this gets confusing, as the taxonimists can't decide how to classify them and are always changing a genus name here or a species name there.

Regards David

 

[JeffHardy]

LMAO

 

[NoOne]

Alot of the time talking scientific names is the easiest way to know what people are on about, theres many different regional names for some species it's getting stupid.

 

[Fuscus]

Strictly speaking we should use the scientific name when refering to animals but even this gets confusing, as the taxonimists can't decide how to classify them and are always changing a genus name here or a species name there.

Regards David

Very,very,very good point.

Actually, there is, at any one time, only one valid scientific name. But most of us get the name from books that range from 0 to x years old and reflect the names at time of writing ( not release ).

 

[BROWNS]

So what do we call an intergrade?

 

[hugsta]

So what do we call an intergrade?

Oh no!! Not again browns, Where's duga???

 

[ether]

Changing the names of countless pythons would just be a wasye of time in my opinion. Even if they where changed most people would still use the names that they have been used too for years now, just some examples that arnt reptile related include-
Aussie Stadium, many people still call that the sfs
Telstra Stadium, to many it will always be knowen as the olympic stadium

Regards Ether