Xochiquetzalpapalotl

[Michael Gochfeld]

I'm working on it. Xochiquetzalpapalotl shouldn't be too difficult
(Quetzalcoatl is a well-practiced Mayan term). I camped out at
Teotihuacan in 1962 when there was NO ONE THERE but spirits. Too bad
that won't suffice as the type locality (the Mayans did not use binomial
nomenalature). Note that Xochiquetalpapalotl  gets capitalized as it
should. I'll probably have an easier time with this one than remembering
whether multicaudata or multicaudatus is correct.
Mike Gochfeld
"Chris J. Durden" wrote:
> 
> Michael,
>     If you really want to use a common name for *Pterourus multicadata* the
> oldest is Xochiquetzalpapalotl, which as one of the earthly manifestations
> of a deity, should not be taken lightly. This butterfly was known to the
> inhabitants of Teotihuacan in Mexico, who depicted both adult and pupa in
> painted clay effigies. The species ranges from Alberta to Guatemala and
> from Central Texas to California with several poorly known subspecies. The
> individuals with longest forewing that I have found so far are from Travis
> Co. TX.  These are the largest butterflies found north of the Mexico where
> they are exceeded only by *Caligo* species.
>     Xochiquetzalpapalotl = flower-feathered-serpent-butterfly (from Nahuatl)
>     Pterourus multicadata = wing-that-glows-with-passion, the many-tailed
> (from Latin)
> ...................Chris Durden
> 
> At 08:31 AM 4/26/2001 -0400, you wrote:
> >If you don't like common names go to 2.
> >
> >1. The example below shows why the common names of species should be
> >treated as proper nouns and capitalized since (style manuals
> >notwithstanding) they refer to unique entities.
> >
> >Use in a sentence:  There flies a multi-tailed butterfly".
> >
> >Does that refer to one of many butterflies which happen to have more
> >than one tail, or to a member of a single species (Papilio
> >multicaudatus, the Multi-tailed Butterfly).
> >
> >
> >
> >    At last some concrete information that leaves us with two
> >possibilities -
> > >*Papilio multicaudata* - "butterfly, the multi-tailed"
> > >*Papilio multicaudatus* - "the multi-tailed butterfly"
> >
> >CONCLUSIONS: Species as unique entities are proper nouns and ought to be
> >capitlized to avoid confusion.  Try for example, the little metalmark.
> >
> >If I keep this up I will make a case for not using common names.
> >
> >2.  Bye
> >
> >
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-- 

================================================
Michael Gochfeld, MD, PhD
Professor of Environmental and Community Medicine
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
170 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854  USA
732-445-0123 X627  fax 732-445-0130

 
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