Red-spotted Admirals??

[HpAzures at aol.com]

All:

NABA has revised the common name of Limenitis arthemis astyanax to 
"Red-spotted Admiral".  I presume this was done in the name of standardizing 
genus names.  Thus, all Limenitis (correctly Basilarchia?) are now 
"Admirals".  However, I wonder how many newcomers will now confuse Red 
Admirals with Red-spotted Admirals?  

People cry about stability in names, but now this will certainly confuse 
newcomers who still see the name "Red-spotted Purple" in their guides but are 
being told that's not correct (I would have suggested "Blue Admiral" for 
astyanax).  Now, Red Admirals will certainly need to be changed to "Red 
Ladies" to comply with standardization.  Viceroys will need to be known as 
"Viceroy Admirals"  

Similarly, Fixsenia favonius ontario, traditionally called the "Northern 
Hairstreak" was changed to "Southern Hairstreak", thus stripped of it's 
subspecific distinction from F. favonius favonius.  Now it's the "Oak 
Hairstreak" because it uses Oak.  I seem to recall that a great number of 
Hairstreaks also use oak...exclusively, like Edwards' Hairstreak!  

What's a lepidopterist to do?  

I consider all of these new NABA common names just that: NABA common-names.  
Nobody, especially anyone posting names on the various discussion groups, is 
obliged to use these names outside of NABA activities.  There is no formally 
established international system for common names, as there is with 
scientific names.  For me, tradional useage prevails, and there will always 
be a Northern Hairstreak, Red-spotted Purple and Olive Hairstreak.  My 
library of guides say so.  

Taxonomists just want to have fun.

Harry Pavulaan
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