A reply on common names

[James Kruse]

on 4/1/02 1:24 PM, Michael Gochfeld at gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU wrote:

> I seriously question the wisdom of calling P.c. arcticus a Monarch, even in
> Alaska.
> 
Ron previously wrote:
>> Monarch for Pterourus canadensis arcticus in Alaska gets a lot of votes.
>> The regional use of common names can not be ignored or legislated out of
>> existence. That aspect will have to be dealt with eventually by all who
>> want globalization of common names.
>> 

It is still winter here, so....

But Mike, a common name _is_ a "common" name, using the definition of
common, which thus should be inclusive of regional variants. Wisdom? Tell
me, who is wise enough to choose the 'only' correct name from this list:

Mountain lion
Cougar
Painter
Panther
Catamount
(there are probably more, but you get it)

You naturally tend to pick the one that is in use where you grew up. As a
former Wisconsinite I might seriously question the use of "mountain lion"
where they were/are found in Wisconsin, where no mountains (by most
definitions) are found; or the usage of "panther" when it is already used in
reference to another species, much like "monarch" is in this case. Why can't
all names be listed? Are some of these "invalid" because the wisdom of their
usage is questioned? They are not scientific names after all, but I would
expect that more localized species may have only one, if any at all.

So Ron, give us a "common names LIST".

Jim


James J. Kruse, Ph.D.
Curator of Entomology
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Drive
Fairbanks, AK, USA 99775-6960
tel 907.474.5579
fax 907.474.1987
http://www.uaf.edu/museum/ento




 
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