What list?

[Michael Gochfeld]

Ron,

I am not clear what is meant by Glassberg's species list.  Are you referring
to the "Checklist & English Names of North American Butterflies" published by
NABA (2nd edition 2001).   Note (as previously discussed) they refer to
"English names" rather than "common names", which allows there to be common
names in many other languages.  Perhaps they should have said "American
English names" which might be considered a regional subspecies or "race" of
English names.

Anyway I refer to this as the NABA list rather than the Glassberg list, since
the names were voted on by a committee. Giving English names to subspecies
doesn't play havoc with anybody's list, but merely creates the need for
another list and perhaps its own havoc.

Ultimately, the names that prevail are those that are most useful in
communication, probably because they are used by the largest number of people
who bother to communicate.  For those of us that keep our opinions to
ourselves,  it doesn't matter what names we use.

Anyway, your enthusiasm for messing with other people's lists (or certain
other people's lists) shines through brightly.

and keep telling us about those fascinating coastal isolates that I'd like to
see some day.   I have frequented NY and NJ barrier islands for years (mainly
banding birds), and the best we can produce is fantastic numbers of Salt Marsh
Skippers (Panoquina panoquin) and wonderful flights of Salt Marsh Dragon Fly
(Erythrodiplax berenice).   [Pretty scary when I find it easier to look up a
scientific name on google, rather than getting off my duff and walking 10 feet
to a bookshelf----virtual research].

Regards-----Mike Gochfeld

Ron Gatrelle wrote:
If this flies, it will really mess Glassberg's species lists (and common names
all to heqq).

>
> Ron
>


 
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