Deja Vue

[mbpi at juno.com]

I am intrigued by the fact that after nearly two years of being
subscribed to this listserv, the same discussions that have been hashed
(and rehashed) over the course of time, keep cropping up as if they had
never been discussed before (!)  And what's more:  the same people keep
bringing the same topics up...over and over and over again.  Sometimes, I
wonder if you aren't all "in denial" [:-))

That observation aside, I would like to put in my two-cents worth on the
recurrent thread of "common names vs. scientific names," and divert the
discussion from Lepidoptera to Coleoptera, since that is what I'm
currently involved with.

I don't think that anyone refutes the necessity of scientific names as a
basis for standardization in the describing and naming of species. 
Nevertheless, after sorting hundreds of Paleoarctic Coleoptera...spanning
a 30+ years collection...discrepancies abound!  Even the spelling of
scientific names is questionable, depending on the collector (!)  And the
changes that occur in the generic names over the course of time are hard
to determine, much less verify, without a good, "up-to-date"
reference...which in the case of beetles...is pratically an impossibility
unless one has the time to unearth all the documentation as new criteria
evolves.  In other words:  It can't be done by one individual...which is
why scientists dedicate themselves to one particular group.  Who has the
time or resources for it all?!

As for "common names:"  understandably, in the case of beetles, it is
practically pointless. It has no relevance to the "layman" who will never
be able to determine what he doesn't know even "exists."  Common names
only have relevance to organisms that are "obvious" in their
conspicuousness, behavior, status, environmental impact, etc.  That makes
sense to me!  Sort of like giving "nicknames" to individuals with
outstanding "characteristics."  A perfectly natural human condition, if
you ask me.

M.B. Prondzinski
________________________________________________________________
GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.

 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl