Common names list.

[Ron Gatrelle]

This is an update on the progress of TILS common names lists.  The
Swallowtails and Parnassinas section is posted.
http://tils-ttr.org/lepnames.html  It is very important that comments and
corrections be sent in where this may not reflect current usage.  Because
this list includes all speices components (subspecies), it is especially
important that those in the regions these are found to let us know what
they are called there.   Common names are the names "local" people give to
things - and use-.  Some taxa do not have common names and we are not out
to invent them.  When they come into regional use we need to know about
this.

This list of Standardized names can be used at what ever level individuals
and groups wish.  For example, those who only want to use a species name to
cover all subspecies therein should use the nominate subspecies common name
of that species.  In nature, what we call subspecies are all equal - on the
same plain - within the organic species.  No subspecies is organically
below (less than) another within the organic entity.   The term "sub"
species is actually a technical taxonomic term invented by scientists and
expressed on paper to delimit evolutionary rank. A subspecies is not a
lower local or regional form of a species.  It is that full species as it
occurs in that region.  The value of subspecies and need for their
recognition is reflected in the fact that all of our endangered butterfly
"species" are subspecies.

Ron Gatrelle



 
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