Naming Species after Celebrities
Every year, scientists recognise 15,000 new animal species and each one needs a new name. With so many species, scientists are bound to tearn to popular culture for inspiration.
Naming species after celebrities is one seriously effective way for scientists to draw attention to taxonomy though it would seem shameless self-promotion. Scientists are given free rein with naming, as long as they abide by guidelines set by international Code of Zoological Namenclature. The rules for patronyms or scientic names in honor of people do not limit which names are used. They just provide a uniform naming method.In general, an animal spieces ending in 'i' is named after one man. The ending 'ae' is for species named after one women; 'orum' is reserved for spcies named after a couples.Plants species operate under slightly different rules because the gender of the species must match that of the genus.
Here is a select of famous people named after the species. George W. Bush: Agathidium bushi (slime-mold beetle); Darth Vader: Agathidium vander (slime-mold beetle); Frank Zappa: Phialella zappai (jelly fish; Harrrison Ford: Pheidole harrisonfordi (ant); Greta Garbo: Rostropia garbo (female wasp), etc.
Every year, scientists recognise 15,000 new animal species and each one needs a new name. With so many species, scientists are bound to tearn to popular culture for inspiration.
Naming species after celebrities is one seriously effective way for scientists to draw attention to taxonomy though it would seem shameless self-promotion. Scientists are given free rein with naming, as long as they abide by guidelines set by international Code of Zoological Namenclature. The rules for patronyms or scientic names in honor of people do not limit which names are used. They just provide a uniform naming method.In general, an animal spieces ending in 'i' is named after one man. The ending 'ae' is for species named after one women; 'orum' is reserved for spcies named after a couples.Plants species operate under slightly different rules because the gender of the species must match that of the genus.
Here is a select of famous people named after the species. George W. Bush: Agathidium bushi (slime-mold beetle); Darth Vader: Agathidium vander (slime-mold beetle); Frank Zappa: Phialella zappai (jelly fish; Harrrison Ford: Pheidole harrisonfordi (ant); Greta Garbo: Rostropia garbo (female wasp), etc.
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