Taxacom: eponym response

[John Grehan]

For those interested in keeping track of this. Nature 'Correspondence'
article below.

Rethink changing of species names that honour real people

I commend efforts to reassess
the historical practice of
naming species after people
(eponyms) from eras of
imperialism and colonialism
(P. Guedes et al. Nature Ecol.
Evol. https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2Fj48c&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C0caed3c9b76e41b190fa08db420ebb4a%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638176403263539263%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=PLURcHKVs6O2YlcvUgjsEkMfud4d4qsl%2B9J5iPT4H%2FM%3D&reserved=0; 2023).
As a taxonomist, however, I am
concerned that fundamentally
changing scientific
nomenclature could do more
harm than good.
Scientific names of species
are important beyond taxonomy
— for example, for listing
nationally threatened species
and in ecotourism guides.
Because countries in the global
south have rich biodiversity,
harbour endangered species
and depend on ecotourism, they
would be particularly affected
by sweeping changes in plant
and animal nomenclature.
Moreover, misapplication of
names and outdated taxonomy
can disrupt conservation (see
E. Gutiérrez and K. Helgen
Nature 495, 314; 2013).
Although abolishing
eponyms will erase condemned
historical figures, it would mean
sacrificing the opportunity to
honour remarkable individuals.
For example, the name of a
recently described species
— the South American foureyed opossum — is Metachirus
aritanai (C. L. Miranda et al.
Mammalia 87, 172–189; 2023), a
tribute to the Indigenous leader
Aritana Yawalapiti, who died of
COVID-19 in 2020.
Guilherme S. T. Garbino Federal
University of Viçosa, Viçosa,
Brazil.
guilherme.garbino at ufv.br

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