Naming a species after yourself (zoology)

[Gene Hall]

It may be the real world for some, but having to submit to it or follow
trends doesn't necessarily lead to credibility.

I have never been a big fan of profs (or anybody else) attaching their
names to papers written by students if the prof didn't directly contribute
to the research or writing of the paper....maybe it helps pad the profs CV
with regards to pre or post tenure review, but to me its ethically wrong.

With regards to the Trojan Horse theory, I would rather have one of my
papers accepted or rejected based on my efforts rather than a superfluous
name attached to the list of authors.

Could it be worse? Listing people as author's who have nothing to do with
the research or writing of a paper? There's a good reason why papers
include a 'Acknowledgements' section. That way you can even thank your dog
for being a part of your life while conducting research and writing the
paper instead of including the beast as an author.

Gene



> > I don't see the relevance of having someone listed as an author on a
>paper
> > if that person made no contribution to the research or writing of the
> > paper...
>
> > Gene
> >
>
>Well, welcome to the real world. Two comments:
>
>1. It is common practice in some cultures (I am being politically
>correct here) and with certain unethical/ tyrannical supervisors, for
>the professor to add his name to the papers of his students, even long
>after the students have "flown the coop" and have their own careers.
>2. Often an author is added to the string to act as a "Trojan Horse",
>thereby helping gain access to a more prestigious journal. As editor, I
>know of cases where the third author did not even know his name was on
>the paper (and didn't seem to care), but his name gave the paper more
>credibility.
>
>Of course, this makes for species names with 3-4 (or more) authors!
>
>Smile, it could be worse.....
>
>
>
>
>Daniel J. Bickel
>Associate Editor Zootaxa, Diptera Acalyptratae
>Entomology Section
>Australian Museum
>6 College Street
>Sydney, NSW 2010 Australia
>Tel: 61-2-9320-6347 Fax: 61-2-9320-6011
>Email: danb at austmus.gov.au
>
>
>
>The Australian Museum.
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********************************************************************************************************
Gene Hall
Invertebrate Zoology Collections Manager
CU Museum of Natural History
UCB 265
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0265
Phone: 303.735.5262
CU Museum: http://cumuseum.colorado.edu/Research/Zoology/
Research/CV:
http://cumuseum.colorado.edu/Research/Zoology/zoology_research.html
Ptiliidae: http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Ptiliidae&contgroup=Staphylinoidea
Coleopterists Society: http://www.coleopsoc.org/