[Taxacom] Dishonorable people as species names

[Paul van Rijckevorsel]

Yes, no doubt it is true that "there are some things that
are so outside the boundaries of what is morally acceptable
that if you do them, you shouldn’t be publicly honored with
a species named after you". The question is where the exact
point is that action can not be avoided, or, rather, where
integrity requires taking action.

It looks to me that a distinction should be made between
names from the (somewhat) distant past and names coined
now. There may come a point where the world comes
beating down the doors of the halls of taxonomy,
demanding correction of long-established names, but I
consider this not likely to happen in the near future.

For names coined now, where nomenclatural stability is not
(yet) an issue, it is different. Extra scrutiny of names in this
respect does not seem too much to ask ...

See also Taxon 55: 1053-1053. 2016
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2307/25065718

Paul

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Geoff Read via Taxacom" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Saturday, November 9, 2019 7:38 AM
Subject: [Taxacom] Dishonorable people as species names


>
> It's a  tricky one.
>
> https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/scientists-should-stop-naming-species-after-awful-people/
>
> also the originator:
> https://twitter.com/WhySharksMatter/status/1192790203037040647
>
> --
> Geoffrey B. Read, Ph.D.
> Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
> gread at actrix.gen.nz
>
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