[Taxacom] Dishonorable people as species names

[Kenneth Kinman]

Dear All,
       I guess this name is probably still a nomen nudum, but Aidan Bell (owner of EnviroBuild) in late 2018 won at auction (for $25,000) the naming rights for a worm-like amphibian (caecilian) which is “blind and buries its head in the sand”.  He chose the name "Dermophis donaldtrumpi" as an unflattering reference to the U.S. President.  But in the United States, Trump is regarded by millions as a wonderful person, while millions of others think he is awful.
      So will this proposed species name be approved or rejected by peer review?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/12/19/blind-worm-like-amphibian-that-buries-its-head-underground-has-bee<https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/12/19/blind-worm-like-amphibian-that-buries-its-head-underground-has-been-named-after-donald-trump/>n-named-after-donald-trump/<https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/12/19/blind-worm-like-amphibian-that-buries-its-head-underground-has-been-named-after-donald-trump/>

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/dermophis-donaldtrumpi-amphibian-trump/


________________________________
From: Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu> on behalf of Geoff Read via Taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Saturday, November 9, 2019 12:38 AM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
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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