Re: Ahhh, the problem with common names....

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Posted by KevinM on March 07, 2002 at 15:47:00:

In Reply to: Ahhh, the problem with common names.... posted by Chris H. on March 07, 2002 at 00:20:37:

A very excellent response to a confusing situation!!

: Francis,

: You have pointed out the major problem with common names. Local names for snakes are adopted as a common name, but that then conflicts with another name for the same species.

: Racer is a name given to any fast moving slender snake. It is generally restricted to the genus Coluber in the US, but the Speckled Racer (Drymobius) is in a different genus.

: Oddly enough, if the snake is slender enough, it is usually called a Whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis, M. bilineatus, M. taeniatus, and M. schotti in the US) but in north Africa and the Middle East, slender members of the genus Coluber (our "racer") are called Whipsnakes.

: We tend to call everything in the genus Elaphe a Ratsnake, except that the slender species of Elaphe in Asia are often known as "Racers".

: Confused?

: Then consider the other "Rat Snake/Racers" such as Ptyas, Gonyosoma, Spilotes, etc.

: Then, of course, you have to consider that each species has a common name in the different languages of the area, or even other areas (there is a Japanese name for Corn Snake, I am sure).

: This, in fact, is one of the primary values of scientific names. While a "Common Rat Snake" in the US refers to Elaphe obsoleta, in India it refers to Ptyas mucosa.

: The way to avoid this confusion is to use scientific names. There is no question which species you are talking about when you use the scientific name Ptyas mucosa. And it doesn't matter what language you are writing in, Ptyas mucosa is always Ptyas mucosa

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Comments:
: A very excellent response to a confusing situation!! : : Francis, : : You have pointed out the major problem with common names. Local names for snakes are adopted as a common name, but that then conflicts with another name for the same species. : : Racer is a name given to any fast moving slender snake. It is generally restricted to the genus Coluber in the US, but the Speckled Racer (Drymobius) is in a different genus. : : Oddly enough, if the snake is slender enough, it is usually called a Whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis, M. bilineatus, M. taeniatus, and M. schotti in the US) but in north Africa and the Middle East, slender members of the genus Coluber (our "racer") are called Whipsnakes. : : We tend to call everything in the genus Elaphe a Ratsnake, except that the slender species of Elaphe in Asia are often known as "Racers". : : Confused? : : Then consider the other "Rat Snake/Racers" such as Ptyas, Gonyosoma, Spilotes, etc. : : Then, of course, you have to consider that each species has a common name in the different languages of the area, or even other areas (there is a Japanese name for Corn Snake, I am sure). : : This, in fact, is one of the primary values of scientific names. While a "Common Rat Snake" in the US refers to Elaphe obsoleta, in India it refers to Ptyas mucosa. : : The way to avoid this confusion is to use scientific names. There is no question which species you are talking about when you use the scientific name Ptyas mucosa. And it doesn't matter what language you are writing in, Ptyas mucosa is always Ptyas mucosa

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