Scientific names

[badgerwatcher]

My need to get my reply down doesn't always allow time for copy and paste, Oy!
I think I'll wait until they've sorted it all out before I learn the Latin names then!

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by Oy

I use the RSPB A-Z

A to Z of UK Birds - The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Can't jumble the letters with Copy & Paste

Trouble is Oy with my job, it's not just the birdies, it's the invertebrates too.
Think when I do keys, I'll have a kids version and an Scientific version on the other side and look at it nonchalantly. Just don't tell!

[Gill Catton]

I think my bestist top tip has been covered, learn the meanings of the words
Tachybaptus ruficolis for example this is how it works for me (these translations are not exact ):
Tachy = fast,
baptus (think baptise) = diving
rufi (think rufous which is a reddish colour) red
colis (think collar) throat

so fast diving with red throat = little grebe

Oh and the other way I learn is a bit sad but it does work for me, I'm quite fond of a computer game called civilisation where you basically build a civilisation and all it's towns, well I name the towns after the scientific names and then the english and make sure they are the cloest together and as the game can last hours if not days that helps me not only get familiar with the words but lets the translation sink into my head. However, I have a long way to go - I know most birds but only a few inverts and plants!!!

what about post-its on regularly used items.....

[Oscar2006]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I think my bestist top tip has been covered, learn the meanings of the words
Tachybaptus ruficolis for example this is how it works for me (these translations are not exact ):
Tachy = fast,
baptus (think baptise) = diving
rufi (think rufous which is a reddish colour) red
colis (think collar) throat

so fast diving with red throat = little grebe

Oh and the other way I learn is a bit sad but it does work for me, I'm quite fond of a computer game called civilisation where you basically build a civilisation and all it's towns, well I name the towns after the scientific names and then the english and make sure they are the cloest together and as the game can last hours if not days that helps me not only get familiar with the words but lets the translation sink into my head. However, I have a long way to go - I know most birds but only a few inverts and plants!!!

what about post-its on regularly used items.....

Hmmmmm
whilst I agree that getting to understand the meaning of various scientific names will help,
surely though (fast diving with red throat = little grebe) ought to be Red-necked grebe? or even Red-throated Diver?

I don't mind what Scientific name they give them, but I do object to the changes. That really confuses me.
When Olethreutes lacunana, changed to Celypha lacunana (a micro moth) that took me heck of a while to remember

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Oscar2006

Hmmmmm
whilst I agree that getting to understand the meaning of various scientific names will help,
surely though (fast diving with red throat = little grebe) ought to be Red-necked grebe? or even Red-throated Diver?

I don't mind what Scientific name they give them, but I do object to the changes. That really confuses me.
When Olethreutes lacunana, changed to Celypha lacunana (a micro moth) that took me heck of a while to remember

fair point well made.....
I really take the scientific name look at the bird and try to find a way to get the name to match the bird and sometimes I get lucky and I can!!

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Oscar2006

I don't mind what Scientific name they give them, but I do object to the changes. That really confuses me.
When Olethreutes lacunana, changed to Celypha lacunana (a micro moth) that took me heck of a while to remember

And then it's a bit like putting the wrong year on cheques .... just when you think you've got it right, around March, you start using the previous year! I still get this with Hippodamia variegata which changed many years ago from Adonia variegata - possibly because the old Latin genus name is the same (effectively) as the common name - Adonis' ladybird.

[Jon]

Originally Posted by Oy

I use the RSPB A-Z

A to Z of UK Birds - The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Can't jumble the letters with Copy & Paste

Thanks Oy, this could be quicker than looking up in a book, ...and as you say copy and paste - piece of cake! Jon

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Jon

Thanks Oy, this could be quicker than looking up in a book, ...and as you say copy and paste - piece of cake! Jon

Another one with an even easier layout is : Species Codes

Simple alpha order list of all UK Birds, all you have to do is place the - between the names!

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Another one with an even easier layout is : Species Codes

Simple alpha order list of all UK Birds, all you have to do is place the - between the names!

Not just a pretty face are you Graham!

[Paul mabbott]

But that still has outdated Latin names such as Parus ater .......
....

Originally Posted by glsammy

Another one with an even easier layout is : Species Codes

Simple alpha order list of all UK Birds, all you have to do is place the - between the names!

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

But that still has outdated Latin names such as Parus ater .......
....

You mean its NOT Parus ater...every list I look at, the RSPB, the BTO, BBS, all show Parus ater..

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Another one with an even easier layout is : Species Codes

Simple alpha order list of all UK Birds, all you have to do is place the - between the names!

Thanks for that one Graham, think it's about the best I've come across
Roger

[henrya]

Originally Posted by glsammy

You mean its NOT Parus ater...every list I look at, the RSPB, the BTO, BBS, all show Parus ater..

Sorry Graham but they are all out of date. See BOU website for recent (about a year ago)name changes.

Tits are as follows:

Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Willow Tit Poecile montanus
Marsh Tit Poecile palustris


henrya

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by henrya

Sorry Graham but they are all out of date. See BOU website for recent (about a year ago)name changes.

Tits are as follows:

Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Willow Tit Poecile montanus
Marsh Tit Poecile palustris


henrya

Well if you lot think we're going to go through thousands of images and change all their names, forget it!

Why on earth haven't these bodies changes their lists? How are us dumb idiots suppose to know when we rely on the likes of RSPB, BTO, etc.etc. If the lists are inaccurate they should be taken off the web.
Or more importantly, why have the names been changed?? Every book, guide, list etc. is incorrect...Tell you what, I'll ignore the changes and keep on using the old names..they've been good enough for me so far.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Or more importantly, why have the names been changed?? Every book, guide, list etc. is incorrect...Tell you what, I'll ignore the changes and keep on using the old names..they've been good enough for me so far.

One of the reasons why some of us were complaining earlier about ornithologists as 'splitters'
It might be useful, in future, to label them as newname (Parus) whatever ....
It's amazing how long it takes for "old" names to die out: a lot of people still refer to the 22-spot ladybird as Thea vigintiduopunctuata rather than Psyllobora ....
Of course, sometimes, if you wait long enough the old name returns to favour!

[henrya]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

One of the reasons why some of us were complaining earlier about ornithologists as 'splitters'
It might be useful, in future, to label them as newname (Parus) whatever ....
It's amazing how long it takes for "old" names to die out: a lot of people still refer to the 22-spot ladybird as Thea vigintiduopunctuata rather than Psyllobora ....
Of course, sometimes, if you wait long enough the old name returns to favour!

Short snip from the paper mentioned on the BOU website:

Quote
Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the tits (Paridae) based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences (Gill et al. 2005. Auk122: 121–143) suggests the existence of six major clades among species traditionally included in Parus: blue tits ('Cyanistes'), great tits (Parus s.s.), North American crested tits ('Baeolophus'), Eurasian crested tits ('Lophophanes'), coal tits ('Periparus') and chickadees ('Poecile').
Endquote

It's called advancing knowledge, however annoying it may be to us users! I doubt that anyone expects Gallery Editors to go through all the images and rename them one by one, but I'd support Paul's idea of using e.g. Cyanistes (Parus) caeruleus from now on, unless that will muck up gallery searches!

New names take a long time to filter through to general acceptance/use, as Paul says. Lots of people still use Mus musculus for British House Mouse.

henrya

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by henrya

Short snip from the paper mentioned on the BOU website:

Quote
Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the tits (Paridae) based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences (Gill et al. 2005. Auk122: 121–143) suggests the existence of six major clades among species traditionally included in Parus: blue tits ('Cyanistes'), great tits (Parus s.s.), North American crested tits ('Baeolophus'), Eurasian crested tits ('Lophophanes'), coal tits ('Periparus') and chickadees ('Poecile').
Endquote



It's called advancing knowledge, however annoying it may be to us users! I doubt that anyone expects Gallery Editors to go through all the images and rename them one by one, but I'd support Paul's idea of using e.g. Cyanistes (Parus) caeruleus from now on, unless that will muck up gallery searches!

New names take a long time to filter through to general acceptance/use, as Paul says. Lots of people still use Mus musculus for British House Mouse.

henrya

hunting through the BOU website and I can't find this, could you possibly post or send me the link to this bit of text?

British Ornithologists Union: The British List Bird Species Recorded in Britain
no worries found it!!