Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Iwonda on 25/06/2025 04:39:51
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If someone discovers some lifeforms that are completely new to science, do they get to name them? If a lifeform is an unknown species and also an unknown genus, do a genus have to be assigned before they can be given a name?
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The person who first describes the new species in a scientific publication is typically the one that assigns its formal name. This goes for something like new genus as well. Often this is the same person/organization that first discovers the new thing, but not always.
I'm looking at the tardigrade, first described by Goeze (a German pastor) but was only named 3 years later in a publication by an Italian biologist Spallanzani, a name that means 'slow stepper'. Perhaps the more informal name of 'water bear' came from the German guy, but somehow I doubt it.
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Genus is preferably descriptive and a "graeco-latin" plural, so a seven-legged genus could be named, say, heptoskelia, with the species customarily named for the discoverer calverdii
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Thanks for the reply, guys. I have come across a number of specimens that appear to be new but I'm no scientist so I would maybe only like to name two of the insects. So, I guess I will be having to find an entomologist that is willing to describe these specimens in a publication. I don't know anything about Latin names so I will just have to leave that up to the scientist. Thanks for the good info ;D.
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Well done on on discovering hopefully new insects. I like the names Eric and Doris :-) ;)
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There could be more than two here, so I'll keep Eric and Doris in mind too ;D. Have a collection of insects, plants and marine organisms that are in a state of perseveration that no one can explain, some can be identified, and some scientists don't have a clue as to what they are. I am blown away at how many unknowns there are, I keep telling myself it's just a matter of contacting the right person.