Should offensive species names be changed? The organisms that honour dictators, racists and criminals

Listen to episode 1 of ‘What’s in a name’

Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky.

But names have consequences — unintended or otherwise. In our new series What’s in a name we’ll explore naming in science and how names impact the world — whether that’s how the names of storms impact public safety, how the names of diseases impact patient care, or even how the names of scientific concepts can drive the direction of research itself.

In this first episode we’re looking at species names. The modern system of species naming began in the 1700s and has played a vital role in standardizing academic communication, ensuring that scientists are on the same page when they talk about an organism. However, this system is not without its issues. For example, there has been much debate around whether species with names considered offensive — such as those named after historical racists — should be changed, and what rule changes need to be made to allow this to happen.

We speak to researchers about the history of this naming system, how it’s applied and how it might evolve in the face of growing pressures.

Sources

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Stability or stasis in the names of organisms:the evolving codes of nomenclature

Linnean Society: Linnaeus and Race

Our world in data: How many species are there?

International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature: The code

International Association for Plant Taxonomy: The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants

Journal of General Virology: Guidance for creating individual and batch latinized binomial virus species names

Insect Systematics and Diversity: New Species Described From Photographs: Yes? No? Sometimes? A Fierce Debate and a New Declaration of the ICZN

Scientific American: Animal Species Named from Photos

The Guardian: Scientists identify deep-sea blob as new species using only video

Smithsonian Magazine: A Few Bad Scientists Are Threatening to Topple Taxonomy

Medium: The Beetle Almost Driven To Extinction By Neo-Nazis

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Naming the menagerie: creativity, culture and consequences in the formation of scientific names

Nature Ecology & Evolution: Eponyms have no place in 21st-century biological nomenclature

Biological Conservation: The inequity of species names: The flora of New Caledonia as a case study

The University of Arizona: The Social History of a National Collection: Anthropology, Repatriation and the Politics of Identity

American Ornithological Society: American Ornithological Society Will Change the English Names of Bird Species Named After People

American Ornithological Society: AOS Pilot Project to Change Harmful English Common Bird Names

Revisita Latinoamericana De Herpetología: Una Nueva Especie De Microtegú (Gymnophthalmidae: Cercosaurinae) De La Cordillera Del Cóndor, Ecuador

Zoological Journal: Renaming taxa on ethical grounds threatens nomenclatural stability and scientific communication: Communication from the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

Zoological Journal: Placing taxonomic nomenclatural stability above ethical concerns ignores societal norms

Zoological Journal: Governance of biological nomenclature: mechanisms to address the needs of end-users are available and not onerous to implement

Zoological Journal: Is stability too revered in zoological nomenclature?

Species Hall of Fame: Cancel culture, history and nomenclature

Nature: 200 years of naming dinosaurs: scientists call for overhaul of antiquated system

Science: In a first, botanists vote to remove offensive plant names from hundreds of species

Nature: Hundreds of racist plant names will change after historic vote by botanists

Communications Biology: Restoring indigenous names in taxonomy

Music credits

Premiumaudio/Pond5

Alon Marcus/Pond5

Groove Committee/Pond5

Opcono/Pond5

Erik Mcnerny/Pond5

Earless Pierre/Pond5

Richard Smithson/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images

Douglas Romayne/Triple Scoop Music/Getty Images

Sound effects via Pond5

Thick-billed Longspur/Andrew Spencer via CC BY-NC-ND 2.5