Some scientists say the rules must be changed so plants and animals are not tagged with ‘objectionable’ names
In 1937, a brown, eyeless beetle was found in a few caves in Slovenia. The new species was unexceptional apart from one feature. Its discoverer decided to name it after Adolf Hitler.has an objectionable sound to modern ears. Nor is it alone.
Other scientists disagree. Arguing over names that some think are unacceptable while searching for alternatives would waste time and create confusion. Species names should remain inviolate once they have been agreed by taxonomists, they argue, and changes should only be allowed if a mistake in designation has been made or an earlier designation is found to have been overlooked.
The row now threatens to become a major international dispute. “People have very, very strong opinions one way or the other about this,” said botanist Sandra Knapp, of thein London. “There’s been a certain amount of shouting about it but we have to discuss issues like this. We cannot avoid them.” As a result, Knapp has arranged for a discussion before voting on the issue occurs at the next International Botanical Congress, which will be held in Madrid in July 2024. One motion put forward by a group of botanists calls for a committee to be set up with powers to judge whether scientific names for plants that are now considered unacceptable should be suppressed or changed.Plant naming is only a part of the taxonomic controversy, however.
In the wake of the ICZN announcement, the same journal later published a series of editorials from scientists who challenged the commission’s stance. Some criticised the commission because it lacked geographic representation. “It does not include anyone from the African continent,” they wrote. Others accused it of “operating in a vacuum outside of social norms of accountability”. All pressed for the creation of an ICZN ethics committee to review problematic names on a case-by-case basis.
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