Are taxonomists sexist? (1 Viewer)

[Paul Chapman]

As an example, I have named some 25+ flies, most of them obscure with few distinguishing features, so finding names for them is quite difficult. Naming after people is an obvious option and allows one to thank contributors in a particular way, usually after the collector of the specimen or former workers on the group. Of all the species i have named every single one was found by a male worker and all the workers on the groups i have dealt with have been male. And yet i have named two species after females who helped my researches.

I think that is a different thread - does naming a fly after someone work as a piece of flattery? 3 B

All the best

 

[pppppvvvv]

Well, that just proves you're a very serious-minded fellow. Me, I would name a new species after my sweetie before anyone else in the world.

Just make sure your wife doesn't find out

 

[Nutcracker]

Me, I would name a new species after my sweetie before anyone else in the world.

Certainly odd to want to name a species after some sugary confectionary :eek!:

 

[Xenospiza]

Fellow workers are usually honoured via their family name so it is not necessarily obvious when that worker was female, whereas wives etc are usually honoured via their given name.

Well, the female genitive still has to be used: all birds named after Maria Koepcke's surname are called koepckeae.
And Turaco rossae should really be called Lady Ross's Turaco.

The only problem is that you get the same ending if a man's name ends with -a (e.g. Motacilla samveasnae)...

 

[Jacana]

The Manu Parrotlet (Nannopsittaca dachilleae) is named after Barbara D'Achille

 

[Tiraya]

If you have 2 stuffed golden orioles, one adult male and one adult female, are you sexist if you decide to show the male in a more prominent fashion in said display ?

 

[Ross McGregor]

The Jos Plateau Indigobird (Vidua maryae) was named by John Payne for Mary Dyer (Gartshore). It is a brood parasite of the Rock Firefinch and endemic to Nigeria (though it may also occur in Cameroon, since the firefinch does). Mary Dyer is an ornithologist who has worked extensively in Nigeria, particularly in the 1970's and 80's. So it's another species named by a male ornithologist for a female ornithologist.

 

[Kratter]

If you have 2 stuffed golden orioles, one adult male and one adult female, are you sexist if you decide to show the male in a more prominent fashion in said display ?

On a related note, the recent series Birds of North America (BNA), chose a single photo to accompany each species account. For the many species that are sexually dimorphic, all of those chosen were males (if I remember right). Truly a bias was shown.

Andy

 

[Ross McGregor]

Even the phalaropes?

On a related note, the recent series Birds of North America (BNA), chose a single photo to accompany each species account. For the many species that are sexually dimorphic, all of those chosen were males (if I remember right). Truly a bias was shown.

Andy

 

[fugl]

Truly a bias was shown.

Indeed, a bias towards beauty of plumage.