Nomenclature or moneyclature ?

By tradition, the person who discovers something new is free to name it whatever he/she wants...it's one of the perks of being a scientist. Sometimes it can be quite funny. Take for example the protein "Sonic hedgehog", named after a popular video game (Sonic the Hedgehog by Sega). Another interesting example...three round fungus beetles, Agathidium bushi, Agathidium cheneyi and Agathidium rumsfeldi and were named by entomologists Quentin Wheeler and Kelly Miller in honor of President Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. Personnaly I could have come up with better names...but it's their right...they found those beetles they get to name them! By the way, they got a call from George W. for this.... (!)

A better example right here on Vancouver Island. Malaspinanema goateri, Cordonical gibsoni and Hammerschidtiella hochi are all parasites living in the gut of cockroaches and were named by Aaron Jex in honor of his Malaspina professors: Tim Goater, Allan Gibson and Matthew Hoch...cute story! Unfortunately, there is a way of naming new species that disturbs me...by auctioning.

Last saturday I was sitting in my kitchen, with my morning coffee and the Vancouver sun (this is where I got the idea for this blog post). It struck me...money really can buy anything! On Thursday, September 20th in Monaco there will be an auction, The Blue Auction, and the highest bidders will be naming new species such as this one (opening bid: $400,000) and this one (opening bid $100,000). Honestly, I do not agree with that. I think science is about passion, about dedication and about patience. Science is not about pride and narcissic values...it's about finding the truth. Buying a name for a new species has, to my humble opinion, more to do with marketing. What if Coca-Cola, Apple or Volkswagen buys the name? Is that impossible? Not at all....The Golden Palace Casino (online gambling) bought the rights ($650,000) to name a new primate: Callicebus aureipalatii (Golden Palace in latin)...it's now some kind of mascot and total disrespect for nature! They even called it the "Golden Palace monkey..."

Please bring back science to the people and the scientists who share a real concern about the species they discover and education....Frankly, I do not care about the silly names...they make a nice story...

Image source: http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2006/0611/christies_1113.jpg