New genus of fish named after Richard Dawkins

Mickeroo

They seem to making a habit out of naming new discoveries after celebrities these days, at least Dawkins is actually an evolutionary biologist and not a singer or something though This time it appears they've named a whole Genus rather than just a new species.

SRI Lankan scientists have identified a new genus of freshwater fish and named it after the evolutionary biologist and renowned atheist Richard Dawkins.

Lead researcher Rohan Pethiyagoda said the new genus, named Dawkinsia, comprises nine species that are found only in South Asia and are characterised by long filaments that trail from the dorsal fins of males.

The fish has previously been classified under the genus Puntius, comprising around 120 species of small tropical fish known as barbs.

Pethiyagoda, an ichthyologist and internationally acclaimed conservationist, said extensive studies in India and Sri Lanka showed that the level of diversity among such fish was "much greater than previously suspected".

Full article here: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/sri-lanka-names-new-fish-for-uks-dawkins/story-e6frf7k6-1226427511980

steddyeddy

Mickeroo wrote: »

They seem to making a habit out of naming new discoveries after celebrities these days, at least Dawkins is actually an evolutionary biologist and not a singer or something though This time it appears they've named a whole Genus rather than just a new species.



Full article here: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/sri-lanka-names-new-fish-for-uks-dawkins/story-e6frf7k6-1226427511980

I think David attenborough had a species of fish named after him too! The only way Ill get to name one after me though is if I discover it !

kylith

Gary Larson (Far Side cartoonist) has a species of louse named after him. I don't know how I'd feel about that if it were me; on the one hand it's a great honor, but on the other hand it's a freaking louse.

Galvasean

steddyeddy wrote: »

I think David attenborough had a species of fish named after him too! The only way Ill get to name one after me though is if I discover it !

There's also Attenboroughsaurus, a type of plesiosaur. I believe Michael Crichton has two or more species of dinosaur named in his honor.
I don't think you are 'allowed' name an animal after yourself. It's not official dogma or anything, but generally such publications are frowned upon by the scientific community and less likely to be taken seriously and to that extent published and recognised as being valid.

Adam Khor

kylith wrote: »

Gary Larson (Far Side cartoonist) has a species of louse named after him. I don't know how I'd feel about that if it were me; on the one hand it's a great honor, but on the other hand it's a freaking louse.

Gary Larson will also forever be immortalized in the tail of stegosaurs; the defensive spike cluster is called a thagomizer after one of his cartoons.