A parasitic worm by any other name would smell as sweet

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-05-11 09:01

New Zealand; International

Photo by Bill Craighead on Unsplash

Each new species discovered on Earth needs a name. For classification, Latin scientific names can be inspired by a mix of sources including physical characteristics, cultural importance, geographic location, famous scientists, or even Pokémon. New Zealand researchers looked at naming trends for almost 3,000 parasitic worms over the last two decades, finding a consistent gender bias with only 18.6 per cent of new species named after women scientists. They offer suggestions which they hope will encourage creativity, while better honouring the scientific community's diversity. They caution against naming new species after celebrities and family members, and encourage better representation when naming after researchers.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Where do scientists find their inspiration when naming newly found species? This study investigated the naming trends for nearly 2,900 new species of parasitic helminths described in the past two decades. They found a consistent gender bias – with only 18.6% of new species named after women. This is not due to a shortage of excellent female taxonomists, the authors said, adding that new species’ names should represent the scientific community.

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Research The Royal Society, Web page

Journal/
conference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Otago

Funder: This work received no funding other than the salary paid to all three authors by the University of Otago.

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