Could someone please tell me...

[Peter_]

I meant it rhetorically...

[Drew]

[Wrasse Man]

And so you see I have come to doubt
All that I once held as true
I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you

[Peter_]

You know, you Wisconsin guys are all right!

[Drew]

Why thank you

[Doug1]

hmmmmmmmmmmm I smell colusion The conspiricy spreads(dont make me activate the Reeftank SEAL team
Peter common names have way too much varience unless you are speaking in among a small group that recognizes other group members meaning when using a specific reference. On the other hand the latin names are universally recognized among the scientific community and the learned

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Whud ya say? Could not hold back! Is that a one finger soft coral you are showing me?
Just being mischieveous! Johnny

[Doug1]

hehehehee, but be nice, the kids may be reading

[Alice]

Not to worry Doug...the neighbor kid who was in 2nd grade at the time showed that to my son who was 5 at the time...I don't think it's gonna shock anybody, lol

[Peter_]

why some aquarium hobbyist insist on using the scientific names of livestock when the common vernacular is more appropriate?

To illustrate my point, listen in on a hypothetical conversation between two reef tank hobbyist at this years MACNA conference:

"So, what type of corals do you have in your tank."

"Well, I've got this beautiful torch coral..."

"Huh, what's that?"

"You know, Euphyllia glabrescens"

"Oh, Euphyllia glabrescens. Why didn't you say that in the first place? Cool."

See what I mean?

Other than being able to hold your own at a reef cocktail party, what is the point of a hobbyist using these terms?

No biggy. I'm just wondering outloud.

[Drew]

It all to clarify what is being talked about. Common names often are to broad, often applying to more than one species. For instance, this happened over at RC a while back. Someone started talking about his Flameback Angel, and another guy thought he was talking about a flame angel. Well, it can get confusing, especially when three pygmy angels have the word "flame" in their common names: Centropyge aurantonotus, Centropyge acanthops, and Centropyge loriculus. See what I mean? Don't get me wrong though, I don't know very many of the scientific names either, maybe those guys ere trying to impress you or something!

Drew

[Wrasse Man]

It just helps as a clarification. If you see the post on Semperina spp, I was able to tell Alice that it was not a Red Finger Gorg that I was talking about. Although the coral I was talking about is red, finger shapped and displays some characteristics of a gorg.
Usually you will see the problems with common names at LFS' that will use the above reasoning when labeling their livestock.
There are 2 different types of Sailfin Tangs and 2 different types of 8-line wrasse (I think it is 8-line, maybe 4-line), based on where they came from, without a more specific scientific name, it may be hard to identify the needs of species.

HTH

[Wrasse Man]

Don't worry about the ReefTank SEAL team Doug. They grew old and retired and passed the baton on to Drew and I! We didn't tell you because we figured you had enough to worry about.
*Imagines guns that shoot Xenia* Splat! SPLAT!

[ 06-29-2001: Message edited by: Wrasse Man ]

[Drew]

We will sneak in at night in drop mantis shrimp in your tanks!

[Doug1]

Now hold on, thats not something I cop to openly
Drew, bring on the mantis, we like them as pets or snacks here in Oregon<G>
I will give up contril of the board when they pry the mouse from my cold wet fingers