New Species Owe Names to Highest Bidder

[Guest Larry-T]

From today's Washington Post:

 

 

By Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, September 14, 2007; Page A01

 

Next Thursday, Hugh Edmeades of Christie's auction house will bring down the gavel in Monaco's famed Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. When he closes the bidding, a sinuous shark recently discovered thousands of miles away in Indonesian waters will have a new scientific name. And hundreds of thousands of dollars will be deposited in a bank, earmarked for programs to protect the shark's habitat.

 

The elegant, invitation-only "Blue Auction," hosted by the Monaco-Asia Society and Conservation International under the patronage of Monaco's Prince Albert II, is the boldest sign yet of a novel twist in the centuries-old system for naming new species.

 

Searching for new ways to raise money for environmental causes, scientists and conservationists are increasingly opting to sell naming rights to the highest bidder. But the trend -- which is reshaping the way researchers name everything from monkeys to beetles -- has sparked a fierce debate over the future of taxonomy, as well as conservation itself.

 

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[Steve G]

So it would be like the Fedex Wrasse, Verizon Wrasse, or Coors Wrasse?

 

 

 

From today's Washington Post:

By Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, September 14, 2007; Page A01

 

Next Thursday, Hugh Edmeades of Christie's auction house will bring down the gavel in Monaco's famed Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. When he closes the bidding, a sinuous shark recently discovered thousands of miles away in Indonesian waters will have a new scientific name. And hundreds of thousands of dollars will be deposited in a bank, earmarked for programs to protect the shark's habitat.

 

The elegant, invitation-only "Blue Auction," hosted by the Monaco-Asia Society and Conservation International under the patronage of Monaco's Prince Albert II, is the boldest sign yet of a novel twist in the centuries-old system for naming new species.

 

Searching for new ways to raise money for environmental causes, scientists and conservationists are increasingly opting to sell naming rights to the highest bidder. But the trend -- which is reshaping the way researchers name everything from monkeys to beetles -- has sparked a fierce debate over the future of taxonomy, as well as conservation itself.

 

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[PupChow]

I am willing to bet it's going to be called Google Shark.

[hbh]

Perhaps the Ebay shark!

[Guest Larry-T]

From what I can see, normal scientific procedures will be used to assign names down to genus, and then the winner will be able to append a latinized word of their choosing as the species designation.

[jason the filter freak]

From what I can see, normal scientific procedures will be used to assign names down to genus, and then the winner will be able to append a latinized word of their choosing as the species designation.

 

Sooo like McDonaldcus Fishiecus?

[dbartco]

Discoverer many of these fish was keynote speaker at macna. Allowed CI to auction off the naming rights. Bidding will start at $250k up to $750k for the sharks.

 

**They also had open bar at the event, so I think that is what I remember.

[Guest Larry-T]

The results are in. The auction brought $2 Million which will go for enhancing research and protection for this area of Indonesia. The highest price was for naming rights to the shark ($500,000). You could have named the new Pseudoanthias for only $50,000.

 

The rules required that the name be of a person, now any corporate identity.

 

Full story at:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7092102003.html

[AndrewB]

How much do you think Chevron paid for their tang?

[Guest Larry-T]

How much do you think Chevron paid for their tang?

 

Sorry, I mistyped. The rules said NO corporate names would be allowed.