Trivia about fish names

[MacZ]

As today is the anniversary of the death of Atahualpa, last Sapa Inca of the Inca Empire and namesake of Apistogramma atahualpa... what do you know about why certain fish species got certain names?

 

[rasmusW]

Ahh! Beautiful fish…
I know that huascar is said to be atahualpas brother. (Sunset and sunrise apistos).

-r

 

[Mike Wise]

Most modern scientific descriptions discuss the etymology of the species name. Older description typically did not, so we need to guess why the describer used a certain name. What I find interesting is the number of time the describer misspelled or misinterpreted the name, but it has to remain with the species.

 

[Blacksheep1]

I have zero clue but happy anniversary ?? Rest in peace …

 

[MacZ]

I know that huascar is said to be atahualpas brother. (Sunset and sunrise apistos).

What I find interesting is the number of time the describer misspelled or misinterpreted the name, but it has to remain with the species.

This is the kind of trivia I was looking for!

 

[Mike Wise]

A. commbrae and A. mendezi come to mind right now, but I'm sure there are more out there.

 

[rasmusW]

A. commbrae and A. mendezi come to mind right now, but I'm sure there are more out there.

How are they or their name misspelled or misinterpreted?

-r

 

[MacZ]

A. commbrae

Nobody nows the real meaning, probably a misspelling of the find location "Corumba".

Mendezi is as far as I know grammatically wrong. But that could be wrong. I can work well with Latin, but when you make a form from a modern name rules apply I'm not familiar with.

 

[Mike Wise]

Eigenmann wrote and sent to Regan a manuscript (unpublished) in which he would describe the species with the name Heterogramma corumbae for Corumba where some of the specimens were collected. This manuscript was never published so Regan decided to describe it as A. commbrae. He mistakenly read Eigenmann's handwritten cursive script wrong. Once published, right or wrong, the species name remains the same.

As for A. mendezi, Römer named it in honor of Chico Mendes. A "Brazilian rubber tapper and land rights leader Chico Mendes pioneered the world's first tropical forest conservation initiative advanced by forest peoples themselves. His work led to the establishment of Brazil's extractive reserves protected forest areas that are inhabited and managed by local communities." In 1988 he was murdered for his activism. Therefore, a misspelling of Mendes' name.

 

[rasmusW]

Thanks, Mike. Great info.

I guess mr. Mendes, is sadly not the only one who ended like that for forrest activism (-but only guesswork on my behalf)..

-r

 

[Mike Wise]

Yes, one of many ... and still happening.