NAMES OF FISHES 



populations makes for a cumbersome termi- 

 nology. 



8. The common name shall not be intimately 

 tied to the scientific name. — Thus the vagaries 

 of scientific nomenclature do not entail 

 constant changing of common names. The 

 practice of applying a name to each genus, 

 a modifying name for each species, and still 

 another modifier for each subspecies, while 

 appeaUng in its simplicity, has the defect of 

 inflexibihty. If a fish is transferred from 

 genus to genus, or shifted from species to 

 subspecies or vice versa, the common name 

 should nevertheless remain unaffected. It is 

 not a primary function of common names to 

 indicate relationship. When two or more 

 taxonomic groups (e.g., nominal species) are 

 found to be identical, one name shall be 

 adopted for the combined group. 



This principle is regarded not only as 

 fundamental to the achievement of sta- 

 bility, but as essential to the development 

 of a true vernacular nomenclature. 



9. Names shall not violate the tenets of good 

 taste. 



The preceding principles are largely in the 

 nature of procedural dicta. Those given 

 below are criteria that are regarded as aids 

 in the selection of suitable names. 



10. Colorful, romantic, fanciful, metaphorical, 

 and otherwise distinctive and original names 

 are especially appropriate. — Such terminol- 

 ogy adds to the richness and breadth of the 

 nomenclature and yields a harvest of satis- 

 faction to the user. Examples of such names 

 include: Dolly Varden, madtom, hogchoker, 

 garibaldi, pumpkinseed, flier, angelfish, mid- 

 shipman, and chilipepper. 



11. American Indian names are welcome for 

 adoption as common names. — Those in cur- 

 rent use include muskellunge, eulachon, 

 mummichog, chinook, tautog, menhaden, 

 and Cisco. 



12. Regardless of origin, truly vernacular 

 names that are widespread and in common 

 use by the public are to be retained wherever 

 possible. — In addition to aboriginal names, 

 many now well-known names of American 

 fishes have been derived from non-Enghsh- 

 speaking fishermen of foreign extraction: 

 barracuda, cero, grouper, pompano (Span- 

 ish); bocaccio (Italian); capelin, inconnu 

 (French). Although too httle genuine origi- 

 nality is evident, many excellent names have 



been developed by American immigrants. 

 Most of these conform to principles 14 and 

 15 below. 



13. Commonly employed names adopted from 

 traditional English usage (e.g., cod, pike, 

 sole, flounder, bass, perch, chub, minnow) 

 may be given considerable latitude in taxono- 

 mic placement. — Adherence to customary 

 English practice is to be preferred if this 

 does not conflict with the broad general use 

 of another name. Many English names, 

 however, have been applied to similar 

 appearing but often distantly related fishes 

 in America. We find perch in use for repre- 

 sentatives of at least 9 famihes of spiny- 

 rayed fishes. Chub appears in such diverse 

 groups as the Salmonidae, Cyprinidae, and 

 Kyphosidae. The ocean whitefish (Caulola- 

 tilus princeps) is not a salmonid and the 

 blue pike (Stizostedion vitreum glaucum) is 

 remote from the Esocidae, yet each is best 

 known to fishermen throughout its range by 

 the name indicated. For widely-known 

 species the Committee believes it preferable 

 to recognize general use than to engage in a 

 probably futile effort to gain the general 

 adoption of bookish or pedantic substitutes. 

 Thus, estabhshed practice should outweigh 

 consistency with original English usage. 



14. Structural attributes, including color and 

 color pattern, are desirable and are in common 

 use in forming womes.— Sailfin, flathead, 

 slippery, giant, mottled, copper, tripletail, 

 and a multitude of others decorate fish 

 names. Efforts should be made to select 

 terms that are descriptively accurate, and 

 to hold repetition of those most frequently 

 employed (e.g., white, black, spotted, 

 banded) to a minimum. 



15. Ecological characteristics are useful in 

 making good names. — They too should be 

 properly descriptive. Terms such as sand, 

 rock, lake, riffle, freshwater and mountain 

 are well known in fish names. 



16. Geographic distribution provides suitable 

 adjectival modifiers. — Poorly descriptive or 

 misleading geographic characterizations 

 (e.g., Kentucky bass for a wide-ranging 

 species) should be corrected unless they are 

 too deeply entrenched in current usage. In 

 the interest of brevity it is usually possible 

 to delete words such as lake, river, or ocean 

 in the names of species (e.g., Colorado squaw- 

 fish, not Colorado River squawfish). 



17. Generic names may be employed outright 

 (e.g., remora) or in modified form (e.g., 



