Talk:Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)/Archive 1

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Nice find! Stephen Ewen 23:40, 17 May 2007 (CDT)

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Kim, this kind of major move really needs to be discussed in advance. I also don't see how this new title respects CZ's naming conventions ("prefer common names"). Unless this is some decision within the Biology Workgroup? John Stephenson 21:35, 24 October 2007 (CDT)

Please, see the discussion at the Bioloy workgroup talk page. 21:46, 24 October 2007 (CDT)

Quick check of current practice in the use of scientific and common names in the real world.

Looking at the title of articles listed in Biological abstracts , there are 150 instances of Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). 181 of just Giant pandas, 3 of just Ailuropoda melanoleuca, and zero of http://www.coelang.tufs.ac.jp/ipa/index.htm (Giant Panda)

Obviously, the use inside article will be more varied. But I think this demonstrates that the present Citizendium title, "Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Giant Panda)" is unique to Citizendium and not the practice in any other context. DavidGoodman 09:48, 25 October 2007 (CDT)

See the thread on the cz-biology list starting here. As stated there, one problem with renaming the Giant Panda article like this is that it implies exclusion of the other (sub)species of Giant Panda, A. melanoleuca qinlingensis (a brown-and-white bear). The article would probably need to be rewritten to reflect that, because it was originally written as an introduction to giant pandas generally. I think, basically, that using precise scientific terms makes the whole thing too specific. Giant panda is a better starting point in this case. John Stephenson 22:23, 25 October 2007 (CDT)

Sorry, the species A. melanoleuca includes the subspecies A. melanoleuca qinlingensis, see subspecies in taxobox. If there would be two species of Giant Panda (there are not), it should be covered under the genus name, not under the species name. Kim van der Linde 02:13, 26 October 2007 (CDT)

All right - though people outside taxonomy don't necessarily know that, of course, and it could be avoided simply by having an article called Giant Panda (Latin descriptions are not that helpful, I feel). At the very least, Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) would be better. John Stephenson 02:28, 26 October 2007 (CDT)

Ok, so what you are saying is that if there is a generally used common name, it should be Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), if here is an less common used common name, or an ambiguous, it should become Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Giant Panda) and if it does not have a common name Ailuropoda melanoleuca (mammal) or Ailuropoda melanoleuca? To be determined by the author who starts the article, or based on some subjective criteria as the google hit test (They love those on WP)?Kim van der Linde 02:40, 26 October 2007 (CDT)