Name Game

BTimms

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
482
Reaction score
313
Location
British Columbia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The name game detracts from the sophisticated use of scientific names. Why can’t it be called what it is? At least include the scientific name in the “street name”.

These names seem to only be used to drive up costs of coral.

The name game is a disservice to the hobby.

Companies just name things a popular name if it “looks like” a popular coral.
I’ve seen so many corals misnamed in order to boost price, only to find that it is not a Walt Disney or whatever’s price boosting name.
Even local reefers will call a tort, west coast, Cali, Oregon etc....but locally it’s been the same tort off the same mother colony.

I just wish there was a better way. Perhaps including some part or all of the scientific name with the descriptive name.

It’s a dirty game. And paying for a name is stupidity.

Ok, let me have it.....bring on the haters!
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
BTimms

BTimms

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
482
Reaction score
313
Location
British Columbia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
would you rather have zoanthus no 44762 then?
It’s not the name it self it the idea that naming a coral somehow gives value.
And your suggested name still includes the scientific nomenclature, so I’d be much happier with that name than others which are used for multiple different corals only to increase cost.
 

ChiCity

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
4,570
Reaction score
5,006
Location
funky town
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
i feel you and understand the hype…
but there’s a purpose here too,
besides branding….

it’s just easier to buy/sell when you have a name to ask for
(identifying/categorizing)
 
OP
OP
BTimms

BTimms

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
482
Reaction score
313
Location
British Columbia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i feel you and understand the hype…
but there’s a purpose here too,
besides branding….

it’s just easier to buy/sell when you have a name
(categorizing)
I understand the purpose, and I agree with your point.

I just wish there was a better way. Perhaps including some part or all of the scientific name with the descriptive name.
 

Calm Blue Ocean

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 17, 2020
Messages
1,371
Reaction score
2,127
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just sometimes wish sellers would include genus and species (if known) in small print under the fancy name. There are some that look very similar to each other but perhaps have differences in hardiness, requirements, and growth rates/patterns that could be of interest to a buyer.
 
OP
OP
BTimms

BTimms

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
482
Reaction score
313
Location
British Columbia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just sometimes wish sellers would include genus and species (if known) in small print under the fancy name. There are some that look very similar to each other but perhaps have differences in hardiness, requirements, and growth rates/patterns that could be of interest to a buyer.
Great points! Great idea to include the scientific name!
 

MaxTremors

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
3,625
Reaction score
6,213
Location
Boise
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
would you rather have zoanthus no 44762 then?
(everything is named, from tomatoes to dogs)
This is a false comparison. For both dogs and tomatoes there are strict standards and rating systems. The problem with even zoanthid names (which is probably the genus where it is easiest to classify morphs), is that polyps from the same original colony can look vastly different under different conditions, and this is compounded by slight variations in the wild colonies that the named morphs come from. The other issue is that every vendor can have a different name for the same morph (there are only so many mariculture farms that these come from, and they’re all from the coral triangle), sometimes a name will organically become ubiquitous, but then when that happens you have people that try to pass off different morphs from different mother colonies that look similar to the popular named morph as the named morph (and because of my first point about variances depending on conditions they get away with it). My opinion is that the name game is and will be useless for classification/identification and will be exploited for marketing purposes until there is some sort of centralized way to register morphs (sort of like patents), a strict set of standards by which morphology is determined or graded, and a way to verify or ensure lineage/provenance/genealogy. Where we’re at now, where every coral has some stupid name and there is no rhyme or reason to it, is a bad place for the hobby to be.
 

Glue Masters

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 19, 2020
Messages
159
Reaction score
263
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I hear you, but please consider this as well - on a back end you need to create a naming convention taxonomy for your inventory, with enough uniqueness. Also from search engine optimization stand point its valuable as well. Just my 2c.
 
OP
OP
BTimms

BTimms

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2021
Messages
482
Reaction score
313
Location
British Columbia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is a false comparison. For both dogs and tomatoes there are strict standards and rating systems. The problem with even zoanthid names (which is probably the genus where it is easiest to classify morphs), is that polyps from the same original colony can look vastly different under different conditions, and this is compounded by slight variations in the wild colonies that the named morphs come from. The other issue is that every vendor can have a different name for the same morph (there are only so many mariculture farms that these come from, and they’re all from the coral triangle), sometimes a name will organically become ubiquitous, but then when that happens you have people that try to pass off different morphs from different mother colonies that look similar to the popular named morph as the named morph (and because of my first point about variances depending on conditions they get away with it). My opinion is that the name game is and will be useless for classification/identification and will be exploited for marketing purposes until there is some sort of centralized way to register morphs (sort of like patents), a strict set of standards by which morphology is determined or graded, and a way to verify or ensure lineage/provenance/genealogy. Where we’re at now, where every coral has some stupid name and there is no rhyme or reason to it, is a bad place for the hobby to be.
This is well put!

I really like your point about creating an agreed upon set of standards for naming corals.
 

Gtinnel

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
21,075
Reaction score
29,649
Location
Charleston, WV
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The amount of similar looking corals that have completely different names is absolutely ridiculous, especially since many of those coral may be the same with slightly different appearances from the conditions they are in.
There is currently a thread where SBB is having a naming contest. I came up with 5 names that I was trying to decide which one to submit. I then Google them and all 5 were already named acros from someone else. When you can randomly make up 5 names and they all already exist that tells me that coral naming is getting out of hand.

Don't get me started on torches, some of the different "types" I can't even tell the difference.
 

ChiCity

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
4,570
Reaction score
5,006
Location
funky town
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
in the 10 years or so that i’ve been in the hobby..
i’ve come to learn

ichthyologist’s name fish
importers name zoas

;)

i agree,
a more scientific approach to taxonomy
is in order…
but in the interim, what is the alternative?
confusion? zoanthus sp? zoanthus spppppp?
 
Back
Top