Dear Paul, dear Conchlers,

I didn't follow the discussion really, but I wanted to say that animals (insects, shells eg) are also named
after persons, who pay for it or supply some institutes. There are such cases, I only remember a shells
(at the moment I don't remember be which family - Buccinidae or Ranellidae) which was named after
the tennisstar Boris Becker, beckeri.
that's all for the moment
Helmut


Helmut "Helix" Nisters
Franz-Fischer-Str. 46
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Innsbruck
phone and fax: 0043 / 512 / 57 32 14
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
web:    www.netwing.at/nisters/

office:
Natural History Department of the
Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum Innsbruck
Feldstrasse 11 a
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Europe
phone: 0043 / 512 / 58 72 86 - 37

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We are all familiar with the concept of naming of a species after someone
for the purpose of honoring that person, whether it be the discoverer of the
species, or a colleague, or a famous contributor to the discipline, or a
member of the taxonomist's family.  Also, in a few cases, a person has
chosen to honor himself by naming a species after himself, a practice that
is technically allowable but socially frowned upon.  And now we know about
naming a species after someone in return for financial assistance.  But one
other aspect of this name game that is not talked about too often, but has
long been recognized, and occasionally utilized, is the possibility of
naming a species after someone you want to DIShonor -someone who rubs you
the wrong way, or who is on your blacklist for whatever reason.  You can
perpetually dishonor the object of your ire by attaching his family name, or
even his full name, to some species of grotesque, blood-sucking,
pestilence-carrying vermin.  There it will remain until the end of time, and
there isn't a thing he can do about it, at least not taxonomically speaking.
These days of course, some folks will sue you for dropping your hat on their
sidewalk.
Paul M.