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How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by herperadam on November 7, 2004
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I am a field herper and have trouble remembering the genus and species names of snakes and wonder how some of you do it, or do you just look it up in a book afterward? I can identify all the snakes in the state (Texas) by common names but probably only one or two by genus/species. I guess it's because I don't know what they mean for the most part, for example with the Western Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma i've heard from somebody (may have been a Jeff Corwin show) that the "piscivorus" means fish eater but what do the other two words mean? Is there a book around or some type of help that can put some sense or even the proper pronunciation to these words for me?
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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Anonymous post on November 7, 2004
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Join the club, I dont remember them either.I know that they are important, but I dont know what people are talking about half the time when they use the latin name.I wish I did.
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by Phobos on November 7, 2004
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Good Question:
Most are derived from Latin or Greek, the language of science. I would suggest an English to Latin dictionary short term, as for long term if you're still in school take Latin as a language elective. It will not only give you help in science but will also improve your english too.
The scientific names used in systematics are very important to learn. With so many common names applied to snakes it is the most accurate way to communicate with another snake keeper what species you're talking about. Just remember it all takes practice, just keep working at it.
Check out Wolfgang Wusters website for all the latest in venomous snake systematics.
http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/
Also the EMBL database is also very good.
http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/~uetz/LivingReptiles.html
Good Luck,
Al
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by Snakeman1982 on November 7, 2004
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Don't sweat not knowing the scientific names immediately. It can take a lot of time. The more books you buy and the more herps you catch, the easier it will be to remember more names. I think it is hard at first but then it gets easier.
There are plenty of really good herpetologists that know very few scientific names. I know a few people who are about to get their Ph.Ds and probably couldn't tell you what Atropoides nummifer or Bothriechis schlegelii is. This doesn't mean they are bad herpers or herpetologists, it just isn't a section of herpetology they study. They are interested in a certain aspect of biology and only use herps as their study organism. So they aren't interested in a wide assortment of global herps, they are only interested in the ones they are studying but know tons of info on those particular species.
I on the other hand love diversity and am planning on studying systematics, so I have to know hundreds of scientific names and since I plan on studying in the tropics, where some species don't have english common names, I have to know a lot of foreign species names. I also need to know what they look like and where they are found throughout the world, which there are obviously too many species to know all that. But none of that is really necessary for most fields. But if you were to study systematics in grad school, you would have to know tons about all that stuff because you would have to communicate with others who knew it. You don't want to constantly ask, "what species is that?" and such when you are talking to professionals.
As for the common U.S. venomous species scientific names, you can find out what they mean on this site. Click on the glossary and it will tell you that Agkistrodon means "hooked tooth" and leucostoma means "white mouth". If you want to know what all the names of snakes in the U.S. then you should buy "Snakes of the United States and Canada" (2003) by Carl Ernst. It has all the scientific name meanings for snakes of the U.S.
The pronouncation gets me a lot because I am not a very good speaker. And a lot of people pronounce the words differently. And some foreign herpetologists pronounce things differently than American herpetologists as well. Pronouncing the words isn't as important as how to spell them. I may mispronounce a word and then follow it up with "well I don't know how to pronounce it but it is spelled B-o-t-h-r-o-c-o-p-h-i-a-s".
My advice is buy some good field guides on line to areas that interest you. Then start memorizing the herp names and how to identify what you catch by hand in Texas, then memorize info on all the herps you really want to catch. Then expand that into most the herps in the U.S. Then whereever you plan on traveling, buy some field guides to those areas and try to memorize their names and how to identify them. Eventually after a few years, you'll know a lot about how to identify herps and their names.
Good luck,
Robert
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by herperadam on November 7, 2004
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Thanks for the help, the glossary on here actually helps out a lot can't believe I never noticed it before. Think I may pick up that "Snakes of the United States and Canada" book also and possibly take a look at some Latin-English texts. I have the Texas Field Guide by Tennant and Texas Snakes by Werler & Dixon for help identifying but they are of no use in the systemantics.
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by Joy on November 8, 2004
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LOL!!!
I was going to ask this last week, but I remembered how I had to learn scientific names in field botany in college. And just this weekend I set out on this!
I use 3*5 index cards, put the scientific name on the front, and the common name and any other info you want to remember on the lined side. Drag a few with you each day and learn them.
Thank goodness Latin is just hooked on phonics. In most cases, it is pronounced just like it looks. Lean to spell it, and you can say it.
Good luck, I know I have been feeling the pressure to learn scientific names, too.
Joy
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by HerpMan73 on November 8, 2004
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Another opinion re: Latin- When I was working towards my zoology degree, I took a year of Latin because so many people talked about it like it was the magic way to understand the English language, word roots, etc. Man was I disappointed! I found it to be a COMPLETE waste of time. It wasn't geared towards science majors, so it didn't get into scientific nomenclature or anything that would be useful in understanding names. I suppose if one ever needed to conjugate a scientific name, then a Latin class would be helpful! The four years of French (derived from Latin) I took in high school has been far more useful in learning and understanding word roots. In today's world, I'd recommend learning Spanish instead of Latin. You'll still get word roots and actually be able to use the language later in life. Buy a good book and teach yourself. Names aren't something you'll learn and remember right away. It takes time and slowly but surely you'll begin to recognize the word roots in names you're seeing for the first time. Others may have had better experiences taking Latin, but I don't recommend it.
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by Snakeman1982 on November 8, 2004
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I took Latin in high school. I don't think it has made me better understand scientific names or scientific terminology.
Robert
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by herperadam on November 8, 2004
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If I could find something like this only geared towards Texas snakes it would be excellent they give an explanation for some of the different snakes genus/species names right on the top of the list.
http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/gawildlife/reptiles/squamata/serpentes/viperidae/chorridus.html
For example,
Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus
Scientific name: The generic name Crotalus is from the Latin word crotalum meaning "rattle". The species name horridus is Latin for "dreadful," pertaining to the venomous nature of this snake. People in the South sometimes call this snake the "velvet-tail" or "canebrake" rattler.
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RE: How to learn genus/species names of snakes?
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by Snakeman1982 on November 8, 2004
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Here is a good website with distributions of each herp in Texas.
http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/
You may also want to purchase Dixon's Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas (2nd edition) to keep with you. It won't help too much on the scientific meanings of names but will be valuable to you in other ways.
I just looked through my copy of Texas Snakes by Werler & Dixon and am surprised that it also doesn't have any etymology of the species names. It is an excellent book though and should certainly help you out. Basically, just start remembering all the herps you come in contact with if you want to start memorizing them. But don't worry too much if you have trouble with them. Common names are fine also. But I think the more sci. names you know, the easier it gets for more names. A few years ago I didn't know very many and worried a little about it. Now it is much easier.
Alan Tennant's books on snakes of North America (Eastern and Central Region) and (Western Region) are both really good and better than his Snakes of Texas, which I wasn't impressed with. He has finished the 3rd edition of Snakes of Texas called, "Lone Star Field Guide to Texas Snakes" but it hasn't come out. It was suppose to be out about a year ago but has been delayed for some reason. I think it will be better.
Robert
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