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Snake scientific naming question
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by herperadam on February 28, 2005
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What is the signifigance/purpose of some snakes having the same name in their scientific name more than once? For instance, Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix, Thamnophis proximus proximus, Thamnophis marcianus marcianus. Why not just once or pick another word, just something that's always bothered me when trying to learn them, thanks?
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RE: Snake scientific naming question
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by GREGLONGHURST on March 1, 2005
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The repeating of the species name shows that the animal was the first of that species to be described, & it only had the genus & species (Agkistrodon contortrix). Once other subspecies were described
(A. c. mokasen), the first to be described became a trinomial by the addition of the species being added as the subspecies.
Notice that the word species always ends in "s", no matter if you are referring to one or many.
~~Greg~~
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RE: Snake scientific naming question
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by Snake17 on March 1, 2005
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So, for example:
Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen
Agksitrodon - genus
contortrix - the species of the genus
mokasen - subspecies
Cheers
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