Let’s Get Something Straight by Charles H. Calisher [email protected] > Croat Med J. 2007;48:268-70

Taxonomy: What’s in a name? Doesn’t a by any other name smell as sweet?

Carl Linnaeus, also known as Carl entities (“ annua ramosis- tion. Based on increasing levels of von Linné (Carolus Linnaeus) sima, ramis angulosis glabris, foli- divergence, there are (sin- was born May 23, 1707 and lived is dentato-serratis” do not exactly gular: ), classes, orders, to January 10, 1778. Linnaeus roll off the tongue). He brilliant- families, genera (singular: ) was a Swedish botanist, physician, ly and consistently applied to all and . Groups of organisms and zoologist who laid the foun- sorts of living things what we call at any of these ranks are called dations for the modern scheme of “binomial ,” a sys- “taxa” (singular: ) or “taxo- nomenclature and, not coinciden- tem that had been developed by nomic groups.” The “binomial” tally, is also considered one of the Gaspard (or Caspar) and Johann aspect provides latinized names founders of modern ; he Bauhin almost 200 years earlier, at all levels, the most commonly is known as the “father of mod- but Linnaeus used it consistent- used being the genus and species ern .” He was the son ly. It is a “neat” system, and a use- levels, such that we have sa- and grandson of churchmen and ful one. For example, there are piens for the , famil- raised to be a , but early more than 800 000 recognized iaris for the , and so on. Each in his he decided that species of on earth, more species of , , , was more interesting. After do- than all the other and ani- , etc. has its own name, so ing research on the sexual repro- mals combined. Of these 800 000, that one cannot confuse a human duction of plants, he decided to nearly half are ; thus, one and a dog, irrespective of wheth- attend medical school, eventual- fifth of the 1.5 million recognized er they both could be classified as ly rising to the Chair of Medicine species are beetles! As J.B.S. Hal- “land ”. and then the Chair of Botany dane said, “God has an inordinate Stephen Jay Gould, an Amer- at University. Wheth- fondness for beetles.” How to sort ican paleontologist, evolutionary er he realized it or not, his desire out all this? Linnaeus showed us biologist, historian of science and was to organize things – plants, the way. baseball fanatic, who, with Niles , even . He liked In the system Linnaeus creat- Eldredge, developed the theo- things “neat” and he was not sat- ed, partly logic, partly biological, ry of “punctuated equilibrium,” isfied with the unwieldy names Kingdoms are the broadest - said “Taxonomy (the science of used at that time for biological egories of taxonomic organiza- classification) is often underval-

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ued as a glorified form of filing is a rational method for putting cies maniculatus), not a Pero- – with each species in its pre- things in so that we can myscus maniculatus. One cannot scribed place in an album; but understand where something capture a species because taxa taxonomy is a fundamental and fits (or does not fit) with other are non-concrete entities; they dynamic science, dedicated to things. We could classify mam- do not exist, except as names exploring the causes of relation- mals as sea mammals and land on lists that certain people re- ships and similarities among or- mammals, fish as large or small, tain. Concrete entities are real. ganisms. Classifications are the- rodents as edible or inedible, etc. They have substance. They can ories about the basis of natural but what good would that be? be picked up or dropped on the order, not dull catalogues com- Most people, that is people floor. They can be weighed and piled only to avoid .” who find that organization is measured. Their genomes can If, by now, taxonomy is a more functional than is disorga- be sequenced. Studies of them branch of , rather than a nization, put their in order can be funded. One cannot se- necessary peculiarity, why do so in ways that are helpful to them. quence the genome of a species many otherwise intelligent peo- They arise at a certain time, go because species do not possess ple have so much difficulty -un to bed at a certain time, separate genomes; they do not “possess” derstanding and applying it? I the knives, forks, and spoons in anything. Thus, there is a huge do not know, but I am certain drawers, choose certain days to difference between the process that many scientists have a non- shop, leave themselves notes, of (for example) identifying vi- sensical indifference to it, even and make lists of things “to do,” ruses or bacteria using one or a going as far as responding irately and then prioritize the items on few diagnostic properties, and to this necessity for neatness. the lists. the process of creating virus taxa Good scientists are some- Whereas one can use any using a combination of many what compulsive about most of organizational system properties. subjects within their areas of that works, one cannot simply A of an en- expertise. There realistically is go about renaming genera and tity is the name that is normally not much information available species for one’s personal con- used and the one that therefore about anything, and much more venience. That would be coun- should be used, and the binomi- we need to know. Of course, terproductive because no one al name is used to classify that we will never be satisfied with else would know what you are entity, so that we do not confuse the amount of available infor- talking about. The taxonomic and , fish and , mation and nowadays it takes system currently in use is a uni- smallpox virus and West Nile knowledge and energy simply to versal system, not one that var- virus, and other things that have have access to information and ies from place to place. For ex- some characteristics in common to keep it organized for easy re- ample, you can call your dog but which are, in fact, only dis- trieval. Computers are useful, as “Bruno” and then change it to tantly related. If your child went are files, book shelves, table tops, “Kurjaky” and no harm is done, outside to kick a football and boxes, floors, and walls. Whatev- except to the poor dog. How- you wanted her or him to come er it takes! ever, the genus and species of home for dinner, you would not Whereas taxonomy, the hi- “Kurjaky” (or “Bruno”) remains shout “Come to dinner, Homo erarchical classification of living Canis familiaris. sapiens”. You could do that, things, is certainly not for the If one captures a deer mouse but you might also have repre- obsessive-compulsives among in a trap, one has captured a deer sentatives from the local men- us, it is beyond neat. Taxonomy mouse (genus Peromyscus, spe- tal health department knocking

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gently on your door. Rather, you properly. Plumbers have names ite deadly disease agent, rest as- call the child’s name; her or his for the parts of a sink, so that sured that you do not have to species is irrelevant for day-to- the correct part can be placed in be a taxonomist. The first time day conversations. the correct place. Indeed, every- you mention your microscop- Personally, I do not care for one categorizes – as unimport- ic friend, provide the genus and organization. At the nation- , necessary, familiar, warm, species names and then nev- al level, it provides too much tasty, comfortable, safe, danger- er mention them again. It is re- opportunity for malevolence. ous, or otherwise – everything. ally simple and it adds depth to However, I like things “neat”. That is why we have dictionaries, your paper. The reader immedi- A teacher of mine said, “Every- laws, and judges to determine ately knows in which section of thing in its place, and a place for their extents, departments, so- the brain to store this informa- everything.”; she was correct. cieties, and opinions. However, tion and can then move on to Whether taxonomists get things to make lists and to categorize read your paper with greater un- right, whether they have every is insufficient for science. We derstanding. Taxonomy is one living thing in the exact place it need to know not only whether way in which you let the world belongs, whether you agree or things are related, but how they know you know what you are disagree with the current taxo- are related and to what they are doing. Taxonomy may not be nomic style or the current taxo- related. important in the grand scheme nomic placement of your favorite Ignoring proper taxonomy of things, but it is useful. The in- species must not matter. What is ignoring not only history but sightful brilliance of Carl Lin- matters is that you know where the similarities and differences naeus has provided for us a plat- things belong within the hierar- between living things, and to ig- form to discretely distinguish chy. Keep in that “neat” nore the evolutionary aspects of entities and to do so in a man- does not at all indicate “correct.” classification and choose chaos ner that allows and provides for Of what real use is taxono- over neatness. Virologists, bac- neatness. my? Is it simply a manifestation teriologists, parasitologists, my- of compulsive behavior? When cologists, mammalogists, orni- Further reading we have placed our favorite or- thologists, ichthyologists, and Calisher CH and Mahy BW. Taxonomy: get it right or leave it alone. Am J Trop Med ganism or or plant or just about everyone else sort Hyg. 2003;68:505-6 other in a taxon are we better their subjects of study and sep- Fauquet CM, Mayo MA, Maniloff J, Desselberger U, editors. Virus off than we were before? Who arate them into related catego- Taxonomy: VIIIth Report of the uses taxonomy? Everyone ratio- ries. To do otherwise or to not International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. San Diego (CA): Elsevier, nal. Physicians in emergency de- sort things and then try to make Inc.; 2005. partments triage injured people sense of the resulting pile of un- Van Regenmortel MH.Virus species, a much overlooked but essential concept based on the patient’s need for related items may be a first indi- in virus classification. Intervirology. or likely benefit from immediate cation of the need for psychiatric 1990;31:241-54. medical treatment. Psychiatrists help. People who collect postage Van Regenmortel MH, Mahy BW. Emerging issues in virus taxonomy. Emerg Infect name the many, different (if stamps, coins, books, beer bot- Dis. 2004;10:8-13. not completely distinct, ie, “sub- tles, autographs, or any of hun- Van Regenmortel MH, Maniloff J, Calisher CH. The concept of virus species. Arch types”) and various psychiatric dreds of other things know what Virol. 1991;120:313-4. disorders that afflict , so I mean; many of these people are Bauhin, Caspar. Available from: http://www. goldcanyon.com/Patten/html/9.html. that they will not be confused otherwise normal. Accessed: April 11, 2007. one for the other because, if con- When you write a scientif- Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). Available from: fused, they may be treated im- ic manuscript about your favor- http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/ linnaeus.html. Accessed: April 11, 2007.

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