What’s in a name? Selection of common names among new and revised species of Australian mammals, and the case of the sugar glider†

Abstract

The common names of species serve an important role in scientific and everyday communication, so well-constructed names should be easy to remember and convey important information about a species. The discovery of new species, or the revision and splitting of existing species, may lead to new or changed common names. We review new common names given to Australian mammal species described, or recognised, since the year 2000. We reference the principles adopted by the Australian Mammal Society in 1980, formulated to guide the selection of common names. Of 31 new species, 25 had common names that referenced their morphology, geographic location or ecosystem, one had an indigenous name and five involved eponyms (named after a person). Three of the eponyms reflected the animal’s specific name, one was given after consultation with indigenous cultural experts, and one was named after the collector of the specimen. We argue that the recommended common name for this latter species (Petaurus notatus) was inconsistent with the long-standing principles of the Australian Mammal Society for selecting common names, so we offer an alternative name, the inland sugar glider. Common names may be subservient to scientific names but they play an important role, and therefore, should be selected very carefully and be consistent with established principles.