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Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

Charles,

Another addition to the marine molluscs (Gastropoda) please:

    Current Name on Dictionary:                  Additional Synonym to be added:

Nucella lapillus, Linnaeus, 1758                        Dog Whelk
Nucella lapillus, Linnaeus, 1758                        Dogwhelk
Nucella lapillus, Linnaeus, 1758                        Atlantic Dogwinkle

A previous synonym to be added for this species is:

Buccinum lapillus, Linnaeus, 1758 (basionym)

See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_whelk

Cheers and thanks

Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

Dear Steve,

Thank you for your suggestions. In this instance, I am not inclined to add names unless people actually have records using any of these names. I am not aware of Atlantic Dogwinkle being used for this species in the UK.

Best wishes,

Charles Hussey

NBN Species Dictionary Project Manager (Retired!) smile

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Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

Dear Charles

OK, but I'm afraid I cannot see why you would not use the Dog Whelk, Dogwhelk names when you happily accepted Sting Winkle from a previous post as these 2 are in use and are definitely British in origin.

I am still VERY concerned regarding your, now repeated, statement of accepting only those names against which records have accrued.

If recording systems are being developed (and they are - in a similar vein to our own RODIS (www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk) then they will use the webservices dictionary to provide matches for species names.  If names are not in the Dictionary then records for the missing names can never accrue as only matches will be provided.  As a consequence, valid names (synonyms) will always be missing as records cannot accrue and consequently by this logic will never be added to the dictionary.  Once again, I would push for all valid synonyms (Scientific, English and even Colloquial) being added to the Dictionary for future usage and to ensure that people do not abandon usage of on-line recording systems due to names not being matched - I am very concerned about records/information being lost due to this approach.

Cheers.

Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

Steve makes a good point: Forgive me if I miss understand but surely if a name is not added to the dictionary until someone tries to record with it, no new names will be added because people won't actually be able to record with them. 

I think it is also worth noting that all the bumblebee common names and many common names for fungi were actually invented to help lay people and beginners etc. get to grips with recording.  Previously, people could only record these species with the scientific name (if they knew it) or with a colloquial name.  The species dictionary does include these names, and rightly so.

I wonder whether the test for name inclusion might not be better based on whether that name is published.  Surely if someone can find a species being accurately referred to in a published work under a previously excluded name, that name would then be worthy of inclusion.

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Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

I don't think it really matters if the names are published or not - surely if someone says "I call it that" then there's your name. I can't imagine that there are many names not in the dictionary, so an extra one or two, albeit rarely used, aint really gonna hurt, is it?

I am not aware of Atlantic Dogwinkle being used for this species in the UK

What if an American comes over and wants to do some recording?

Charlie Barnes
Information Officer
Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership

6 (edited by stevemcbill 24-08-2010 09:32:49)

Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

I think I would agree with Tom on this one - ALL published names and synonyms (Scientific. English/Common and Colloquial) for species should be added to the Dictionary.

I would value other people's judgements and thoughts on this recommendation !!

Cheers

Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

Charles,

I do agree with Tom and Steve, if the names are only added if they are used, then they will never get added and people will continue to re-interpret data BEFORE entering it on to Recorder - Recorder was supposed to stop data-enterers reinterpreting records!

I personally would like to see The Species Dictionary (and Recorder species lists) as the de facto source of taxonomic (both scientific and common name) information for the UK, possibly with the exception of the attempts in some organisations to produce common names for all taxa (which have created "common" names more difficult to remember than the scientific one!).

I can understand the exclusion of "foreign" common names (i.e. USA), unless you intend to start including non-English common names (e.g. vogel for bird) - I think that is beyond the remit of the Species Dictionary.

Craig Slawson
Staffordshire Ecological Record

8 (edited by stevemcbill 25-08-2010 08:43:05)

Re: Dog Whelk - Nucella lapillus

100% agree with you Craig.  A definitive taxonomic dictionary of ALL Scientific and English/Common names for ALL species in the UK (and out to the 12 mile limit).  I would also agree with non-inclusion of 'foreign' names (i.e. American, European, etc.).

Mind you, I used to think that this is exactly what the development of the Dictionary was trying to create !!!!

Cheers

Steve

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/