Scripps Institution of Oceanography will be selling the scientific naming rights for newly described marine species to the highest bidder.

Scientific names for species are the generally two-word Greek/Latin names that are used to identify a species more precisely than a common name might. Usually this left up to the first scientist to describe the species; sometimes it’s descriptive while other times it’s named after a colleague, friend, spouse, girlfriend or mentor.

For example, a local nudibranch is named Doriopsilla spaldingi after local diver San Diego scuba diver George Spalding , who helped collect the samples used in describing the species.

This is the permanent name for the species and now Scripps, which is one the premier oceanography institutes in the world, is going to be selling them to the highest bidder. The funds will go towards maintaining their collections department which lost it’s Federal funding a number of years ago.

I think it’s an interesting idea but my main concern is large company’s coming in and naming things like Chromodoris goldenpalace.com or Doriopsilla pepsi.

Here is the article

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