Biodiv Sci ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 22131.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022131

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Suggestions on standardizing the zoological and the botanical nomenclatures of the Himalayas area in the Chinese language

Qi Zhang*()   

  1. Mengzi City Emergency Management Bureau of Yunnan Province, Mengzi, Yunnan 661199
  • Received:2022-03-23 Accepted:2022-08-06 Online:2023-01-20 Published:2022-08-26
  • Contact: *Qi Zhang, E-mail: qizhang@vip.163.com

Abstract:

Background & Aim: Although the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) has clarified the legal status of “scientific name”, the use of Chinese name is still inseparable in practical work. This article analyzes the Chinese names of 6 genera and 402 species which are named after the Latinization of “himalaya” and the Chinese names of 1 genus and 37 species which are named refer to “Himalaya”. This paper aims to standardize the Chinese nomenclature of species involving the Himalayas.

Methods: This paper summarizes the basic principles and methods of naming species in the Chinese language by referring to laws and regulations, regional historical geography and related history of animal and plant species naming.

Conclusion & Suggestions: This research leads to three principles: (1) The standard geographical names of species should not be simplified arbitrarily. (2) “Himalaya” has a specific meaning and should not be used in simplified forms of species’ Chinese names. The Chinese name should use complete geographical names. (3) Correcting obscure Chinese species names will neither change the position of the species in the scientific classification system nor do harm to the system itself. Based on these principles, we suggest to revise the incorrect Chinese names of 3 genera and 35 species.

Key words: animals and plants, nomenclature, Chinese names, Himalayas