Myth 90: “To name chameleon species is enough using trivial names or the approximate version in Latin.”

In fact, this is a terribly wrong approach and it can cause severe confusion.

Trivial Nomenclature

• Diverse species often have trivial or vernacular names.

• Sometimes they do not. Naming in local languages is useful for communication and cultural understanding, but it has little scientific value.

• There are no rules governing trivial names. Anyone can call anything by any trivial name, and there is no authority to forbid it.

• Some trivial names are stable and

• widely used, others are not. Usually, a Red Data Book or a good field guide spreads trivial taxonomy in a usable way. But again, there are no rules.

Consequences of Trivial Naming

Every continent may have its "grass snake," but they represent different taxa.

The difference can be fatal: 

• Playing with a vine snake in Asia (Ahaetula sp.) may be harmless, playing with a vine snake in Africa (Thelotornis) may risk your life.

• A garter snake in America (Thamnophis) is harmless. A "garter snake" in Africa refers to Elapsoidea, which are venomous elapids.

Examples of Multiplication

• Grass Snake: Natrix species in Eurasia, Thamnophis species in America, Opheodrys species in America
• Rat Snake: Pantherophis in America, Elaphe in Eurasia, Ptyas in Asia
• Conclusion: Trivial taxonomy is useless for serious scientific work. It has only limited local practical use.

Origin and Use of Latin Nomenclature

• Latin nomenclature was established to provide a universal, standardized system for naming organisms.

• It follows strict rules set by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN).

• Each species has a binomial name (genus + species epithet), written in italics, with the genus capitalized and the species epithet in lowercase. Subspecies are indicated by a third epithet, also lowercase.

• This system eliminates ambiguity, ensures clarity, and allows scientists worldwide to communicate precisely.

Benefits of Latin Nomenclature

• Universality: Recognized across all languages and regions.

• Precision: Each name refers to one taxon only.

• Stability: Governed by rules, preventing uncontrolled duplication.

• Clarity: Avoids confusion caused by local or trivial names.

• Authority: Provides a reference framework for conservation, research, and education.

Example of Incorrect Usage

"Trioceros Jacksoni Xantolophus Ssp is a sub species of the Jackson's Chameleon"

Errors:

• Jacksoni is a species epithet and must be written in lowercase.

• The correct spelling is jacksonii (omitting the second "i" is a mistake).

• xantholophus is a subspecies epithet and must be written in lowercase.

• The correct spelling is xantholophus (omitting the "h" is a mistake).

• The correct term is subspecies, not "sub species."

• "Ssp" is incorrect. The proper abbreviation is ssp., not capitalized, always with a dot.

• Generic, specific and subspecific names are to be written in italic

Final Principle

For communication to be clear, direct, and meaningful, one must always be familiar with the exact terminology. Otherwise, communication may become unclear or even dangerously wrong. This applies not only to biology but to any area of human activity where precision matters.