"A case that challenges the name of the biologists’ favourite research subject, Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as ‘Drosophila, the fruit fly’, concluded today. The case submitted to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), proposed that the name Drosophila melanogaster be protected as a combination, but this was not supported by the Commission. This means that the fruit fly’s name is likely to change to Sophophora melanogaster if results of a new evolutionary analysis are accepted."
(Taken from the Press Release - available as PDF below)
Links
ICZN
- History of Case 3407 listing the original Case, Comments and Opinion
News
- Economist: fly in the ointment
- Nature: A fly by any other name
- Nature: What's in a name? Fly world is abuzz
- TimesOnline: Identity crisis for fly that’s the apple of scientists’ eye
- The Australian: Row over fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster name bugs scientists
- Fox News: Fruit Fly Identity Crisis Dividing Scientists
Blogosphere
Academic
Twitter
To see the discussion occurring on Twitter see #drosophaclypse, #savedrosophila.
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