The Naming of Snakes Is a Difficult Matter
Rebekah Price
August 10, 2008
Who?
Blair and Carla. Haven´t heard of them? Well, the people of Barbados have, and they are none too pleased with the blissful couple, especially the man who professed his devotion for his wife through his life´s work as a scientist. Seems he and his research team have been studying a diminutive Barbadian reptile known locally as a "thread" snake.
This Lilliputian serpent, less than four inches when it reaches adulthood, can curl up on a quarter and is touted as the world´s smallest snake. The discovery is heralded as another feather in the cap of S. Blair Hedges, an evolutionary biologist from Penn State who, along with his research team, has discovered the world´s smallest lizard in Dominican Republic and the world´s tiniest frog in Cuba.
In the world of science, the one who describes the species gets to name the species. A version of "Finders, Keepers" one might surmise. Keeping this in mind, Hedges designated the sobriquet, "Leptotyphlops carlae", upon the wee creature in honor of his wife, herpetologist Carla Ann Haas. A beautiful remembrance for the woman he loves.
But Barbadians aren´t happy. That one small gesture of love produced gargantuan responses from the people of Barbados. The web has come alive with rapid-fire responses of indignation. Many are simply put out that the mere existence of this little snake that they all knew and loved would have to be examined and described by a [gasp] foreigner to formally exist. It is their snake, by God, and they should have described it.
Some Barbadians feel, according to one blogger, that "everyone now thinks we´re all stupid or backwards." That is not true, of course, but one can appreciate that feeling we´ve all had at one time or another in life. Someone usurps something we knew or held dear, and we look like the dunces for not displaying the value. We´ve all been there, holding an empty bag and muttering something unintelligible like, "Really, I knew it first…"
Others are incensed that Hedges chose to name the lovely little critter after his wife. Hopefully, she smiled with joy. Perhaps the same way a woman smiles when she receives the gift of a new vacuum for Mother´s Day, or a new skillet for her birthday. Not that the Mrs. is not worthy of such laurels, but the reputation of the Barbadian people is at stake. So now the naming of the snake is a political matter.
Perhaps a more politically correct name would be "Leptotyphlops barbadae". Maybe a designation reflecting more of the character of Barbados such as "Leptotyphlops touristae": a more market-worthy moniker to help tourism in keeping with Mel Brooks´ ideal of the "Secret of the Schwartz".
Did anyone ask the snake? Perhaps it already has a name, like Ferdinand or Slim. Can you imagine the conversation over a newly turned termite bed? "Hey, Slim... I told you not to go near those guys with the magnifying glass. We were all doing just fine until this fiasco. Now Slinky can´t even go out without dashing from rock to fungi. Thanks a lot, Pal!"
One thing in all this ophidian hoopla slipped to the wayside. A new species has been discovered and described. Everyone needs to stop and take a Lilliputian moment to realize the enormity of the find. Not just that there is a tiny snake unknowingly slithering into the lives of people who have never even seen one in the wild; but that there is a new species.
There is so much on this planet we have yet to know, yet to discover. We are bound, not just as stewards, but as living parts of this amazing biosphere on which we live. The lesson is here for us all to learn: get past the naming of the snake and get on with researching and protecting the extraordinary and finite resources of this planet.
Oh, and Carla, next time Blair wants to name something after you, smile sweetly and tell him earrings will not cause an international incident.
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