A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)

Abstract Onychophorans or velvet worm are the only phylum without extant marine species and the only invertebrates with a true placenta, but most species are rare and thus more likely to become extinct. A key obstacle for their conservation is the time and work needed to describe species with the high standards current taxonomy, and many species will remain undescribed and without any name for years. Here we propose a way to associate information with undescribed species: "common names", a solution that has proved its value in ornithology. Onychophoran common names must include a geographic indicator and a description a salient characteristic, and to show its viability, here we apply our proposal to the velvet worm fauna of southeastern Central America. Common names like "Lajas Ferruginous Brown Onychophoran", "Churuquita Collared Cinnamon Rufous Onychophoran" and "Antón Collared Mauve Onychophoran" will help conservation until formal Latin binomials become available.

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Main Authors: Sosa-Bartuano,Ángel, Monge-Nájera,Julián, Morera-Brenes,Bernal
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Universidad Estatal a Distancia de Costa Rica 2018
Online Access:http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1659-42662018000100204
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spelling oai:scielo:S1659-426620180001002042023-05-18A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)Sosa-Bartuano,ÁngelMonge-Nájera,JuliánMorera-Brenes,Bernal Conservation Onychophora new solutions for threatened biodiversity non-technical names for invertebrates informal names velvet worm common names Abstract Onychophorans or velvet worm are the only phylum without extant marine species and the only invertebrates with a true placenta, but most species are rare and thus more likely to become extinct. A key obstacle for their conservation is the time and work needed to describe species with the high standards current taxonomy, and many species will remain undescribed and without any name for years. Here we propose a way to associate information with undescribed species: "common names", a solution that has proved its value in ornithology. Onychophoran common names must include a geographic indicator and a description a salient characteristic, and to show its viability, here we apply our proposal to the velvet worm fauna of southeastern Central America. Common names like "Lajas Ferruginous Brown Onychophoran", "Churuquita Collared Cinnamon Rufous Onychophoran" and "Antón Collared Mauve Onychophoran" will help conservation until formal Latin binomials become available.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessUniversidad Estatal a Distancia de Costa RicaCuadernos de Investigación UNED v.10 n.1 20182018-06-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articletext/htmlhttp://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1659-42662018000100204en10.22458/urj.v10i1.2027
institution SCIELO
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country Costa Rica
countrycode CR
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databasecode rev-scielo-cr
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region America Central
libraryname SciELO
language English
format Digital
author Sosa-Bartuano,Ángel
Monge-Nájera,Julián
Morera-Brenes,Bernal
spellingShingle Sosa-Bartuano,Ángel
Monge-Nájera,Julián
Morera-Brenes,Bernal
A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)
author_facet Sosa-Bartuano,Ángel
Monge-Nájera,Julián
Morera-Brenes,Bernal
author_sort Sosa-Bartuano,Ángel
title A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)
title_short A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)
title_full A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)
title_fullStr A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)
title_full_unstemmed A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)
title_sort proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (onychophora)
description Abstract Onychophorans or velvet worm are the only phylum without extant marine species and the only invertebrates with a true placenta, but most species are rare and thus more likely to become extinct. A key obstacle for their conservation is the time and work needed to describe species with the high standards current taxonomy, and many species will remain undescribed and without any name for years. Here we propose a way to associate information with undescribed species: "common names", a solution that has proved its value in ornithology. Onychophoran common names must include a geographic indicator and a description a salient characteristic, and to show its viability, here we apply our proposal to the velvet worm fauna of southeastern Central America. Common names like "Lajas Ferruginous Brown Onychophoran", "Churuquita Collared Cinnamon Rufous Onychophoran" and "Antón Collared Mauve Onychophoran" will help conservation until formal Latin binomials become available.
publisher Universidad Estatal a Distancia de Costa Rica
publishDate 2018
url http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1659-42662018000100204
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