lautnusantara.com Fish are among the most diverse groups of animals on Earth, with more than 34,000 species identified so far—and new ones being discovered every year. With such immense diversity, there arose a need for a standardized system of naming to avoid confusion caused by different local names in different regions. This is where scientific names (also called Latin names) became essential.

Before the Scientific Naming System

Prior to the 18th century, fish (and other living organisms) did not have a fixed naming system. Naturalists and scholars often used long descriptive Latin phrases to refer to a species. For example, a fish might be described by a sentence detailing its color, shape, or habitat. This method was impractical, inconsistent, and varied from one researcher to another, which created difficulties in scientific communication.

The Contribution of Carolus Linnaeus

A major shift occurred in 1735 when Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist, introduced the system of binomial nomenclature in his groundbreaking work Systema Naturae. In this system, every living organism, including fish, is given a scientific name consisting of two parts:

1. Genus → a broader category grouping species with common characteristics.
2. Species → the specific identifier unique to that organism within the genus.

For example, the Nile tilapia is named Oreochromis niloticus. The genus Oreochromis comes from Greek meaning “mountain fish,” while niloticus refers to the Nile River, its original habitat. This system made naming shorter, more consistent, and easier to understand worldwide.

Standardization Through International Rules

After Linnaeus’ system gained wide acceptance, scientists agreed on the need for strict regulations to prevent confusion and overlapping names. This led to the establishment of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), which governs the naming of all animals, including fish.

The ICZN provides rules such as:

• The proper format of scientific names (Genus capitalized, species lowercase, italicized).
• The “principle of priority,” where the first validly published name takes precedence.
• The use of Latin and Greek as the linguistic basis for names.

Examples of Scientific Names in Fish

Some fish scientific names reflect physical traits, habitats, or honor their discoverers:

• Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) → from Greek karcharos (sharp) and odon (tooth), describing its serrated teeth.
• Asian catfish (Clarias batrachus) → batrachus means frog, since it often inhabits muddy swamps similar to frog habitats.
• Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) → named in honor of Walter Kaudern, who documented the species in Banggai waters, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Importance of Scientific Names in Fisheries Science

The use of scientific names in fish biology and fisheries offers significant advantages:

• Avoids confusion caused by multiple local names.
• Facilitates research by ensuring scientists around the world refer to the same species.
• Preserves historical context by recording habitat origins or honoring the discoverer through the name.

The history of scientific names in fish reflects humanity’s effort to bring order to biological diversity. From long, cumbersome descriptions in early taxonomy, to Linnaeus’ binomial system, and finally to the standardized ICZN rules, scientific names have become a universal language in biology. Today, each fish species carries a unique scientific name recognized worldwide, ensuring clarity, precision, and consistency in global communication.

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