Can someone please explain scientifc names or post a link to the topic

HARLEY-XLH666

Arachnoknight
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My question is what does the second word in their name represent??
If Grammostola is a genus then is Rosea the species or the breed?
I'm kinda confused on this right now but also is Family - Theraphosidae the next step up from genus? My understanding Theraphosidae means tarantulas and only tarantulas :confused: :? :confused:
 

halfwaynowhere

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rosea would be the species.

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

my 10th grade biology teacher taught us a way to remember the order:
Kinky People Can Often Find Good Sex
hey, it works!
 

scottyk

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First name = Genus
Second name = species

Try typing "Binomial Nomenclature" into a search engine which should yield some more information for you....
 

HARLEY-XLH666

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First name = Genus
Second name = species

Try typing "Binomial Nomenclature" into a search engine which should yield some more information for you....
Awesome, Binomial Nomenclature thats what I'm looking for. thanks
 

Brettus

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Yeah, rosea is the species. The species name serves to distinguish animals in the same genus. For instance, both Grammastola rosea and Grammastola pulchra belong to the same genus, and thus are closely related. The species name is rosea and pulchra, which serves to differentiate them within the genus Grammastola.
 

smof

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To be precise, tarantulas are

Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Arthropoda
Class - Arachnida
Order - Araneae
Sub-Order - Mygalomorphae
Family - Theraphosidae

And yes theraphosidae is only tarantulas

My personal favourite acronym for remembering the taxonomy ranks is "Kings Prefer Chastity Over Funky Gay Sex" :p
 

Stan Schultz

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Trust me, people, if you can remember

"Kinky People Can Often Find Good Sex"

and

"Kings Prefer Chastity Over Funky Gay Sex"

you can also memorize "Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species"

And, strictly speaking, "binomial nomenclature" only refers to the use of Genus and species names as nomenclatural units, and doesn't include the higher taxa.

Lastly, to keep the taxonomic bookkeeping straight, the series of names and taxa for a Chilean rose tarantula is usually quoted as:

Kingdom: Animalia (As opposed to the four or five other major divisions of living organisms on planet Earth.)

Phylum: Arthropoda (Possess exoskeletons, jointed appendages, etc.)

Subphylum: Chelicerata (Lack antennae, jaws, possess characteristic location of mouth, eyes and oral appendages compared to "head" segmentation that differentiates these from Crustacea and Atelocerata)

Class: Arachnida (Two body sections [prosoma and opisthosoma], chelicerae, pedipalps, four pairs of walking legs)

Order: Araneae (Chelicerae bearing fangs, one or two pairs of abdominal spinnerets)

Suborder: Opisthothelae (Fangs work in parallel, no apparent segmentation in the opisthosoma)

Infraorder: Mygalomorphae

Family: Theraphosidae

Subfamily: Theraphosinae

Genus: Grammostola

Species: rosea

However, every expert has their own little pet scheme and at conferences and symposia where things like this are discussed they have the same flame wars over their classifications that we have about humidity, substrate, handling, etc.

Even grown-ups act like small children. <Sigh>

(Homework project: Critique and refine my organizational hierarchy and descriptions. Fill in the identifying characteristics for the lower taxa. Due next Monday.)
 
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scottyk

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Stan- The OP was asking for help in understanding the meaning behind individual scientific names, which is why I suggested searcing the term binomial nomenclature. I'm aware that it only applies to the last two categories of taxa. Hence the term "binomial" :rolleyes:
 
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Moltar

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And yes theraphosidae is only tarantulas

:p
Is that for certain? I thought there were some spiders that were tharaphosids but not necessarily tarantulas. Like the australian spp of funnel web spiders for example...? Trapdoor spiders as well?
 

David Burns

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I thought a tarantula was a wolf spider in Italy.

What about subspecies? ;)
 

ShadowBlade

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Is that for certain? I thought there were some spiders that were tharaphosids but not necessarily tarantulas. Like the australian spp of funnel web spiders for example...? Trapdoor spiders as well?
That is 100% for certain. Trapdoors are 'Mygalamorphs' along with tarantulas, but not 'Theraphosids'.


-Sean
 

Stylopidae

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Stan- The OP was asking for help in understanding the meaning behind individual scientific names, which is why I suggested searcing the term binomial nomenclature. I'm aware that it only applies to the last two categories of taxa. Hence the term "binomial" :rolleyes:
Scientific names are a method of classifying organisms. Binomial nomenclature is used to describe individual species and variants of those species (subspecies, strain, etc). It's pointless to attempt to understand binomial nomenclature without understanding basic cladistics or phylogeny.

To understand binomial nomenclature, you simply have to understand the whole classification system otherwise you won't know what those names signify. It's as simple as that.
 
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scottyk

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LOL- I understand that Chesh. I was suggesting using the term to search articles that would help educate him on the subject. Try it and you'll get a lot of interesting links.....
 

Moltar

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That is 100% for certain. Trapdoors are 'Mygalamorphs' along with tarantulas, but not 'Theraphosids'.


-Sean
Gracias. I guess i was mixing up mygalomporphae with theraphosidae...

It occurs to me as well that "tarantula" doesn't really mean anything in a scientific sense anyways, it's just what we call them in the states.
 

ShadowBlade

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It occurs to me as well that "tarantula" doesn't really mean anything in a scientific sense anyways, it's just what we call them in the states.
That is correct, but remember, neither does 'dog'. Its just a common term used to mean 'Theraphosids'.

-Sean
 

Skuromis

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Hi,

I think the species is called Grammostola rosea. 'rosea' is only a part of a species name. Thats why you can have more then one rosea's, so, maybe I'm wrong on this one, you could also describe a Acanthoscurria rosea and both would be a valid species.

Marc.
 

desertdweller

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rosea would be the species.

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

my 10th grade biology teacher taught us a way to remember the order:
Kinky People Can Often Find Good Sex
hey, it works!
Perfect! Now I will never forget, Thanks!!:clap:
 

Merfolk

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Some species have three names. We are actualy Homo sapiens sapiens.. I don't know how the additionnal name is classified...

A quick generalization, all the species within a genus share a similar shape but the species are differently colored (and they are structural diffierences within a genus, like blondi/apophysis tibial spurs situation, I am sure someone could precise it better than I do)

Like Avicularia and Poecilotheria, take a specimen from each species and make black and white pictures then erase skin pattern... look quite similar, but each species has its color code.

To the expert: Is there a genus of Ts with species in it being very different structuraly????
 

ShadowBlade

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Some species have three names. We are actualy Homo sapiens sapiens.. I don't know how the additionnal name is classified...

A quick generalization, all the species within a genus share a similar shape but the species are differently colored (and they are structural diffierences within a genus, like blondi/apophysis tibial spurs situation, I am sure someone could precise it better than I do)

Like Avicularia and Poecilotheria, take a specimen from each species and make black and white pictures then erase skin pattern... look quite similar, but each species has its color code.

To the expert: Is there a genus of Ts with species in it being very different structuraly????
First: The third name is a 'subspecies'.

Species are actually classified by numerous different criteria, and its in somewhat of dispute as to what way is most accurate. Structure is important, but mostly its genetic compatibility (or lack thereof), and phylogeny.

-Sean
 

David_F

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Like Avicularia and Poecilotheria, take a specimen from each species and make black and white pictures then erase skin pattern... look quite similar, but each species has its color code.
Not a good example. Color means nothing. Avicularia differ from Poecilotheria in many ways, many of which I'm sure I couldn't name.
A couple of examples:
Poecilotheria possess stridulating organs; Avicularia spp. do not (to my knowledge and, even if they do, I imagine it's quite different from that of Poecilotheria spp.).
Avicularia spp. possess urticaceous setae; Poecilotheria spp. do not.

To the expert: Is there a genus of Ts with species in it being very different structuraly????
Yep (but I'm not an expert, so keep that in mind). The palpal emboli and/or spermathecae structure is often one of, if not the differentiating factor between species. For example, look at the difference in spermathecae structure between Pterinochilus lugardi and P. murinus.

etown_411 said:
Is that for certain? I thought there were some spiders that were tharaphosids but not necessarily tarantulas. Like the australian spp of funnel web spiders for example...? Trapdoor spiders as well?
Does anyone really want to know the difference between theraphosids and other mygalomorphs? If so, check here (click the "open" link). Be prepared for some heavy reading though. :D
 
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