A name change for Irina Jaya Carpets?

[Yasser]

Back on 11/22/01, the province of Irian Jaya was formally changed to West Papua. This new name largely still unused in western reference to what used to be Irian Jaya. But that doesn't surprise me as the USA tends to not worry about name changes of countries that do not politically matter to us. So what do you guys think the IJ carpet should be now known as?
I have been aware of this change for some time now but it seems that even well known importers both in the USA and abroad are still referring to these pythons as Irian Jaya Carpets. So I have gone along with them strictly in an attempt to maintain some conformity. After all, the last thing we need is even more common names in the trade. But I began to wonder, when is the change in usage going to begin and is it going to take to make that happen? If a few of us adopt the new name of perhaps "West Papuan Carpet Python" or simply "Papuan Carpet Python" and begin using it, will it in turn influence other to follow suit?
So what do you guys think should be used and how do we begin?

-Yasser

[Piers]

leave well enough alone. I still and will always call GTPs chondros and I think that Irian Jayas should stay as is. Or we could call them "the pythons formally known as IJs" lol
If you start using their initials-PCPs, you might confuse people. lol
Piers

[Tim_Cranwill]

Aren't they also called North-Westen Carpet Pythons???

I'd rether call them North-Westerns than Papuans... just my opinion though. :)

[Scales Zoo]

I get odd looks from the general public (well, those that know countries) when I call Burmese pythons, Burmese pythons - as Burma is now Myanmar. But how many snake people even know that, a few - but that's it.

Siamese Cats should also be called Thailand cats.

Ryan

[Edwin]

Same thing with Peking duck.. it should be Shanghai duck. But I agree, common names are just that, whatever is commonly used and accepted. If it ain't broke...

[Jeff_Favelle]

I'm not so sure about that. Most real snake people/breeders that I know are more versed in geography than the average shmoe. Its just been my experience, but snake/reptile people seem to know a lot more about the locations of exotic places more than some dude off the street. From what I've seen.

[Yasser]

Tim,
they are not the same as Australia's Northwesterns.
As far as going with what's alreadt there, is that enough of a reason to continue to call as snake something that is now wrong? Why must we continue to use an outdated term? Just so folks don't have to relearn something? Are we really that lazy?
Do past mistakes have to be repeated here?.... Such as the Burmese and Siamese reference. Why would we WANT to keep the name the same if it is now incorrect?

I have posted this topic on other forums just to get as much input as possible and it seems that the same arguement to keep it the same is strictly just so folks don't have to rel-earn anything. The world is always changing...why is it that we have to try and keep it the same?

I think I will adopt a more accurate new name for them and begin using it regardless of whether or not other will chose to do so. Hell, it'll probably only hurt me if folks resist this change. The search engines will exclude our site when search for "IJs" as that is obviously what most folks know them by.
But I'd rather be accurate with less website traffic than wrong.

-Yasser

[Tim_Cranwill]

If there is going to be a change, heck, why NOT accept it? It's not very difficult.

Yasser, if you lead, I'm sure others will follow. :)

[latazyo]

sounds to me that the name of the country changed, not the name of the snake

[Chau0046]

I think it should stay the same `cause that`s the way it was labled in the first place.who cares about formaly know as ...i`m just guessing that everyone would notice that the change....

Mat

[RepTylE]

Actually, I have an IJ carpet and to tell the truth I don't know the correct pronounciation of Irian Jaya. I pronounce it ear e an jaya is that correct?

[Edwin]

Jeff, if people wanted to be more specific, they would use the snake's scientific name. I do believe that common names are for everybody to use, herper or non-herper, so that everyone knows what the other is talking about. It would be a huge undertaking (and confusing) to propogate a name change to all the native animals in a country everytime there is a change of regime. Just my 2 cents.

[Yasser]

The problem with using the latin name is there is two perhaps even three diferent latin names that are the subject of much debate at this time. Some say they're Morelia spilota variegata or M.s. harrisoni and some (Hoser) even go so far as to elevate them to their own species and call them M. harrisoni.

-Yasser

[Invictus]

Yeah, even the scientific name is a contentius issue most of the time. If I say Orthriophis Taeniura, many people would say "You mean ELAPHE taeniura?" Yeah, a year ago... but if someone is talking about their Burm, I know instantly what they are talking about. If Ryan told me he had a Myanmarese Python I'd probably say "Oh! I'd like to see one of those! What do they look like?"

So, yeah.... let the renaming happen on the taxonomy level that nobody can pronounce anyway... leave common names alone, lol

Then again, there is the whole "correctness" issue.... tough one to call.

[hhw]

Originally posted by Edwin
Same thing with Peking duck.. it should be Shanghai duck. But I agree, common names are just that, whatever is commonly used and accepted. If it ain't broke...

You mean Beijing duck, right? :P

Personally, I think a name's just a name... obviously, they were originally named based on where they were from, but I don't think that's the issue anymore. A name is first and foremost for identification purposes.

My first name for instance is Han Hwei. Han is actually a generation name, and both my older male cousins share this name. Hwei is the name that identifies me as an individual, so if only one of the two would be used, Hwei is more accurate. However, I always just get people to call me Han... it's easy to spell, pronounce (like Han Solo), and remember. It's also unique enough. Thus, it serves its purpose as a name better, so that's what I go by in English.

[Jeff_Favelle]

This is why common names suck. Species/biological/scientific/latin/binomial names are where its at. Although, those change too! LOL!

[crocdoc]

I think the sisters I am dating should be Thai Twins. Enough of this Siamese stuff.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Ahhhhh the THIGH Twins. Heh heh..........