Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Common names of species, the curious case of Capra pyrenaica and the concomitant steps towards the ‘wild-to-domestic’ transformation of a flagship species and its vernacular names

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Biodiversity and Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Common names (CN) add to linguistic richness and ultimately derive from how a majority of people refer to a species. CN have a biological and–above all—practical importance given that they are essential for connecting specialists and lay people. To illustrate the diversity of CN between and within species, we made an overview of common name in Caprinae species—flagship species in mountain ecosystems. Then, using Capra pyrenaica as a study case, we highlighted that the choice of CN is inextricably linked to current debates and trends in wildlife management that should never be ignored, given their importance in the fields of ethics, zoology, systematics, conservation and current management. We underline the need to investigate further the probable relationships linking common names, human perception and wildlife management. Researchers, citizens and policy-makers will have to be watchful that clumsy common names, such as ‘wild-to-domestic’ transformed ones, will not hamper the conservation of wild species as a ‘Common Heritage’.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acevedo P, Cassinello J (2009) Biology, ecology and status of Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica: a critical review and research prospectus. Mammal Rev 39:17–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alados IL (2000) Pyrenean ibex extinct. Caprinae, April 4

  • Angulo E, Courchamp F (2009) Rare species are valued big time. PLoS ONE 4:e5215. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0005215

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Angulo E, Deves AL, Saint Jalmes M, Courchamp F (2009) Fatal attraction: rare species in the spotlight. Proc R Soc B 276:1331–1337

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Atran S (1998) Folk biology and the anthropology of science: cognitive universals and cultural particulars. Behav Brain Sci 21:547–569

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baslar K (1998) The concept of the common heritage of mankind in international law. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague

    Google Scholar 

  • Biebach I, Keller LF (2009) A strong genetic footprint of the re-introduction history of Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex). Mol Ecol 18:5046–5058

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cabrera A (1911) The subspecies of the Spanish ibex. Proc Zool Soc London 81:963–977

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock J (1999) A natural history of domesticated mammals. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Coromines J, Pascual JA (1991–1997) Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico. Obra completa. Gredos, Madrid

  • Dickson B (2009) The ethics of recreational hunting. In: Dickson B, Hutton J, Adams WM (eds) Recreational hunting, conservation and rural livelihoods: science and practice. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Doran EW (1903) Vernacular names of animals. Am Nat 37:551–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Driscoll CA, Menotti-Raymond M, Roca AL, Hupe K, Johnson WE, Geffen E, Harley EH, Delibes M, Pontier D, Kitchener AC (2007) The Near Eastern origin of cat domestication. Science 317:519–523

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth JW, Pine RH (2003) English names for a world list of mammals, exemplified by species of Indochina. Mammal Rev 33:151–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farnworth MJ, Campbell J, Adams NJ (2011) What’s in a name? Perceptions of stray and feral cat welfare and control in Aotearoa, New Zealand. J Appl Anim Welf Sci 14:59–74

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M (2003) Exploitative wildlife management as a selective pressure for the life-history evolution of large mammals. In: Festa-Bianchet M, Apollonio M (eds) Animal behaviour and wildlife conservation. Island Press, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Festa-Bianchet M, Lee R (2009) Guns, sheep, and genes: when and why trophy hunting may be a selective pressure. In: Dickson B, Hutton J, Adams WM (eds) Recreational hunting, conservation and rural livelihoods: science and practice. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraga da Silva L (2009) Associação Campo Arqueológico de Tavira, Tavira, Portugal. Version 2009.10.5 www.arqueotavira.com (Accessed Dec 2009)

  • Hall RJ, Milner-Gulland EJ, Courchamp F (2008) Endangering the endangered: the effects of perceived rarity on species exploitation. Conserv Lett 1:75–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris DR (1962) The distribution and ancestry of the domestic goat. Proc Linn Soc 173:79–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrero J, Prada C, Fernández-Arberas O, García-Serrano A (2007) The beginning of the recovery of the Iberian wild goat Capra pyrenaica in the Pyrenees. Caprinae, 6 March

  • Hill KD (1993) The endangered species act: what do we mean by species? B C Envtl Aff L Rev 20:239–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Houaiss A (2001) Dicionário Houaiss da língua portuguesa, 1st edn. Objetiva, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson PJ, Kansky R, Loveridge AJ, Macdonald DW (2010) Size, rarity and charisma: valuing African wildlife trophies. PLoS ONE 5:e12866. doi:12810.11371/journal.pone.0012866

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kazanskaya EY, Kuznetsova MV, Danilkin AA (2007) Phylogenetic reconstructions in the genus Capra (Bovidae, Artiodactyla) based on the mitochondrial DNA analysis. Russ J Gen 43:181–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laikre L, Schwartz MK, Waples RS, Ryman N (2010) Compromising genetic diversity in the wild: unmonitored large-scale release of plants and animals. Trends Ecol Evol 25:520–529

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larson G, Dobney K, Albarella U, Fang M, Matisoo-Smith E, Robins J, Lowden S, Finlayson H, Brand T, Willerslev E, Rowley-Conwy P, Andersson L, Cooper A (2005) Worldwide phylogeography of wild boar reveals multiple centers of pig domestication. Science 307:1618–1621

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Wang D, Gu X, McShea WJ (2010) Beyond pandas, the need for a standardized monitoring protocol for large mammals in Chinese nature reserves. Biodivers Conserv 19:3195–3206

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood M (1999) Humans valuing nature: synthesising insights from philosophy, psychology and economics. Environ Values 8:381–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loveridge AJ, Reynolds JC, Milner-Gulland EJ (2006) Does sport hunting benefit conservation? In: Macdonald D, Service K (eds) Key topics in conservation biology. Blackwell, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald DW, King CM, Strachan R (2007) Introduced species and the line between biodiversity conservation and naturalistic eugenics. In: Macdonald D, Service K (eds) Key topics in conservation biology. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Madrazo J, Medem R, Rabago G, Villegas Á (2009) Proyecto Natura Maestrazgo y la cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica). www.fundacionnatura.es/PNMmaestrazgo.html. V World Conference on Mountain Ungulates, Granada

  • Martinez T, Martinez E, Fandos P (1985) Composition of the food of the Spanish wild goat in Sierra de Cazorla and Segura, Spain. Acta Theriol 30:461–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Milner-Gulland EJ, Bennett EL (2003) Wild meat: the bigger picture. Trends Ecol Evol 18:351–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moço G, Guerreiro M, Ferreira AF, Rebelo A, Loureiro A, Petrucci-Fonseca F, Pérez JM (2006) The ibex Capra pyrenaica returns to its former Portuguese range. Oryx 40:351–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moço G, Serrano E, Pérez JM (2008) ¿Cuál es el nombre común de Capra pyrenaica?: Una revisión y una propuesta. Galemys 20(2):15–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Moorcroft PR, Albon SD, Pemberton JM, Stevenson IR, CluttonBrock TH (1996) Density-dependent selection in a fluctuating ungulate population. Proc R Soc B 263:31–38

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mysterud A (2010) Still walking on the wild side? Management actions as steps towards ‘semi-domestication’ of hunted ungulates. J Appl Ecol 47:920–925

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naderi S, Rezaei H-R, Pompanon FO, Blum MGB, Negrini R, Naghash H-R, Balkız Ö, Mashkour M, Gaggiotti OE, Ajmone-Marsan P, Kence A, Vigne J-D, Taberlet P (2008) The goat domestication process inferred from large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of wild and domestic individuals. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:17659–17664

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien SJ, Mayr E (1991) Bureaucratic mischief: recognizing endangered species and subspecies. Science 251:1187–1188

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parkes KC (1978) A guide to forming and capitalizing compound names of birds in English. Auk 95:324–326

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedrosa S, Uzun M, Arranz JJ, Gutiérrez-Gil B, San Primitivo F, Bayón Y (2005) Evidence of three maternal lineages in near eastern sheep supporting multiple domestication events. Proc R Soc B 272:2211–2217

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez JM, Granados JE, Soriguer RC, Fandos P, Márquez FJ, Crampe JP (2002) Distribution, status and conservation problems of the Spanish Ibex, Capra pyrenaica (Mammalia : Artiodactyla). Mammal Rev 32:26–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez JM, Granados JE, Sarasa M, Serrano E (2011) Usefulness of estimated surface area of damaged skin as a proxy of mite load in the monitoring of sarcoptic mange in free-ranging populations of Iberian wild goat, Capra pyrenaica. Vet Parasitol 176:258–264

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pickett JP (2000) The American heritage dictionary of the English language. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Pidancier N, Jordan S, Luikart G, Taberlet P (2006) Evolutionary history of the genus Capra (Mammalia, Artiodactyla): discordance between mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome phylogenies. Mol Phylogenet Evol 40:739–749

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pusey AE, Pintea L, Wilson ML, Kamenya S, Goodall J (2007) The contribution of long-term research at Gombe National Park to chimpanzee conservation. Conserv Biol 21:623–634

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Randi E, Pierpaoli M, Beaumont M, Ragni B, Sforzi A (2001) Genetic identification of wild and domestic cats (Felis silvestris) and their hybrids using Bayesian clustering methods. Mol Biol Evol 18:1679–1693

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen GSA (1999) Livestock predation by the painted hunting dog Lycaon pictus in a cattle ranching region of Zimbabwe: a case study. Biol Conserv 88:133–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Real R, Márquez AL, Olivero J, Estrada A (2010) Species distribution models in climate change scenarios are still not useful for informing policy planning: an uncertainty assessment using fuzzy logic. Ecography 33:304–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhymer JM, Simberloff D (1996) Extinction by hybridization and introgression. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 27:83–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson MR, Pilkington JG, Clutton-Brock TH, Pemberton JM, Kruuk LEB (2006) Live fast, die young: trade-offs between fitness components and sexually antagonistic selection on weaponry in Soay sheep. Evolution 60:2168–2181

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross SR, Lukas KE, Lonsdorf EV, Stoinski TS, Hare B, Shumaker R, Goodall J (2008) Inappropriate use and portrayal of chimpanzees. Science 319:1487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross SR, Vreeman VM, Lonsdorf EV (2011) Specific image characteristics influence attitudes about chimpanzee conservation and use as pets. Plos ONE 6:e22050. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022050

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sandler R (2010) The value of species and the ethical foundations of assisted colonization. Conserv Biol 24:424–431

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • San Isidoro de Sevilla (c. 615 – early 630s) Etymologiarvm Sive Originvm Libri XX, Liber XII De Animalibvs

  • Sarasa M, Rambozzi L, Rossi L, Meneguz PG, Serrano E, Granados JE, González JE, Fandos P, Soriguer RC, Gonzalez G, Joachim J, Pérez JM (2010a) Sarcoptes scabiei: Specific immune response to sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica depends on previous exposure and sex. Exp Parasitol 124:265–271

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarasa M, Serrano E, Pérez JM, Soriguer RC, Gonzalez G, Joachim J, Fandos P, Granados JE (2010b) Effects of season, age and body condition on allocation to testes mass in Iberian ibex. J Zool 281:125–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarasa M, Serrano E, Granados JE, Fandos P, Gonzalez G, Joachim J, Pérez JM (2011a) Negative effect of the arthropod parasite, Sarcoptes scabiei, on testes mass in Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica. Vet Parasitol 175:306–312

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarasa M, Pérez JM, Alasaad S, Serrano E, Soriguer RC, Granados JE, Fandos P, Joachim J, Gonzalez G (2011b) Neatness is a matter of season, age and sex in Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica. Behav Ecol 22:1070–1078

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serrano E, Granados JE, Sarasa M, González FJ, Fandos P, Soriguer RC, Pérez JM (2011) The effects of winter severity and population density on body stores in the Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) in a highly seasonal mountain environment. Eur J Wildl Res 57:45–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinervo B, Zamudio KR (2001) The evolution of alternative reproductive strategies: fitness differential, heritability, and genetic correlation between the sexes. J Hered 92:198–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes DL (2007) Things we like: human preferences among similar organisms and implications for conservation. Hum Ecol 35:361–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart BL, Rhodin AGJ, Grismer LL, Hansel T (2006) Scientific description can imperil species. Science 312:1137

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tree of life web project (2006) Capra. Goats. Version 2006-02-23 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Capra/51066/2006.02.23 In the tree of life web project, http://tolweb.org/ (Accessed Dec 2010)

  • Vonholdt BM, Pollinger JP, Lohmueller KE, Han E, Parker HG, Quignon P, Degenhardt JD, Boyko AR, Earl DA, Auton A, Reynolds A, Bryc K, Brisbin A, Knowles JC, Mosher DS, Spady TC, Elkahloun A, Geffen E, Pilot M, Jedrzejewski W, Greco C, Randi E, Bannasch D, Wilton A, Shearman J, Musiani M, Cargill M, Jones PG, Qian Z, Huang W, Ding Z, Zhang YP, Bustamante CD, Ostrander EA, Novembre J, Wayne RK (2010) Genome-wide SNP and haplotype analyses reveal a rich history underlying dog domestication. Nature 464:898–902

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wall B, Child B (2009) When does hunting contribute to conservation and rural development? In: Dickson B, Hutton J, Adams WM (eds) Recreational hunting, conservation and rural livelihoods: science and practice. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Walpole MJ, Leader-Williams N (2002) Tourism and flagship species in conservation. Biodivers Conserv 11:543–547

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward TJ, Bielawski JP, Davis SK, Templeton JW, Derr JN (1999) Identification of domestic cattle hybrids in wild cattle and bison species: a general approach using mtDNA markers and the parametric bootstrap. Anim Conserv 2:51–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberg P, Jdeidi T, Masseti M, Nader I, de Smet K, Cuzin F (2008) Capra aegagrus. IUCN 2010. IUCN red list of threatened species. Version 2010.4. www.iucnredlist.org (Accessed Dec 2010)

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Emmanuel Serrano (SEFaS-UAB, Spain) for his useful comments and talks. Thank you also to Agnès Sarasa and Michael Lockwood for the English revision. The research activities of the authors are partially supported by the Plan Andaluz de Investigación Desarrollo e Innovación de la Junta de Andalucía (RNM-118 group).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo Biología de las Especies Cinegéticas y Plagas (RNM-118), Sevilla, Spain

    Mathieu Sarasa, Samer Alasaad & Jesús M. Pérez

  2. Estación Biológica de Doñana, 41013, Sevilla, Spain

    Samer Alasaad

  3. Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain

    Jesús M. Pérez

  4. 10, place des Oustalots, 64400, Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France

    Mathieu Sarasa

Authors
  1. Mathieu Sarasa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Samer Alasaad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jesús M. Pérez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mathieu Sarasa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sarasa, M., Alasaad, S. & Pérez, J.M. Common names of species, the curious case of Capra pyrenaica and the concomitant steps towards the ‘wild-to-domestic’ transformation of a flagship species and its vernacular names. Biodivers Conserv 21, 1–12 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0172-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0172-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation