Fish Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Classification & Naming Conventions

Like all of the world's organisms, aquarium fish are named and organised into a scientific order that is generally accepted as being correct.

This classification system (taxonomy) and naming conventions (nomenclature) are sometimes open to debate, but the general framework is well established and widely recognised.

It is fair to think of the system as a family tree where closely related organisms are found on the same branches and more distant relatives are found further away on different branches.

Why Name Fish Scientifically?

Most fish keepers refer to a particular fish by it's common name rather than it's scientific name. While this may usually cause no problems there are some disadvantages to using common names.

Confusion can arise when more than one common name is established and these different names are used by different people to refer to the same aquarium fish (for example the Oscar cichlid is also known as the velvet cichlid).

Sometimes similar looking fish are referred to by the same common name which adds to the general confusion (for example the name bumble bee goby is used to describe a number of similar different species).

Thankfully scientists have developed and continue to refine the taxonomy system. When correct identification is required, fish taxonomy and nomenclature is available to end and confusion.

Fish Names

The scientific name given to a particular fish is sometimes known as it's Latin name. This is because the names were traditionally chosen from Latin words, though this is not always the case. The cardinal tetra or Paracheiroden axelrodi was named after it's discoverer Mr. Axelrodi. Paracheiroden is the name shared by other fish from that genus while axelrodi only refers to one species from the genus. In this way each fish has it's own distinct and unmistakable name.

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