Origin of name Eibli?

[s_tempest]

For the hardcore taxonomists: where did we get ‘eibli’ as in Centropyge eibli? In other words, who was Eibl?
More generally, is there a thread or resource that helps to inform how we got our fish’s names? Fishbase helps with genera but not species.

 

[rkpetersen]

Whoever discovered it gets to name it.
Humans being how they are, they often name them after themselves.

 

[pcon]

You will need to look at the scientific resources. Only when there is a particularly interesting story, will the origins of the name be noted long after the name has been established. P. Aya, the bank butterfly for instance was first discovered spit up by a freshly caught grouper, and it was named after that. Nothing in either of my two angel and butterfly books on the origin of Eibli. Original citation is "Klausewitz 1963," that would be the place to start, the original taxonomic citation.

 

[Opus]

Looks like it was described by a german biologist back in 1963. Not sure where the name came from. Probably has something to do with what he saw when doing the description (ee-blee-eye).

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Whoever discovered it gets to name it.
Humans being how they are, they often name them after themselves.

Yes, however there is a bit of precedent among ichthyologists that it’s bad form to name a fish species after yourself. Fish are typically named in honor of other ichthyologists, scientists, or just other people (friends, wives, etc.).

This species was described by Klausewitz in 1963 (edit: looks like others posted the same thing above). The original paper is in German, if you can find it. I just did a bit of searching and looks like it might be named in honor of Dr. Irenaus Eibl-Eibesfeldt.

EDIT: as I look some more, it seems it was his boat that was taken on the dive expedition that described the species.

 

[rkpetersen]

Looks like it was described by a german biologist back in 1963. Not sure where the name came from. Probably has something to do with what he saw when doing the description (ee-blee-eye).

No, it's a person's name; Eibl is a German surname.
Discoverer probably named the fish after someone he knew or admired.

 

[rkpetersen]

Yes, however there is a bit of precedent among ichthyologists that it’s bad form to name a fish species after yourself. Fish are typically named in honor of other ichthyologists, scientists, or just other people (friends, wives, etc.).

Agree totally. Other fields aren't nearly so honorable.
Example: Orchid growers. Every orchid grower wants their name on a new species.
Speaks to how pathetic some people are, trying to establish their own little bit of faux immortality.
Check out these ridiculous names:
Brassocattleya mrs j leeman
Fredclarkeara after dark

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Used my angelfishes of the world book to get that is was described by Klausewitz in 1963.

Did a google scholar search and found this:

Google translated and got this:

Googled the Dr’s name, found his Wikipedia article and saw this which ties back with the translation above.

 

[Opus]

No, it's a person's name; Eibl is a German surname.
Discoverer probably named the fish after someone he knew or admired.

I guess I bow down to the master.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

More generally, is there a thread or resource that helps to inform how we got our fish’s names? Fishbase helps with genera but not species.

If you are a nerd like me, I recommend Brown’s “Composition of Scientific Words”. It won’t help with species named after people like C. Eibli, but it will help you decode and translate the majority of names which are descriptive. This book was recommended to me by my ichthyology professor when we had to memorize ~100 species and identify them by scientific name from preserved specimens...

Also a general vocabulary of Latin and Greek goes a long way. I can make a good guess of many names based on taking Latin all the way back in middle school. However many fish scientific names use Greek, not Latin.

 

[nereefpat]

From "Butterfly and Angelfishes of the World," by Roger Steene.

"This beautiful species was recently discovered at North West Cape, Western Australia, by Mr. John Braun. It was previously known only from from the Maldive Islands where it was first collected by the German biologist Eibl-Eibesfeldt in 1963, for whom the species is named. "