Can we change the common name for Phylum Cyanobacteria from "blue-green algae" to "cyanobactera"?

[Bryan Milstead]

Dear All:  I work with the Cyanoscope project on iNaturalist.  We are developing a citizen science project to collect and identify photographs of cyanobacteria.  Several people involved with our group object to the use of the common name "blue-green algae" to describe the phylum Cyanobacteria.  As you may know, the name blue-green algae has been historically used to describe this group but many feel that this is misleading because the cyanobacteria are bacteria and not algae.  Certainly, we can argue that algae is not a taxonomic name but a descriptor applied to a diverse group of photosynthetic organisms.  However, many feel that we should stress their bacterial origins of this group and would prefer the common name of "cyanobacteria" be used instead. Personally I am neutral on this issue but do want to support that members of our group who have strong opinions on the subject.  This lead to two questions:  First, is it reasonable to consider changing the common name?  And, second, if so how do we go about doing it?  Thanks for your help on this.  Bryan

[Scott Loarie]

Hi Bryan,

You can curate common names under the Taxonomy tab http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/67334-Cyanobacteria by adding new common names, prioritizing them (manage names) or deleting them

On Mon, Mar 27, 2017 at 7:17 AM, Bryan Milstead <willb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear All:  I work with the Cyanoscope project on iNaturalist.  We are developing a citizen science project to collect and identify photographs of cyanobacteria.  Several people involved with our group object to the use of the common name "blue-green algae" to describe the phylum Cyanobacteria.  As you may know, the name blue-green algae has been historically used to describe this group but many feel that this is misleading because the cyanobacteria are bacteria and not algae.  Certainly, we can argue that algae is not a taxonomic name but a descriptor applied to a diverse group of photosynthetic organisms.  However, many feel that we should stress their bacterial origins of this group and would prefer the common name of "cyanobacteria" be used instead. Personally I am neutral on this issue but do want to support that members of our group who have strong opinions on the subject.  This lead to two questions:  First, is it reasonable to consider changing the common name?  And, second, if so how do we go about doing it?  Thanks for your help on this.  Bryan

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Scott R. Loarie, Ph.D.
Co-director, iNaturalist.org
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Dr
San Francisco, CA 94118
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[Bryan Milstead]

Scott: this is really helpful.  I added the new common name and made it default.  Thanks. B

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