Of the 55,000 species thought to exist in Britain, the vast majority are only known to a few expert taxonomists, and most have only Latin names to describe them. Yet as George Monbiot noted earlier this year, the common names for many of our native species cast a spotlight on animals and plants that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
That's why, to mark the International Year for Biodiversity, the Guardian, Natural England and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History have teamed up to ask the public to name some of the less well-known and lesser-loved animals and plants that inhabit our shores.
Our list of 10 species includes beetles, bees, flies, jellyfish, algae, shrimp and lichen. They may not all be photogenic, but all these species are recognised as endangered or threatened and each plays an amazing role in our ecosystem.
Our expert panel will judge the entries. The winning names will be published in the Guardian and go on display at an exhibition at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Simply click on the links below to post your ideas for names in the comments:
• The edible, medicinal lichen: Usnea florida
• The extremely rare leaf beetle: Cryptocephalus punctiger
• A four-spotted ground beetle: Philorhizus quadrisignatus
• The beautiful, coral-like jellyfish: Haliclystus auricula
• A fan-shaped lichen: Peltigera venosa
• A threatened shrimp: Arrhis phyllonyx
• The nippy, jet-skiing beetle: Stenus longitarsis
• The clicking, larvae-eating beetle: Megapenthes lugens
• The bee that lays in other bees' nests: Nomada armata
• The stalked jellyfish: Lucernariopsis cruxmelitensis
A few tips on naming:
• Try to incorporate some combination of appearance, natural history or location. For example, the species' colour or feeding habits
• Humour, word play and cultural references are good when relevant, and names do not need to be direct Latin translations
• Names should ideally consist of two names, not including the taxonomic group name, for example beetle, lichen, shrimp (so three words in total). A good case needs to be made for longer ones
• Use Arkive, the Encyclopedia of Life and search engines to check your name's not already been taken
The judging process:
Judges from the Guardian, Natural England and Oxford University Museum of Natural History will award a winner and two runners-up for each species, based on the guidelines above. Winners will be contacted by Natural England, their names will be published in the Guardian and they will receive a signed certificate featuring an illustration of the species with its new name.
