Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As I understand it, the country of Irian Jaya was renamed West Papua a few years ago. I notice that Irian Jaya carpets are often referred to as West Papuans in posts that I've seen. Is this a matter of some people trying to be technically correct or is the name "West Papuan carpet" really starting to catch on? Just curious... in my area, they're still called IJCPs.

"Is this a matter of some people trying to be technically correct or is the name "West Papuan carpet" really starting to catch on?"

Yes, and yes, in some places.

At the reptile shows I attended this year they were still called Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons and if you scan the classifieds you will not find any West Papuan Carpets advertised.

Most of the people who are calling them West Papuan Carpets are members of the moreliapythons forum. Although the name is technically correct it has not caught on and been embraced by most keepers.
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Jaremy Douglas

I think that the reason it hasn't caught on is that, when abbreviated, it comes out as "papuan" which causes confusion with another species.
"West Papuan" is not even technically correct anyway since they are found across the border into Papua New Guinea and north of the area which the country's inhabitants refer to as "Papua". If you wanted a technically correct name it would be "New Guinea Carpet".
As for "Irian Jaya" needing to be replaced, there are loads of examples of animals in similar situations. Burmese Pythons are still called that, even though Burma is supposed to be called Myanmar. The names Ceylonese and Timor python are both technically wrong but people know exaxctly what the names refer to and, to me, that is purpose of a name. The name of a country is a political matter and, in my humble opnion, less important than clarity. At what point will the Taiwanese Beauty Snake have to be renamed the Chinese Beauty Snake?
Where do you stop? Some scrubs don't come from "scrub" land. Captive Ball Pythons don't usually make a "ball". If you live in Germany, is it possible to own a "Coastal" carpet? Do we need to remame them all?

G

Gary,

Funny that you should suggest "New Guinea Carpet" as someone has

1.1 C.B. 04 NEW GUINEA CARPET PYTHONS~ PRICED TO MOVE~

listed on this site right now.

I agree that these names sometimes reflect current or former political entities, but one can argue that "West Papuan" and "Irian Jaya" are both more accurate than "New Guinea" since most US breeding stock (if not all) came from what is now West Papua and not from Papua New Guinea which strictly controls and protects exports of its native fauna, as you know.

Bottom line though is that I agree with you that if everyone knows and is comfortable with a name there is generally no need for a change. After all, as I believe you impled, the real "Timor Python" is Liasis macklotti macklotti and not Python timoriensis.
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Jim