What is the correct scientific name for the red imported fire ant (RIFA)?
As of 1995, the correct name for the red imported fire ant was Solenopsis wagneri. This change is based on the discovery that wagneri was the first name given to the species by a taxonomist (a second taxonomist found this out by sorting through dead ant specimens in museums and discovered that the same ant species had actually been named twice). So the first taxonomist assigned the name S. invicta to this species without having done his homework. By international rules of nomenclature, the earlier name has priority. In most cases it is usually non-controversial to simply change the name and inform all the academic researchers about the new, correct name. However, this is not such a simple case. Many fire ant biologists believe that because thousands of research publications are referenced by the name “invicta” that common sense and practicality should override technically correct taxonomy. There is a procedure for appealing such bothersome name changes and an appeal is in progress for
