Why do common names need mapping?

Because they are ambiguous. A robin is a different bird on each side of the Atlantic, and dozens of unrelated plants are called some kind of fern. Scientific names exist precisely to remove that ambiguity.

What does a superseded name mean?

That the taxon has been reclassified since the name was assigned — usually because genetic evidence revealed the older grouping was wrong. The record keeps the old name pointing at the current placement.

Yes. It comes from ITIS, the US Integrated Taxonomic Information System, refreshed through this site's pipeline. Nothing is invented or simulated, and if the source cannot be reached the saver reports that instead of drawing something plausible.

Does it cost anything or need an account?

No. Every screensaver here is free, runs in the browser and needs no sign-up. This one uses a public API that requires no key.

The Names Behind The Names Screensaver

The Names Behind The Names screensaver maps common species names onto their accepted scientific names, marking whether each classification is currently accepted or has been superseded. It runs in the browser with nothing to install; press ESC to exit.

How the The Names Behind The Names screensaver works

The saver reads ITIS, the US Integrated Taxonomic Information System, refreshed through this site's pipeline.

No account and no key: the request goes straight from your browser, or from this site's own refreshed copy of the feed where the source does not permit browser access.

Values are drawn on a canvas that resizes with the window, so it works on a laptop or a wall display.

If the source is unreachable the saver says so on screen rather than showing stale numbers as though they were current.

A worked example

Each row pairs a common name with its scientific name in italics, the naming authority, and a status badge — green for accepted, orange for a name that has been reclassified. The search term rotates daily, so the board covers a different corner of the tree of life each day.

Settings & tips

Accent and Background recolour the display without changing the data.
Add it to a Multi-view grid to watch it alongside other live savers.
Press ESC at any time to leave fullscreen.

Frequently asked questions

Why do common names need mapping?: Because they are ambiguous. A robin is a different bird on each side of the Atlantic, and dozens of unrelated plants are called some kind of fern. Scientific names exist precisely to remove that ambiguity.
What does a superseded name mean?: That the taxon has been reclassified since the name was assigned — usually because genetic evidence revealed the older grouping was wrong. The record keeps the old name pointing at the current placement.
Is this real data?: Yes. It comes from ITIS, the US Integrated Taxonomic Information System, refreshed through this site's pipeline. Nothing is invented or simulated, and if the source cannot be reached the saver reports that instead of drawing something plausible.
Does it cost anything or need an account?: No. Every screensaver here is free, runs in the browser and needs no sign-up. This one uses a public API that requires no key.

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