For Splash students, a “Tadpole Shrimp” is an endangered species
that lives in vernal pools. For rice farmers, a “Tadpole Shrimp”
is a common pest that destroys their rice fields. A rice farmer
would think you were crazy wanting to save “Tadpole Shrimp” from
extinction!
With scientific names, there’s no room for confusion: the
rice pest is Triops longicaudatus and the endangered
species is Lepidurus packardi. Even a scientists who
speak different languages can understand one another when they
all use the Latin name!