Woodchuck or Groundhog? Same or Different?

—Jeni Vogel, Education & Program Coordinator

Photo: discoverlife.org

What is the difference between a groundhog and a woodchuck? This thought brings me back to an environmental science course I attended in college when we were being taught to use the scientific names of animals. My professor asked me the difference between a groundhog and a woodchuck. My reply was, "well I'm not really sure." At that point, my professor told me to do some research whereupon I learned that a groundhog and woodchuck both have the scientific name Marmota monax, making them exactly the same animal. It was then that I recognized the importance of learning scientific names.

Photo: discoverlife.org

Now look at the picture on the right. Is it a garter snake or a garden snake? Well the answer is both. The snake pictured here, scientific name Thamnophis sirtalis, can go by a variety of common names including garter snake, garden snake and even gardener snake. Almost all species on earth are given a two word scientific name. The first part of the name is known as the genus and the second is the species. The species tells you about a single organism while a genus will tell you the name of a group of closely related organisms. Using the example above, what is the difference between Thamnophis sirtalis and Thamnophis elegans? Both can go by the name garter snake. The genus Thamnophis tells you that these two organisms are both garter snakes, but the species tells you that sirtalis is an Eastern garter/gardener/garden snake while elegans is a Western garter/gardener/garden snake. The scientific names tells you that these two species are closely related but show a variation in genetics.

As my professors pointed out, scientific names are extremely important in both identifying organisms systematically as well as noting information about one organism's relationship with another. It eliminates confusion when discussing organisms and allows for consistent identification.

So now I challenge you: Is a honey badger the same as an American badger? Are they related? Or, are they completely different?