# Talk:Polynesian Dog

There is some connection between the demigod Maui and dogs in general. Can someone help me find more on that?--KAVEBEAR (talk) 09:03, 24 March 2017 (UTC)

To clarify the "taxonomy" of this animal. Under nomenclature it will forever be known by its binomial "scientific name" which is what its original discoverer called it, so formally it is known as: Canis pacificus C. E. H. Smith, 1839. However, taxonomy allows mammalogists to classify animals according to their phenotype, grouping like with like. Wozencraft associated it with the dog, and associated the dog under the wolf. However, that does not mean that the name Canis pacificus somehow "disappears". If, for some reason in the future, someone else decides to group it elsewhere, it will still be listed under that grouping with the name Canis pacificus C. E. H. Smith, 1839 as a taxonomic synonym.

The lede term (Canis lupus familiaris formerly Canis pacificus) is not entirely accurate, but sufficient for how we do things on Wikipedia. Technically, you could include a subspecies taxobox with the classification Canis lupus familiaris but then under the Synonym section have it read Canis pacificus C. E. H. Smith, 1839. However, we probably do not want to confuse our readers - many are confused enough by this stuff. William Harris • (talk) • 11:23, 10 October 2018 (UTC)