Note: Some of the discussion below now relates to the extant naming conventions page Wikipedia:Naming conventions (fauna).
I'd really like a consensus on how biological articles should be named, to be a part of the Naming conventions page.
Here's my opinion:
First, I don't think the Use English words means that we should always use common names rather than Latinate names, as the Latinate names are the technical names in English (as well as all other languages).
An article should exist under the common (English singular) name of a taxon describing the common usage of the word and linking to the technical description under the formal Latin name. Except maybe in the case of taxa that have only one entry under them, e.g. koala.
Examples:
Example 1:
A full article (including technical characteristics) should probably exist under koala, rather than Phascolarctus cinereus (the Linnaean name), which should have a redirect.
I'm not sure whether a family Phascolarctidae article should exist, since the koala is the only species in the family.
Example 2:
An article should exist under whale explaining the common usage of the word, i.e. a large, fully aquatic, ocean animal of the order Cetacea. Then a statement of how it is sometimes used technically to refer to the whole of order Cetacea, but if the term excludes dolphins it is not a valid biological group since Killer Whales are more closely realted to Pink Dolphins than to Blue Whales. This should include links to all relevant pages (Cetacea, Mysticeti, dolphin, etc.) This page should also list any cultural relevance of the term whale (such as is at the bottom of the mouse article).
Seperate articles should exist under the Latin names of the various taxa: Cetacea, Odontoceti, Mysticeti, Balaenopteridae, etc.
But not Balaenoptera musculus, that article should exist under blue whale.
Example 3:
An article should exist under Therapsida only, as there is no common name, redirects under "Therapsid" and "Therapsids".
Example 4:
The mouse article is a good common usage article (except for the ligature in Muridae). It should then link to family Muridae which should have a technical description.
It might also be a good place to post the capitalization and italicization rules. And possibly on the proper anglicization of family (including sub- and super-) names.
Feedback please, what do other people think?