Old World strictly means; Europe, Asia ( Eurasia ) & Africa (Afro-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. The term is in distinction from the New World, meaning the Americas and Australasia.

It should be noted that common names are widely variable, some are not common at all, in that they may fall in and out of use. These are just the ones used in the English language with enough frequency to be known by most. The use of an animals scientific name ensures clarity when discussing them.