diff --git a/src/libecoPCR/ecotax.c b/src/libecoPCR/ecotax.c
index 9da9d35..89ac82b 100644
--- a/src/libecoPCR/ecotax.c
+++ b/src/libecoPCR/ecotax.c
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 static ecotx_t *readnext_ecotaxon(FILE *f,ecotx_t *taxon);
 
-/**
+ /** 
  * Open the taxonomy database 
  * @param	pointer to the database (.tdx file) 
  * @return	a ecotxidx_t structure 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ ecotx_t *readnext_ecotaxon(FILE *f,ecotx_t *taxon)
 }
 
 
-ecotaxonomy_t    *read_taxonomy(const char *prefix)
+ecotaxonomy_t    *read_taxonomy(const char *prefix,int32_t readAlternativeName)
 {
 	ecotaxonomy_t *tax;
 	char          *filename;
@@ -129,6 +129,13 @@ ecotaxonomy_t    *read_taxonomy(const char *prefix)
 	
 	tax->taxons = read_taxonomyidx(filename);
 	
+	if (readAlternativeName)
+	{
+  	   snprintf(filename,buffsize,"%s.ndx",prefix);
+	   tax->names=read_nameidx(filename,tax);
+	}
+	else
+	   tax->names=NULL;
 	return tax;
 	
 }