User blog comment:Aandrew07/Discussion of the Week: Subspecies/@comment-5020152-20121021170912/@comment-4212769-20121024121312

You're wrong. They're clearly distinguished in the quests:

http://monsterhunter.wikia.com/wiki/MHF1:_Village_Quests

If you don't know, subspecies of monsters are known as ">insert name of monster< Ashu" while "Ashu" means "subspecies" so they were always known as this.

Also it would be very stupid not to say if it is a subspecies or not. Scenario:

"I still need this Plesioth Fins."

.*Goes on "Hunt a Plesioth" quest*

.*Sees the Plesioth*

"Oh shit it's a Green Plesioth again! >:("

You see it would be totally stupid to not show what monster you need to hunt.