Chapter 2: The number of words in the scientific names of animals


Article 5. Principle of Binominal Nomenclature.

5.1. Names of species. The scientific name of a species, and not of a taxon of any other rank, is a combination of two names (a binomen), the first being the generic name and the second being the specific name. The generic name must begin with an upper-case letter and the specific name must begin with a lower-case letter [Art. 28].

5.2. Names of subspecies. The scientific name of a subspecies is a combination of three names (a trinomen, i.e. a binomen followed by a subspecific name) [Art. 11.4.2]. The subspecific name must begin with a lower-case letter [Art. 28].

5.3. Typographical signs and qualifying abbreviations excluded. A typographical sign such as ?, and an abbreviation such as aff., prox. or cf., when used to qualify the application of a scientific name, does not form part of the name of a taxon even when inserted between the components of a name.


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FranciscoWelterSchultes   A new Article should be included.

Art. 5.4. Names of genera. The scientific name of a genus must consist of one word. A generic or subgeneric name consisting of two words forming a single entity and connected by a hyphen is in agreement with this Principle. A name used as a genus or subgenus and consisting of two or more separate words not forming a single entity is not in agreement with it.

Example: Picot de Lapeirouse (1781) used two names for fossil molluscs: Orthoceratites and Ostracites. These were marked as family names in the original source. Orthoceratites contained three "orders" (1 Orthoceratites siphunculatis, 2 Orthoceratites siphone simul et collicia praeditis, 3 Orthoceratites colliciatis) with various "genera" each, and each genus contained various species (the species were not named but presented by Arabic numbers). The so-called genera of the third order for example were named "Orthoceratites collicia cava", "Orthoceratites collicia plena: recta sive arcuati", "Orthoceratites colliciati, testa carinata", "Orthoceratites colliciati patuli" etc. Because these generic names were composed of more than one word the work must be classified as not consistently binominal. The same result would be obtained if Orthoceratites would be regarded as a genus, the so-called orders as subgenera, and the so-called genera as infrasubgeneric names (divisions).

Present-day taxonomists very rarely consult the extremely old works published in the late 1700s, and have no experience and feeling how to deal with such works. It is not too difficult to give clear guides how to classify such works in agreement with the traditional interpretation of basic Linnean rules and conventions. The community needs easy guidelines. Presence of one or two words in a name that was marked as a genus (or subgenus) is something that can be determined very easily.

2012-11-18 19:16:01
FranciscoWelterSchultes   Art. 5.1 should be modified.

"The generic name must begin with an upper-case letter and the specific name must begin with a lower-case letter [Art. 28]."
This cannot be part of the Principle and should be moved to a subsection of 5.1 so that it is excluded from the cross-reference in Art. 11.4. If in a work the genus is spelled in lower-case, or the species in upper-case, the work will certainly not be regarded as unavailable for not being in accordance with the Principle.


2011-02-11 17:32:44
FranciscoWelterSchultes   Art 5.2 should have a reference to Art. 45.

"5.2. Names of subspecies. The scientific name of a subspecies is a combination of three names (a trinomen, i.e. a binomen followed by a subspecific name) [Art. 11.4.2]. The subspecific name must begin with a lower-case letter [Art. 28]. For the determination of subspecific or infrasubspecific rank see Art. 45."
2010-01-04 15:57:49
FranciscoWelterSchultes   A passage should be added to 5.1.
"5.1.3. The generic name can be given implicitely by context (Art. 11.9.3)."
A link to 11.9.3 would be necessary and helpful in Art. 5 because otherwise one could think that the mentioning of a specific name without directly combining it with a generic name must be ignored.
It takes long time until the extremely hidden Article 11.9.3 is found in the Code. It is also at the wrong place in the chapter "11. Criteria of availability", because a specific name mentioned with "implicite" generic name should be regarded as binominal not only if it is newly established (for which Art. 11 applies), but also if it is mentioned at other nomenclaturally relevant occasions.
2008-11-17 07:14:17

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