GLOSSARY

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Abbreviations used in the Glossary

a.

adjective

Art., Arts.

Article, Articles of the Code

e.g.

for example (Latin, exempli gratia)

f.

feminine

i.e.

that is (Latin: id est)

m.

masculine

n.

noun

neut.

neuter

pl.

plural

q.v.

which see (Latin: quod vide)

sing.

singular

v.

verb

abbreviation, n. A shortened form of a word or title. In zoological works genus-group names are often abbreviated to one or two letters; such abbreviations should always be followed by a full stop (period), and they should not be used on the first mention of the name. The same applies to abbreviations of specific names cited in trinominal names of subspecies.

aberration, ab., n. A term used to denote a class of individuals within a species. A name which explicitly refers to an aberration unequivocally treated as an infrasubspecific entity (q.v.) is unavailable.

act, nomenclatural, n. A published act which affects the nomenclatural status (q.v.) of a scientific name or the typification of a nominal taxon.

adopt, v. To use an unavailable name as the valid name of a taxon in a way which establishes it as a new name with its own authorship and date [Arts. 11.6, 45.5.1., 45.6.4.1].

adoption, n. Of a Part of the List of Available Names in Zoology: the acceptance of the Part by the Commission as specified in Article 79.

agreement, gender, n. Agreement in grammatical gender between a generic name and Latin or latinized adjectival or participial species-group names combined with it originally or subsequently.

aggregate, n. A group of species, other than a subgenus, within a genus; or a group of species within a subgenus; or a group of subspecies within a species. An aggregate may be denoted by a species-group name interpolated in parentheses [Art. 6.2].

allotype, n. See under type.

anagram, n. A name formed by the rearrangement of the letters of a word or words.

animal, n. For the purposes of the Code the term "animal" includes the Metazoa and protistan taxa whenever they are or have been treated as animals for nomenclatural purposes.

animals, domesticated, n. Animals distinguished from wild progenitors by characters resulting from the selective actions (deliberate or not) of humans (e.g. Canis familiaris, Felis catus, Bos taurus).

anonymous, a. (1) Of a work: one that does not state the name(s) of the author(s). (2) Of a name or nomenclatural act: one of which the authorship cannot be determined from the work itself [Art. 50.1]; see Article 14 for the availability of anonymous names or nomenclatural acts. (3) Of an author: one whose identity cannot be determined from the work itself.

arbitrary combination of letters. See combination of letters, arbitrary.

archive, n. A depository for works (q.v.); v. to place a work in an archive with the intent that it be permanently preserved there.

Articles, n. The mandatory provisions of the Code.

as such. Being strictly what has been cited (e.g. "a photograph as such" is an illustration on light-sensitive paper, not one printed in a work).

auctorum (auct. or auctt.). A Latin term meaning "of authors", often given to indicate that a name is used in the sense of a number of subsequent authors and not in its (different) sense as established by the original author.

author (pl. authors), n. The person(s) to whom a work, a scientific name, or a nomenclatural act is attributed [Arts. 50, 51] (see also anonymous). For the purposes of the Code, if a work is attributed to an editor, or an official (e.g. Secretary), or a body (e.g. a committee or a commission), only that person(s) actually responsible for the work, name, or act, is deemed to be the author [Art. 50].

availability, n. (available, a.) (1) Of a work: see under work. (2) Of a name: see under name. (3) Of a nomenclatural act: see under act.

bibliographic reference, n. See reference, bibliographic.

binomen (pl. binomina), n., or binominal name. The combination of two names, the first being a generic name and the second a specific name, that together constitute the scientific name of a species [Art. 5.1]. Any interpolated names [Art. 6] are not counted as components of a binomen.

binominal nomenclature. See under nomenclature.

Binominal Nomenclature, Principle of. See Principle of Binominal Nomenclature.

Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, n. The official periodical of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

case, n. (1) A nomenclatural problem presented to the Commission for a ruling (see Declaration, Direction, Opinion). (2) An inflectional form of nouns and adjectives in grammar, of which the nominative and genitive are used in zoological nomenclature.

caste, n. In social insects, a group of individuals, belonging to a particular species or subspecies, differing in form and often in function from other groups of individuals within the same species or subspecies (e.g. in bees: the workers, drones, and queens).

change, mandatory. (1) A change in the spelling of the suffix of a family-group name required by Article 34.1. (2) A change in the ending of a specific or subspecific name required by Article 34.2.

Chapter, n. A primary division of the Code.

character, n. Any attribute of organisms used for recognizing, differentiating, or classifying taxa.

Code, n. (1) An abbreviation of the title International Code of Zoological Nomenclature; (2) a reference to that and other International Codes of taxonomic nomenclature (i.e. those regulating the scientific names used in bacteriology and botany).

collection, n. An assemblage of specimens compiled and maintained for purposes of study and/or display.

collective group, n. See under group.

combination, n. The association of a generic name and a specific name to form the name of a species; or of a generic name with a specific name and a subspecific name to form the name of a subspecies.

combination of letters, arbitrary, n. A scientific name that was not based by its author on an existing word of a language.

Commission, n. An abbreviation meaning "The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature" [Art. 77.1].

compound, a. Of a word, or a scientific name: one that is formed by the union of two or more basic components (i.e. excluding prefixes and suffixes) [Art. 32.5.2.4], written as one word except as provided in Article 32.5.2.4.3.

concept, hypothetical, n. A taxonomic concept that when published contained no animal then known to exist in nature, past or present, but only in the mind of the author whether a prediction or not [Art. 1.3.1].

conditional, a. (1) Of the proposal of a name or a type fixation: one made with stated reservations [Art. 15.1]. (2) Of the inclusion of a taxon in another taxon at a higher rank: made with stated reservations [Art. 51.3.3].

connecting vowel. See vowel, connecting.

conserve, v. To set aside or modify any provision of the Code so as, e.g. (1) to preserve or permit the use of a name as a valid name by removing the obstacles to such use, or (2) to preserve the use of a name in a taxonomic sense that would otherwise be incorrect, or (3) to deem a work to be published or available despite its not satisfying the normal criteria. In each case conservation is by a ruling of the Commission using its plenary power.

conserved name. See under name.

conserved work. See under work.

Constitution, n. An abbreviation of the title "The Constitution of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature".

Coordination, Principle of. See Principle of Coordination.

corrigendum (pl. corrigenda), n. A note published by an author, editor, or publisher of a work, expressly to cite one or more errors or omissions in that work together with their correction.

cotype, n. See under type.

date of publication, n. Of a work (and of a contained name and nomenclatural act): the date on which copies of the work become available by purchase or free distribution. If the actual date is not known, the date to be adopted is regulated by the provisions of Article 21.2-7.

Declaration, n. A provisional amendment to the Code, published by the Commission [Arts. 78.3.2, 80.1].

deem, v. To consider or rule something to be what it may or may not be.

definition, n. A statement in words that purports to give those characters which, in combination, uniquely distinguish a taxon [Arts. 12, 13].

description, n. A statement in words of taxonomic characters of a specimen or a taxon [Arts. 12, 13].

designation, n. (designate, v.) The nomenclatural act of an author or the Commission in fixing, by an express statement, the name-bearing type of a newly or previously established nominal genus, subgenus, species, or subspecies. See also act, fixation, and indication.

diacritic mark. See mark, diacritic.

diagnosis, n. A statement in words that purports to give those characters which differentiate the taxon from other taxa with which it is likely to be confused.

differentiate, v. To distinguish something (e.g. a taxon) from others [Art. 13]. See also definition.

Direction, n. A term now abandoned; under previous editions of the Code, a statement published by the Commission, giving the result of a vote completing or correcting a ruling given in an Opinion. Directions have been replaced by Official Corrections (q.v.).

Disclaimer, n. A statement in a work, by an author, editor or publisher, that (1) the entire work or (2) all or specified names and nomenclatural acts in it are to be excluded for purposes of zoological nomenclature.

division, n. (1) A rank that if treated as a division of a genus or subgenus is deemed to be of subgeneric rank for the purposes of nomenclature [Art. 10.4]. (2) A taxon at the rank of division.

electronic publication. See under publication.

elide, v. To deliberately omit one or more letters within a word (as in Article 29.3.1.1).

elimination, fixation by. See fixation by elimination.

emendation, n. (1) Any intentional change in the original spelling of an available name [Art. 33.2.]. (2) An available name formed by intentionally changing the original spelling of an available name.

ending, gender, n. (1) The letters at the end of a genus-group name (which must be, or be treated as, a singular noun in the nominative case - Article 11.8) which indicate the gender of the word; see Article 30.2 for the genders indicated by the endings of words not found in Latin or Greek dictionaries. (2) The letters at the end of a Latin or latinized adjectival species-group name which must agree in gender form with the gender of the generic name with which the species-group name is combined (see Article 31.2).

ending, genitive, n. (1) The letters at the end of a species-group name which, if the name is the genitive case of the name of one or more persons, or a place, host or other entity associated with the taxon, form the genitive case and reflect the gender and number (e.g. -i if of a man, -ae if of a woman, -orum if of men or of men and women together, -arum if of women) [Art. 31.1.2]. (2) The letters at the end of the genitive case of a Latin or Greek generic name which are deleted [Article 29.3] to form a stem, before adding a suffix to form a family-group name.

error, n. In a name, or other word: an incorrect spelling.

establish, v. Of a name or nominal taxon: to make the name of a nominal taxon available by satisfying the requirements of the Code.

excluded, a. (1) Denoting a work, name or act which is to be ignored for purposes of zoological nomenclature, either (a) under the provisions of the Code or (b) because of a disclaimer [Arts. 8.2, 8.3]. (2) Denoting a specimen or component which has been explicitly omitted or removed from a type series or a name-bearing type [Arts. 72.4.1, 73.1.5].

extant, a. (1) Of a taxon: having living representatives. (2) Of a specimen: still in existence.

extinct, a. Of a taxon: having no living representatives.

family (pl. families), n. (1) A rank within the family group between superfamily and subfamily. (2) A taxon at the rank of family.

family group, n. In the hierarchy of classification, the highest-ranking group of taxa whose names are fully regulated by the Code. The family group includes taxa at the ranks of superfamily, family, subfamily, tribe, and any other rank below superfamily and above the genus group that may be required, such as subtribe [Art. 35.1].

family name or name of a family. See under name.

field, taxonomic, n. A taxon or a set of taxa (e.g. "Crustacea: Amphipoda and Isopoda"); see taxonomic group, under group.

First Reviser. See Reviser, First.

First Reviser, Principle of the. See Principle of the First Reviser.

fixation, n. A general term for the determination of a name-bearing type, whether by original designation or by any other means. See also designation [Arts. 68.1, 69.1, 73-75], monotypy [Arts. 68.3, 69.3] and tautonymy [Arts. 68.4, 68.5].

fixation by elimination. The supposed fixation of a type species by the subsequent transfer of all but one of the originally included nominal species from a genus. Not in itself an available method of type fixation [Art. 69.4; but see Article 69.1.1].

form, n. (1) A term that if published after 1960 is deemed to denote infrasubspecific rank but that if published before 1961 is to be interpreted according to Article 45.6.3-4. (2) Those individuals of a species or subspecies differing, in a stated way, from other individuals within the taxon (e.g. larval and adult forms, male and female forms, ecological forms, and seasonal forms).

formulae, zoological, n. Modifications of available names throughout a taxonomic group by the addition of a standard prefix or suffix in order to indicate that the taxa named are members of that group [Art. 1.3.7]. Zoological formulae are excluded from the provisions of the Code. The suffixes of family-group names denote ranks, not taxonomic groups, and do not form zoological formulae.

gender, n. Of a genus-group name: a grammatical property (masculine, feminine or neuter) that affects the way in which Latin or latinized adjectival or participial species-group names are to be spelled, since the gender form of such a species-group name must agree with the gender of the generic name with which it is combined. See ending, gender.

generic name, or genus name, or name of a genus. See under name.

genotype. See under type.

genus (pl. genera), n. (1) The rank within the genus group next below the family group and above subgenus. (2) A taxon at the rank of genus.

genus group, n. In the hierarchy of classification the group of taxa ranked between the family group and the species group. The genus group includes taxa at the ranks of genus and subgenus [Art. 42.1]. Names for collective groups, and for ichnotaxa established at the genus-group level, are treated as genus-group names [Art. 42.2.1].

Greek, a. or n. Ancient Greek.

group, n. An assemblage of taxa. See also family group, genus group, and species group.

hapantotype. See under type.

hectographing, n. The making of copies of text and figures from a prepared gelatine surface to which the original has been transferred.

hierarchy, taxonomic, n. A system of classification based on a sequence of taxonomic categories ranked by their increasing levels of inclusiveness - see taxon.

holotype, n. See under type.

homonym, n. (1) In the family group: each of two or more available names having the same spelling, or differing only in suffix, and denoting different nominal taxa. (2) In the genus group: each of two or more available names having the same spelling, and denoting different nominal taxa. (3) In the species group: each of two or more available specific or subspecific names having the same spelling, or spellings deemed under Article 58 to be the same, and established for different nominal taxa, and either originally (primary homonymy) or subsequently (secondary homonymy) combined with the same generic name [Art. 53.3]. For examples, see Article 53.1 for family-group names, Article 53.2 for genus-group names, and Article 53.3 for species-group names.

homonymy, n. (1) The relationship between homonyms. (2) The state of being homonymous.

Homonymy, Principle of. See Principle of Homonymy.

hybrid, n. The progeny of two individuals belonging to different taxa. For the treatment of names given to hybrids and to taxa of hybrid origin see Articles 1.3.3, 17, 23.8.

hyphen, n. A mark, -, used for punctuation and for joining together (1) two parts of a compound specific or subspecific name if the first part is a single Latin letter [Art. 32.5.2.4.3], or (2) the first two words of an expression if used to modify a third (e.g. genus-group names, contrasting with names of the genus group).

hypothetical concept. See concept, hypothetical.

ichnotaxon, n. See under taxon.

inappropriate name. See under name.

incertae sedis. A Latin term meaning "of uncertain taxonomic position".

index (pl. indexes), n. A list arranged in a particular order (usually alphabetical) of the names or subjects in a work, usually with references to the pages on which they are treated.

Index, Official. See Official Index.

indication, n. A reference to previously published information, or a published act, which in the absence of a definition or description allows a name proposed before 1931, and that otherwise satisfies the relevant provisions of Articles 10 and 11, to be available [Art. 12.2]. See also Article 13.6.1.

information, taxonomic, n. Descriptions, illustrations and other material relating to taxa. Unlike names or nomenclatural acts, such information may be taken, for the purposes of making a name available, from published (and not disclaimed) works which are not available, e.g. because they were published before 1758, did not consistently apply binominal nomenclature, or have been suppressed (but not ruled to be treated as unpublished) by the Commission.

infraspecific name. See under name.

infrasubspecific, a. Of a rank, taxon, or name: one at a rank lower than that of a subspecies. Names of infrasubspecific entities (q.v.) are not regulated by the Code [Art. 1.3.4].

infrasubspecific entity, n. (1) Taxa below the rank of subspecies. (2) Specimen(s) within a species differing from other specimens in consequence of intrapopulational variability (e.g. opposite sexes, castes, gynandromorphs and intersexes, aberrant individuals, age and seasonal forms, variants of noninterrupted variability or polymorphism, differing generations).

infrasubspecific name. See under name.

interpolated name. See under name.

invalid, a. Of an available name or a nomenclatural act: one that is not valid under the Code.

kingdom, n. The highest ranked category employed in the taxonomic hierarchy. (Previous editions of the Code referred to a single taxon "Animalia", not widely accepted today, at the rank of kingdom).

lapsus calami (sing. and pl.), n. A Latin term meaning "slip (or slips) of the pen", i.e. an error (or errors) made by an author in writing a text, such as a misspelling of a name; contrasted with copyist's or printer's errors [Art. 32.5.1].

Latin, a. or n. Includes both ancient and mediaeval Latin (for wholly modern words latinized to form scientific names, see latinize).

latinize, v. To give Latin form and characteristics (including a Latin ending or a Latin suffix) to any word which is not Latin.

lectotype, n. See under type.

List of Available Names in Zoology, n. The cumulative term for those parts of the List of Available Names in Zoology which have been adopted by the Commission under Article 79.

List, Official. See Official List.

mandatory change. See change, mandatory.

mark, diacritic, n. A mark to indicate different pronunciations of a letter or a different letter (such as an accent, cedilla, tilde, umlaut, etc.).

Metazoa, n. Those multicellular organisms which for nomenclatural purposes are treated as animals.

mimeographing, v. A method of producing numerous copies of text (and figures) by means of ink applied through a stencil.

misapply, v. To apply, deliberately or otherwise, a name in a sense which is not correct under the provisions of the Code (e.g. in a manner not in accord with the name-bearing type).

misidentify, v. To mistakenly attribute a specimen to a particular taxon.

monotypy, n. The situation arising (1) when an author establishes a nominal genus or subgenus for what he or she considers to be a single taxonomic species and denotes that species by an available name (the nominal species so named is the type-species by monotypy) [Art. 68.3]; or (2) when an author bases a nominal species-group taxon on a single specimen but does not explicitly designate it as holotype (holotype by monotypy; see Article 73.1.2).

multiple original spelling. See under spelling. name, n. (1) (general) A word, or ordered sequence of words, conventionally used to denote and identify a particular entity (e.g. a person, place, object, concept). (2) Equivalent to scientific name (q.v.). (3) An element of the name of a species-group taxon: see generic name, subgeneric name, specific name, subspecific name.

name-bearing type. See under type.

neotype. See under type.

nomen dubium (pl. nomina dubia), n. A Latin term meaning "a name of unknown or doubtful application".

nomen novum (pl. nomina nova), n. A Latin term equivalent to "new replacement name".

nomen nudum (pl. nomina nuda), n. A Latin term referring to a name that, if published before 1931, fails to conform to Article 12; or, if published after 1930, fails to conform to Article 13. A nomen nudum is not an available name, and therefore the same name may be made available later for the same or a different concept; in such a case it would take authorship and date [Arts. 50, 21] from that act of establishment, not from any earlier publication as a nomen nudum.

nomen oblitum (pl. nomina oblita), n. A Latin term (meaning "forgotten name") applied after 1 January 2000 to a name, unused since 1899, which as a result of an action taken under Article 23.9.2 does not take precedence over a younger synonym or homonym in prevailing usage; the younger name which takes precedence over the nomen oblitum may be called a nomen protectum (q.v.). The term nomen oblitum was also applied to a disused senior synonym rejected between 6 November 1961 and 1 January 1973 under Article 23b of the Code editions then in force (see Article 23.12.2). Nomina oblita remain available names; see Articles 23.9 and 23.12 for conditions controlling their use as valid names.

nomen protectum, n. A Latin term (meaning "protected name") applied to a name which has been given precedence over its unused senior synonym or senior homonym relegated to the status of nomen oblitum (q.v., and see Article 23.9.2).

nomenclatural, a. Relating to nomenclature.

nomenclatural act. See act, nomenclatural.

nomenclatural status, n. Of a name, nomenclatural act or work: its standing in nomenclature (i.e. its availability or otherwise, and in the case of a name its spelling, the typification of the nominal taxon it denotes, and its precedence relative to other names).

nomenclature, n. A system of names, and provisions for their formation and use.

nominal taxon (e.g. nominal family-group taxon; nominal genus). See under taxon.

nominate, a. A term used in previous editions of the Code for nominotypical.

nominotypical taxon. See under taxon.

noun phrase, n. A compound word consisting of a noun combined with another noun or modifying adjective, the compound being treated as a noun in apposition; if the adjective is the final element in a species-group name, its ending is determined by the gender of the noun it modifies (and not by that of the generic name with which the species-group name is combined). For examples, see Article 31.2.1.

objective, a. Demonstrably true, not a matter of individual opinion; for contrast with subjective.

Official Correction, n. A correction, issued by the Commission, of an error or omission in a previously published Opinion [Art. 80.4]. See also Direction.

Official Index, n. An abbreviated title for any of the four Indexes, maintained and published by the Commission, citing works or names that have been rejected by rulings of the Commission. For the status of names cited in the Indexes, and of names and nomenclatural acts in works cited in the Indexes, see Article 80.7. The full titles of the Indexes are:

Official List, n. An abbreviated title for any of the four Lists, maintained and published by the Commission, citing available works or names that have been ruled upon in the Opinions of the Commission. For the status of works, names, and nomenclatural acts in the Lists see Article 80.6. The full titles of the Lists are:

Official Register, n. An abbreviated title for the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature [Article 78.2.4], maintained by the Commission to record information about names and nomenclatural acts (see ZooBank).

offprint, n. See under separate.

Opinion, n. A formal publication by the Commission containing a ruling that applies, interprets, or suspends provisions of the Code in a case affecting one or more stated names, nomenclatural acts or works. An Opinion states how the Code is to be applied or interpreted, or the course to be followed, in the particular case [Art. 80.2-5].

original publication. See under publication.

originally included nominal species, n. Of a nominal genus-group taxon: the nominal species deemed to be originally included under Article 67.2.

paralectotype, n. See under type.

paratype, n. See under type.

Part of the List of Available Names in Zoology, n. (q.v.). A list, adopted by the Commission under Article 79, of available names in a major taxonomic field.

plenary power, n. The power of the Commission to suspend or modify the application of Articles 1 to 76 of the Code in the way which it considers necessary to serve the interests of stability and universality of nomenclature in a particular case. See Articles 78 and 81.

precedence, n. The order of seniority of available names or nomenclatural acts determined (1) by application of the Principle of Priority as specified in Article 23, or (2), in the case of simultaneously published names or acts, as specified in Article 24, or (3) by a ruling of the Commission using its plenary power.

prefix (pl. prefixes), n. A letter or group of letters attached before the basic part of a word and usually used only in forming derived words and not as a separate word. See also compound and suffix.

preprint, n. A work published, with its own specified date of publication (imprint date), in advance of its later reissue as part of a collective or cumulative work. Preprints may be published works for the purposes of zoological nomenclature. See separate.

primary homonym. See under homonym.

Principle of Binominal Nomenclature, n. The principle that the scientific name of a species, and not of a taxon at any other rank, is a combination of two names (a binomen, q.v.); the use of a trinomen (q.v.) for the name of a subspecies and of uninominal names for taxa above the species group is in accord with the Principle. See Articles 5, 11.4.

Principle of Coordination, n. The principle that within the family group, genus group or species group a name established for a taxon at any rank in the group is deemed to be simultaneously established with the same author and date for taxa based on the same name-bearing type at other ranks in the group [Arts. 36, 43, 46].

Principle of the First Reviser, n. The principle that the relative precedence of two or more names or nomenclatural acts published on the same date, or of different original spellings of the same name, is determined by the First Reviser [Art. 24.2].

Principle of Homonymy, n. The principle that the name of each taxon must be unique. Consequently a name that is a junior homonym of another name must not be used as a valid name [Art. 52].

Principle of Priority, n. The principle that the valid name of a taxon is the oldest available name applied to it (taking into consideration the other provisions of Article 23), provided that the name is not invalidated by any provision of the Code or by any ruling by the Commission [Art. 23].

Principle of Typification, n. The principle that each nominal taxon in the family group, genus group or species group has, actually or potentially, a name-bearing type fixed to provide the objective standard of reference by which the application of the name is determined [Art. 61] (see typification).

printing on paper, n. The production of numerous identical copies of text or illustrations on paper. For the purposes of the Code, photography (i.e. the production of images on light-sensitive paper) does not constitute printing [Art. 9.2].

priority, of a name or nomenclatural act, n. Seniority fixed by the date of availability.

Priority, Principle of. See Principle of Priority.

proposal, n. (1) An action, whether successful or unsuccessful, to establish a nominal taxon or name or to carry out a nomenclatural act (q.v.). (2) An application to the Commission under Article 79 for the adoption of a Part of the List of Available Names in Zoology.

protistan, n. (also a.) An organism classified in the Protista. Some such organisms (e.g. those formerly classified as Protozoa) are usually treated as animals for the purposes of nomenclature, and when so treated their names are regulated by the Code [Art. 1.1.1].

provisions (sing. provision), n. Term equivalent to rules.

publication, n. (1) Any published work. (2) The issuing of a work conforming to Articles 8 and 9.

publish, v. (1) To issue any publication. (2) To issue a work that conforms to Article 8 and is not excluded by the provisions of Article 9. (3) To make public in a work, conforming to (2) above, any names or nomenclatural acts or information affecting nomenclature.

rank, n. The level, for nomenclatural purposes, of a taxon in a taxonomic hierarchy (e.g. all families are for nomenclatural purposes at the same rank, which lies between superfamily and subfamily). The ranks of the family group, the genus group, and the species group at which nominal taxa may be established are stated in Articles 10.3, 10.4, 35.1, 42.1 and 45.1.

Recommendation, n. An advisory statement in an Article of the Code. Recommendations are denoted by the number of the Article, are not mandatory and are distinguished from the mandatory provisions by a capital letter following the number of the Article (thus, Recommendation 40A).

reference, bibliographic, n. A published citation referring to a publication.

register, v. To enter into the Official Register information about a name, author, nomenclatural act, work, or other item tracked for purposes of zoological nomenclature.

registration number, n. A unique identifying number or alpha-numeric code assigned in the Official Register to a particular item.

reinstate, n. With reference to a name previously rejected as being a junior secondary homonym: to treat it as a valid name if the conditions of Article 59.4 are met.

reject, v. To set aside, in accord with the provisions of the Code and, in the case of a name, taxonomic judgement, (1) a work for the purposes of zoological nomenclature, or (2) a name in favour of another name. See rejected name, rejected work, suppression.

rejected work. See under work.

replacement name. See under name.

reprint, n. For the purposes of the Code, the same as a separate (q.v.).

Reviser, First, n. The first author to cite names (including different original spellings of the same name) or nomenclatural acts published on the same date and to select one of them to have precedence over the other(s). See Article 24.

rules (sing. rule), n. The Articles of the Code but not titles, Recommendations, and Examples. The rules are mandatory. A term equivalent to provisions.

ruling by the Commission, n. A decision by the Commission published in an Opinion [Art. 80.2], Declaration [Art. 80.1], or Direction (a term formerly, but not now, used in the Code).

scientific name. See under name.

secondary homonym. See under homonym.

section, n. (1) A rank that if treated as a division of a genus or subgenus is deemed to be of subgeneric rank for the purposes of nomenclature [Art. 10.4]. (2) A taxon at the rank of section.

sensu. A Latin term meaning "in the sense of". Often used to refer to the usage of a name by a (cited) author in a sense different from that of the original author or some other previous author. See also auctorum.

sensu lato (s. lat., or s.l.). A Latin term meaning "in the wide sense". Contrast with sensu stricto (s. str.).

sensu stricto (s. str., or s.s.). A Latin term meaning "in the strict sense". Often used in conjunction with a name when referring to the nominal taxon in the narrow sense of its subordinate nominotypical taxon (contrast with sensu lato (s. lat.)).

separate, n. A copy (reprint or offprint) of a work contained in a periodical, book or other larger work, intended for distribution (usually privately by the author(s)) detached from the larger work which contains it but without its own specified date of publication (imprint date). The advance distribution of separates after 1999 does not constitute publication for purposes of zoological nomenclature. See preprint.

species (sing. and pl.), n. (1) The rank next below the genus group; the basic rank of zoological classification. (2) A taxon at the rank of species.

species group, n. In the zoological classification, the lowest-ranking group of taxa the names of which are regulated by the Code. The species group includes all taxa at the ranks of species and subspecies [Art. 45.1].

species inquirenda (pl. species inquirendae), n. A Latin term meaning a species of doubtful identity needing further investigation.

species name or name of a species. See under name.

specific name. See under name.

specimen, n. An example of an animal, or a fossil or work of an animal, or of a part of these. See Article 72.5 for the kinds of specimen eligible to be name-bearing types of nominal species-group nominal taxa.

specimen, teratological. An abnormal specimen or a monstrosity [Art. 1.3.2].

spelling, n. The choice and arrangement of the letters that form a word.

stem (of a name), n. For the purposes of the Code, (1) that part (or the whole) of the name of the type genus to which is added a family-group suffix (see Article 29), or (2) that part of a name to which is added a genitive ending (q.v.) when forming a species-group name which is a noun in the genitive case [Art. 31.1.2].

subfamily (pl. subfamilies), n. (1) A family-group rank below family. (2) A taxon at the rank of subfamily.

subfamily name or name of a subfamily. See under name.

subgeneric name, or subgenus name, or name of a subgenus. See under name.

subgenus (pl. subgenera), n. (1) The genus-group rank below genus. (2) A taxon at the rank of subgenus.

subjective, a. Depending on judgement, a matter of individual opinion; for contrast with objective. See subjective synonym, under synonym.

subordinate taxon. See under taxon.

subspecies (sing. and pl.), n. (1) The species-group rank below species; the lowest rank at which names are regulated by the Code. (2) A taxon at the rank of subspecies.

subspecies name or name of a subspecies. See under name.

subspecific name. See under name.

substitute name. See under name.

subtribe, n. (1) A family-group rank below tribe. (2) A taxon at the rank of subtribe. Names of subtribes have the suffix -INA.

suffix (pl. suffixes), n. A letter or group of letters (1) added to the stem of a word, such as -IDAE in family names, -INAE in subfamily names [Art. 29.2]; or (2) forming a Latin suffix such as -ella or -istes [Art. 30] in some generic names [Art. 30.2]. See compound, ending and prefix.

superfamily (pl. superfamilies), n. (1) A family-group rank above family; the highest rank at which names are fully regulated by the Code. (2) A taxon at the rank of superfamily. Names of superfamilies have the suffix -OIDEA.

suppression, n. (suppress, v.) A ruling by the Commission, using its plenary power, (1) that a work is to be deemed, for nomenclatural purposes, as unpublished, or that names and acts in it are not available; or (2) that an available name is never to be used as valid because (a) it is available only for the purpose of homonymy ("partial suppression") or (b) it is not available for the purposes of priority and homonymy ("total suppression"; but a totally suppressed species-group name may still denote the type species of a nominal genus or subgenus [Art. 81.2.1]); or (3) that an available name is only to be used as valid under stated conditions (e.g. when not considered a synonym of a particular later name) ("conditional suppression").

suprageneric, a. Of a taxon: one at a rank higher than genus.

synonym, n. Each of two or more names of the same rank used to denote the same taxonomic taxon.

synonymy, n. (1) The relationship between synonyms. (2) A list of synonyms.

syntype, n. See under type.

tautonymy, n. (tautonymous, a.) The use of the same word for the name of a genus-group taxon and for the species-group name of one of its included species and/or subspecies.

taxon, (pl. taxa), n. A taxonomic unit, whether named or not: i.e. a population, or group of populations of organisms which are usually inferred to be phylogenetically related and which have characters in common which differentiate (q.v.) the unit (e.g. a geographic population, a genus, a family, an order) from other such units. A taxon encompasses all included taxa of lower rank (q.v.) and individual organisms. The Code fully regulates the names of taxa only between and including the ranks of superfamily and subspecies.

taxonomy, n. (taxonomic, a.) The theory and practice of classifying organisms. See taxonomic information, taxonomic taxon.

teratological specimen. See under specimen.

text, official. Of the Code: A text, in any language, which has been authorized by the Commission. All official texts are equivalent in force, meaning and authority [Art. 87].

topotype. See under type.

transliteration, n. (transliterate, v.) Literal transcription; the replacement of the letters of one alphabet by equivalent letters of another. Scientific names must be written in Latin letters, hence names formed from words that are not Latin may require transliteration.

tribe, n. (1) A family-group rank below subfamily. (2) A taxon at the rank of tribe. Names of tribes have the suffix -INI.

trinomen (pl. trinomina), n., or trinominal name. The combination of a generic name, a specific name, and a subspecific name, that together constitute a scientific name of a subspecies [Art. 5.2].

type, n. A term used alone, or forming part of a compound term, to denote a particular kind of specimen or taxon.

neotype. The single specimen designated as the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies when there is a need to define the nominal taxon objectively and no name-bearing type is believed to be extant. If stability and universality are threatened, because an existing name-bearing type is either taxonomically inadequate or not in accord with the prevailing usage of a name, the Commission may use its plenary power to set aside that type and designate a neotype. paralectotype. Each specimen of a former syntype series remaining after the designation of a lectotype [Art. 72.1.3, Recommendation 74F]. paratype. Each specimen of a type series other than the holotype [Recommendation 73D]. syntype. Each specimen of a type series (q.v.) from which neither a holotype nor a lectotype has been designated [Arts. 72.1.2, 73.2, 74]. The syntypes collectively constitute the name-bearing type. topotype, n. (topotypic, a.) A term, not regulated by the Code, for a specimen originating from the type locality of the species or subspecies to which it is thought to belong, whether or not the specimen is part of the type series.

type fixation. See fixation.

type genus, n. The nominal genus that is the name-bearing type of a nominal family-group taxon.

type horizon, n. The geological stratum from which the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies was collected.

type host, n. The host species with which the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies was associated [Recommendation 76A.1].

type locality, n. The geographical (and, where relevant, stratigraphical) place of capture, collection, or observation of the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies [Art. 76.1, Recommendation 76A].

type series, n. The series of specimens, defined in Articles 72.4 and 73.2, on which the original author bases a new nominal species-group taxon. In the absence of a holotype designation, any such specimen is eligible for subsequent designation as the name-bearing type (lectotype); pending lectotype designation, all the specimens of the type series are syntypes and collectively they constitute the name-bearing type. Excluded from the type series are any specimens that the original author expressly excludes or refers to as distinct variants, or doubtfully includes in the taxon.

type species, n. The nominal species that is the name-bearing type of a nominal genus or subgenus.

type specimen. A term used in previous editions of the Code for a holotype, lectotype or neotype, or for any syntype; also used generally for any specimen of the type series (q.v.).

typification, n. The fixation of a name-bearing type of a nominal taxon so as to provide an objective standard of reference for the application of the name of a taxon (see Principle of Typification).

unavailability, n. (unavailable, a.) Of a name, nomenclatural act or work: see under those entries.

uninominal, a. Consisting of a single name (e.g. names of the family group and of the genus group) [Art. 4].

usage, prevailing, n. Of a name: that usage of the name which is adopted by at least a substantial majority of the most recent authors concerned with the relevant taxon, irrespective of how long ago their work was published.

valid, a. (validity, n.) Of an available name or a nomenclatural act: one that is acceptable under the provisions of the Code and, in the case of a name, which is the correct name of a taxon in an author's taxonomic judgment.

validated, a. A term previously used in the sense of conserved.

variant spelling. See under spelling.

variety, n. A term that if published after 1960 is deemed to denote infrasubspecific rank but that if published before 1961 is to be interpreted according to Article 45.6.3-4.

vernacular name. See under name.

vowel, connecting, n. A vowel that joins two words to make a single word (see Article 58.12), but when the second of two combined words begins with a vowel, no connecting vowel is needed.

word, compound. See compound.

work, n. Any text or illustration, whether published, unpublished, or carrying a disclaimer (q.v.)

work of an animal, n. The result of the activity of an animal (e.g. burrows, borings, galls, nests, worm tubes, cocoons, tracks), but not part of the animal. The term applies to trace fossils (see ichnotaxon, under taxon) but does not apply to such fossil evidence as internal moulds, external impressions, and replacements. For availability of names based upon the work of animals see Articles 1.2.1, 1.3.6, 10.3, 12.2.8.

ZooBank, n. The online version of the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature.

zoological taxon. See under taxon.

zoologist, n. Anyone, regardless of profession, who studies animals.

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Preamble | Articles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 | Glossary Appendices Constitution


Markup
FranciscoWelterSchultes   new substitute name

.

The difference between a new substitute name and a new replacement name should be explained. A new substitute name can either be a new replacement name or a regular new name that can be used instead of the invalid name. Such a regular new name can eventually be an objective synonym, given that the author, when establishing the new name, does not indicate the intention to replace the name for nomenclatural reasons (lack of an expressed statement, so that the requirement "expressly" is not met).

2016-03-09 19:36:13
FranciscoWelterSchultes  

holotype

.

The French edition gives a reference to Art. 73.1. There it says "one specimen, and only one". A definition for the term "specimen" is needed, because this seems to be either frequently misunderstood, or understood in a different sense than in common usage. It might be useful to research what has commonly be understood as a holotype in various different animal groups.

A set of various separate bones, for example of a geological excavation, is considered either as a set of various specimens, of which only one single bone is selected as holotype (example: Australopithecus deyiremeda Haile-Selassie et al., 2015), or as an articulated skeleton, which consists of various bones, but is also often desigated as a holotype of a vertebrate. The whole forms an individual. Maybe this expression would be helpful. Are 14 separate feathers one single specimen, and only one? Or are they 14 specimens? See also "specimen", and Art. 73.1.5 that talks about a holotype that can consist of a set of components.

2016-01-09 18:10:15
FranciscoWelterSchultes  

specimen, n.

.

In the common sense this is one single object, something that can only be separated by a process that destroys the composed total. One crustacean carapax, one shell, one tissue sample, one bone, one feather. Two separate bones would be two specimens. However this term was not applied in this sense in Cases 3564 and 3623 (14 separate bird feathers were regarded as a holotype). If "specimen" should mean "all parts of an individual animal" or "all parts of which an individual animal was composed at a certain time", this should be expressed in the Glossary, because it would not be in line with common usage. Two separate bones can be sent to and deposited in two different museums, they would not be one single specimen. See also under holotype.

2016-01-09 17:03:26
FranciscoWelterSchultes  

spelling

.

It would be useful to have a Code official term for an incorrect original spelling that has been corrected. It is neither a correct original spelling, nor really a correct subsequent spelling, nor an incorrect subsequent spelling. Maybe the term "corrected original spelling" would be appropriate.

2016-01-05 19:30:22
FranciscoWelterSchultes   A new entry could be useful:

morph, n.

A term used to denote a class of individuals within a species. A name explicitly proposed for a morph refers to an infrasubspecific entity (q.v.) and is unavailable (Art. 45.6.2).

This would correspond more or less to the entry for "aberration". The definition used by myself here could also be taken for the term "abbreviation".
2013-10-16 10:38:29
FranciscoWelterSchultes   aberration, ab., n.

A cross-reference to Art. 45.6.2 should be added to find quickly the corresponding passage in the Code. This was suggested in a discussion in the [iczn-list] mailing  list in Oct 2013:

"A term used to denote a class of individuals within a species. A name which explicitly refers to an aberration unequivocally treated as an infrasubspecific entity (q.v.) is unavailable [Art. 45.6.2]."

It was also noted that the content of this definition and the text in At. 45.6.2 deviate slightly from each other. This could also be improved.
2013-10-16 10:32:46
FranciscoWelterSchultes   type series, n.

The reference to Art. 73.2 should be removed from the first sentence because this Article does not contain any contribution to the definition of the type series. Art. 73.2 works with this term, but does not define it.

Art. 72.1.1 contains a slightly different definition for the type series (see my comment under Art. 72). This Article should either be cited in the Glossary, or removed from Art. 72.1.1 to avoid misunderstandings.
As Thomas Pape remarked in a discussion on the [Taxacom] listserver in May 2013, Art. 89.1 gives precedence to the Glossary's definition, so currently the definition in Art. 72.1.1 should not be taken into account. Something that "should not be taken into account" can be removed from the Code.
2013-05-18 18:43:36
FranciscoWelterSchultes   character, n.

"Any attribute of organisms used for recognizing, differentiating, or classifying taxa."

It would be useful to add another short statement (next to the DNA clarification mentioned above):
"Vernacular names, localities, geological horizons or hosts are not characters in the sense of this definition."

It has repeatedly been argued in discussions that a locality could be considered a character (example: [Taxacom] listserver, Feb 2013). To avoid confusion it would be useful to clarify this point directly in the legal text of the Code, as it is done in Art 12.3 (this Article covers only names established before 1931, so the discussion is usually about names established after 1930).
It might be helpful to add this point also in Art. 13.1.1, so that unexperienced users of the Code will find more quickly the answer to this frequent question.
2013-02-19 17:58:04
FranciscoWelterSchultes   A new term is needed, I propose

alternate name

In the AnimalBase team we have used this term to express that two or more names were used at equivalent validity in a publication. The Code has no term for it, but in the analysis of old literature sources it is often necessary to use a term for the phenomenon and it would be useful to have a standardised expression for it.
Taxonomists often tend to ignore the alternate nature of naming animals in early literature, which are often quite chaotically arranged. The Latin terms "seu", "vel" or "sive" are often used.
The concept of an alternate name should also include a provision on objective synonymy if the two names were new. This would correspond to common practice. Without such a provision the two names could be regarded as different taxa if they were based on more than one name-bearing type specimen (because a subsequent author could select syntype 1 as lectotype for name A and syntype 2 for name B).

Examples: In a Danish publication Schumacher (1815) cited a species as "Scrobicularia calcarea eller Mya orbiculata Spengler". The term "eller" (= or) indicated that both names were regarded as correct names, and that Schumacher did not intend to take a decision which one should be preferred. Both were alternate names used for the same taxon. At the same occasion a species was cited as "M[argaritifera]. fluviatilis eller Unio margaritifera Retzii". Also these two names were intended for usage as alternate names.

Wagner & Spix (1827) established various new names for molluscs in a work that was subdivided among the two authors, and in which each one of the two authors used his own classification. In the plate explanations the new names given to the same species by Wagner and by Spix were listed as alternate names without preference for any of the two. These names were proposed for the same taxa as alternate names and were objective synonyms. In either case the First Reviser had to decide which one of the two new names had precedence. In some cases (example Aucicula signata Wagner, 1827 and Auris signata Spix, 1827) this First Reviser decision concerned only the original genus and the authorship.
2012-11-30 13:03:05
FranciscoWelterSchultes   reference, bibliographic - this entry needs a more precise definition:

reference, bibliographic, n. A published citation referring to a publication. A pure author/year combination or an author's name alone constitutes such a reference only if it was specified with more precise bibliographic data in the work itself (for example by an abbreviation of a book title or a page number, or a reference in another part of the work for the purpose of linking such an author/year combination to a determined published work). The name of an author (and eventually a date) behind a taxonomic name alone (without additional bibliographic data in the work itself) is not a bibliographical reference in this sense, except if the style of the work clearly allows this interpretation (for example if every single author-year combination in the entire work had corresponding titles in a bibliography section) - even if it is known from exernal evidence that the author published only one work in that year, or in his or her whole life, or until that date.

This addition seems to be necessary because when the rules of the Code were written this was done by trained scientists who knew exactly what they were talking about when they employed such terms. The recent trend is that scientists need to know much more precisely what was initially meant when such terms were employed. A discussion at the [Taxacom] listserver in Oct 2012 reflected these problems. The result is that taxonomists, indexers and nomenclators are beginning to deviate from the initial concepts and apply different self-made definitions. Some say "L." is a bibliographic reference if it is clear to the insider which work was meant, others do not apply such an interpretation. The availability of names under Art. 12.2.1 depends on this crucial point, so it is necessary to fix the interpretation. My suggestion is to take the term "bibliographic" for serious, and define the difference to the citation of persons in their role as authorities.

Example:
"Pomatia ilenaria - H. pomatia L."
Mentioned in a long list of names without more information - was this name Pomatia ilenaria made available at this occasion? Surely not, because it had no description and only a synonym was cited with it, so it did not meet any of the requirements of Art. 12.1 and 12.2.
With the "new" interpretation of a bibliographic reference people can start arguing that "L." referred to the description provided by Linnaeus 1758: p. 771, and that Pomatia ilenaria was made available under Art. 12.2.1. Many thousands of names mentioned in catalogues and other pure lists of names would have to be revised and aligned with this new interpretation. The result would be a desaster.

The author behind a taxonomic name has always been set there in the intention to refer to the authorship responsible for having established a name under the conventions used at the time, and the date is usually meant to refer to the true date when the name was established. Both are not necessarily bibliographic data (authorships before 1905 were often taken from unpublished sources), and were not given in the sense to provide a precise bibliographic reference.
2012-11-01 20:24:46
FranciscoWelterSchultes   "name, available name. A scientific name applied to an animal taxon that is not excluded under Article 1.3 and that conforms to the provisions of Articles 10 to 20."

Should be slightly modified: the term "scientific" should be removed.
This term creates the misunderstanding that availability refers to both genus and species in a binominal name, with the misleading and incorrect result that a new specific name combined with an unavailable generic name is not made available. The problem was discussed in a long thread "validation of taxon names" in the [Taxacom] mailing list around 21 Feb 2012.
2012-02-21 17:35:51
FranciscoWelterSchultes   valid - should be modified
name, valid name - should be modified

"valid, a. (validity, n.) Of an available name or a nomenclatural act: one that is acceptable under the provisions of the Code"

The rest should be deleted: "and, in the case of a name, which is the correct name of a taxon in an author's taxonomic judgment."

The use of the term "valid" in the current definition is partly not in accordance with its common use in English standard dictionaries, it is confusing and should throughout the text of the Code be replaced by "in use for a taxon", "currently used for a taxon", "selected as the correct name used for a taxon" or likewise expressions.

I see also a confusing logical problem in the definition: in the Glossary's definition a name is valid if it is acceptable under the provisions of the Code. Among these are the important provisions of Art. 11.5.
In Art. 11.5 a name is available if it was used as valid for a taxon. This is circular reasoning.

In the French Code: Art. 11.5: "...employé comme le nom valide d'un taxon", this translates to "used as the valid name of a taxon". This means that in the French Code the definition for "nom valide" (in English "name, valid name") comes also into effect, making the situation once again more confusing.
A name is a valid name if it is used as a valid name.
A ticket is a valid ticket if it is used as a valid ticket.
A ticket controler in a train might eventually disagree with such a reasoning.

name, "valid name. The correct name for a taxonomic taxon, i.e. the oldest potentially valid name of a name-bearing type which falls within an author's concept of the taxon (but see under Principle of Priority)."

This definition does not sound bad, except that the term "valid" should not be part of the definition iself ("the oldest potentially available name" (or admissible name). But it is also very confusing as it seems to contradict the other definition and causes a conflict if a name that was used by an author for a taxon was not the oldest name among the synonyms (some authors did not like to use the oldest name because they thought that it did not sound good or was not appropriate). In other cases previously established names were regarded as unavailable under contemporary conventions, but are available today (for example if authors thought that absolute tautonymy was not allowed and proposed substitute names for species). So, were these names used as valid? In the French Glossary a direct reference to Art. 23.1 is given, in the English Glossary not.

My proposal is to modify the terms used in the important Art. 11.5 and to align them with an English standard dictionary language (for example by using the term "correct"). And to align the French Code appropriately.


2011-12-14 12:08:28
FranciscoWelterSchultes   nominal taxon
(e.g. nominal family-group taxon; nominal genus). See under taxon.

Delete nominal family-group taxon.

taxon
nominal taxon. A concept of a taxon which is denoted by an available name (e.g. Mollusca, Diptera, Bovidae, Papilio, Homo sapiens). The Code regulates the nominal family, nominal genus and the nominal species. A nominal genus comprises names of genera and subgenera. The terms "nominal genus-group taxon" or "nominal subgenus" have formerly been used. Each nominal taxon in the family, genus or species groups is based on a name-bearing type (although in the latter two groups such a type may not have been actually fixed).

It seems to me that "nominal species", "nominal species and subspecies" and "nominal species-group taxon" is the same. The Code should consistently use only one expression, the others should be replaced accordingly. See Art. 63 and 67.1.
2011-02-17 18:40:44
FranciscoWelterSchultes   subordinate taxon. A taxon at a lower rank than the taxon of the same coordinate group with which it is compared.

The term "coordinate group" remains undefined. A definition for this term should be inserted under "group".

2010-12-14 18:42:36
FranciscoWelterSchultes   synonym, n.

"Each of two or more names of the same rank used to denote the same taxonomic taxon. In the species-group, only the specific name is considered to judge the synonymy [Art. 48]."

Art. 48 talks about species-group names, a cross-reference would be useful. If we resolve the expression "of the same rank" then we must read the current definition as "Each of two or more names of a species used to denote the same taxonomic taxon." - and this seems to contradict Art. 48 by which a species-group name is combined with a generic name to become part of a different combination, which implies that the species-group name would remain the same (and can, of course, not become a synonym of itself). Since the Code intends to rule nomenclature (otherwise we would have to specify "nomenclatural synonmy"), it should be correct to say that Panthera uncia, Felis uncia and Uncia uncia are different combinations of the same species-group name, but not synonyms in the nomenclatural sense.
2010-11-09 19:31:19
FranciscoWelterSchultes   "homonym, n. (...) (3) In the species group: each of two or more available specific or subspecific names having the same spelling, or spellings deemed under Article 58 to be the same, and established for different nominal taxa, and either originally (primary homonymy) or subsequently (secondary homonymy) combined with the same generic name [Art. 53.3] or a homonym of it [see Art. 57.8.1]."

Proposal to make this slightly clearer here, reference: discussion with Rich Pyle and other in the Taxacom mailing list, Nov 2010.
2010-11-09 18:59:57
FranciscoWelterSchultes   polynominal name.
"A scientific name of a species in a not consistently binominal work [Art. 11.4.4.]. It usually consists of a genus-like name and two or more specific names used to denote a species (not a subspecies) which together do not represent or refer to a single entity [Art. 11.9.5, 32.5.2.2]."

See under Art. 11, my proposal to add a new Article 11.4.4 in which the term "polynominal name" should be used.
2010-08-23 13:13:14
FranciscoWelterSchultes   character, n.

"Any attribute of organisms used for recognizing, differentiating, or classifying taxa."

This definition should be improved.
"Being present" is also an attribute. In the French Code the term "attribute" ("attribut" in French) is avoided and instead the term "élément descriptif" (descriptive element) is used. This expresses slightly better that such an attribute must be intrinsic to the described organism itself, but may still be debatable. Zoologists in the Taxacom mailing list (June 2010) argued that "clustering with another species in a molecular analysis" as such might also be an attribute in the sense of this definition, others seem to think that simply giving GenBank accession numbers are sufficient to satisfy Art. 13.1.1.
The best solution to express a clear ruling would be to provide a direct translation of the French text combined with mentioning the DNA question directly and explaining explicitly how this is ruled.

"Any descritive element of an organism used for recognizing, differentiating, or classifying taxa. Presence of differential DNA as suggested by cluster studies are not descriptive elements in the sense of this definition."

It might also be helpful to add this interpretation also in Art. 13.1.1, so that unexperienced users of the Code will find more quickly what they are looking for.
2010-06-07 15:20:41
FranciscoWelterSchultes   species name or name of a species.

Current definition: "A scientific name of a taxon at the rank of species. A binomen, the combination of a generic name and a specific name (an interpolated name, such as a subgeneric name or an interpolated species-group name [Art. 6], when used, is not counted as one of the names in a binomen)."

This definition should be improved, it is inconsistent and probably incorrect in the way most readers understand it.
"A binomen" is not an integral part of the definition of a scientific name of a species, this passage should be removed. It is widely accepted that a combination Genus (Subgenus) species is a scientific name for a species (what else should it be? certainly not a vernacular name, and not a scientific name of something else than a species), but it is not a binomen. The terms "species name" and "binomen" are not equivalent, as is suggested in the current definition, "binomen" is a special case of a species name (= one that has no interpolated name). It is not necessary to mention the definition for "binomen" in this entry here.

Proposal for an emendation:

"A scientific name of a taxon at the rank of species. It consists of a combination of at least a generic and a specific name, and can also contain interpolated names, such as a subgeneric name or an interpolated species-group name [Art. 6]."
2010-06-02 13:28:03
FranciscoWelterSchultes   synonym, n.
Current definition: "Each of two or more names of the same rank used to denote the same taxonomic taxon."

This is not easily understood by many zoologists, even specialists have difficulties understanding what is meant here, and frequently come to different conclusions (as documented in a discussion on the Taxacom mailing list May/June 2010, on the question which definition should be used for the term "synonym" in the English Wikipedia site).

The definition as such seems to be consistent with the concept of synoynmy in the Code, but misunderstandings were provoked by the term "names". Some regard various genus-species combinations (Felis uncia, Panthera uncia, Uncia uncia) as different names and thus as synonyms because the names are at the same rank, and because the specific name uncia alone is not a name. Most experts in nomenclature would argue that a synonym in the nomenclatural sense can either be a subjective synonym or an objective synonym, and that there should be no third class of synonyms involved, which would not be based on the types.

I have two alternative proposals how to solve the problems by adding an explanation how to treat synonyms on the species-group level.

"Each of two or more names of the same rank used to denote the same taxonomic taxon. In the species-group, only the specific name is considered to judge the synonymy."

or

"Each of two or more names of the same rank used to denote the same taxonomic taxon. Different genus-species combinations of a specific name are not considered as two or more names in the sense of this definition."
2010-06-02 13:07:15
FranciscoWelterSchultes   new combination

This entry should be deleted, the term "new combination" has no meaning in zoological nomenclature, it is nowhere else mentioned in the Code and leads to confusion. Its definition creates/implies the misunderstanding that the Code rules taxonomy, and that in zoology the first placement of a species in a different genus must be recorded and implies a nomenclatural act. This is not so. In zoological taxonomy anyone is free to combine a specific name with a generic name of one's choice, such actions are not recorded, and every such action is regarded as nomenclaturally independent from previous such actions. Based on this definition in the Glossary some use the abbreviation "n. comb." in zoology, in the erroneous belief that they create something official.
2010-06-02 12:03:09
FranciscoWelterSchultes   nomen nudum:
definition should be modified.
The current definition is not in accordance with what is currently understood under this term.

In my understanding a nomen nudum is a binominal name that was published in a binominal work in Latin script, and that had no description. It can be used, using it does not make your own work to be classified as "not consistently binominal", but not much more.

The current definition:

"nomen nudum (pl. nomina nuda), n. A Latin term referring to a name that, if published before 1931, fails to conform to Article 12; or, if published after 1930, fails to conform to Article 13. A nomen nudum is not an available name, and therefore the same name may be made available later for the same or a different concept; in such a case it would take authorship and date [Arts. 50, 21] from that act of establishment, not from any earlier publication as a nomen nudum."

Art. 12.1 and Art. 13.1 contain both a passage that a name "must satisfy the provisions of Art. 11" AND in addition must satisfy some other requirements (presence of a description etc.). If a name fails to comply with Art. 11 (for example because it is polynominal, or was published in a non-binominal work, or was not spelled in Latin script) and does conform to the other requirements of Art. 12 (for example by having a very accurate description), it is a nomen nudum within the above definition (because by not conforming to Art. 11 it automatically fails to conform to Art. 12 or 13).

But this is not in accordance with the usage of this term in the taxonomic community.
A polynominal name or a name that was not spelled in Latin script may *not and never* be later used for a taxon, and this is why the definition is incorrect. It should be modified:

"nomen nudum (pl. nomina nuda), n. A Latin term referring to a name that, if published before 1931, conforms with Art. 11 and fails to conform to Article 12; or, if published after 1930, conforms with Art. 11 and fails to conform to Article 13. A nomen nudum is not an available name, and therefore the same name may be made available later for the same or a different concept; in such a case it would take authorship and date [Arts. 50, 21] from that act of establishment, not from any earlier publication as a nomen nudum."

This is what actually was meant.

Basically, a nomen nudum is understood as a name that has no description.
2009-11-27 08:56:36
FranciscoWelterSchultes   The terms author, editor and publisher should be defined accurately and in accordance with its use in library environments, and also in accordance with its common use in scientific contexts.

Current definition:
"author (pl. authors), n. The person(s) to whom a work, a scientific name, or a nomenclatural act is attributed [Arts. 50, 51] (see also anonymous). For the purposes of the Code, if a work is attributed to an editor, or an official (e.g. Secretary), or a body (e.g. a committee or a commission), only that person(s) actually responsible for the work, name, or act, is deemed to be the author [Art. 50]."

Proposal:
author, n. (1) of a name: the person(s) made resposible by the provisions of Art. 50 and 51 for the textual contents of the original description of the name; (2) of a work: the persons(s) made responsible by the provisions of Art. 50 for having written the scientific content of a published text. In the case of works consisting almost exclusively of images (no other textual content than a title page, plate or figure numbers), the person(s) mentioned in the work itself for being responsible for the figures.

editor, n. The person(s) responsible for compiling the material submitted by one or several authors and for preparing the arrangement of the scientific contents for publication. An editor can also be an author if being reponsible for having written text passages not referred to one of the other authors.

publisher, n. The person(s) or legal entity responsible for converting the prepared manuscript into a printed work, and for distributing the printed copies. The publisher has also the economic responsibility.
2009-07-07 12:40:25
FranciscoWelterSchultes   add a new entry

infrasubgeneric name. A name applied to an infrasubgeneric entity (section, division, Formenkreis etc.) [Art. 10.4].
2009-07-01 10:17:01
FranciscoWelterSchultes   "adopt, v. To use an unavailable name as the valid name of a taxon in a way which establishes it as a new name with its own authorship and date [Arts. 11.6, 45.5.1., 45.6.4.1]."

See also my comment under 11.6. It should be made clear that "to adopt" must mean that the author who adopts a name knows that the unavailable name was previously published (which implies a bibliographical reference).

Example: Moquin-Tandon 1855 used the name Helix cornea var. squammatina for a gastropod species without reference to a previous source, Rossmässler 1835 had previously used the name Helix squamatina as a synonym, both names had different types, so Moquin-Tandon did not adopt the older name although subjectively we know today that the same species was meant.

This is a very frequent problem in molluscs where names were poking around on collection labels and frequently cited as synonyms decades before they were published with descriptions.
It is the spirit of zoological nomenclature that always the earliest name that had a description must be used. This should not be distorted too much by Art. 11.6. A strict interpretation of the term "to adopt" would thus be helpful.
2009-06-25 09:45:50
FranciscoWelterSchultes   The terms "definition" and "description" need a more accurate definition like in Art. 12.3, because Art. 12.3 is only for names published before 1931 and its application for post-1930 names was unclear and disputed.
Also, the term "characters" should be replaced by "character states" (see the proposal by Frank Krell to modify Art. 13.1.1 accordingly).

definition, n. A statement in words that purports to give those character states which, in combination, uniquely distinguish a taxon [Arts. 12, 13]. The mention of any of the following does not in itself constitute a definition: a vernacular name, locality, geological horizon, host, label, or specimen.

description, n. A statement in words of taxonomic character states of a specimen or a taxon [Arts. 12, 13]. The mention of any of the following does not in itself constitute a description: a vernacular name, locality, geological horizon, host, label, or specimen.

2009-04-02 04:45:14
FranciscoWelterSchultes   "designation, n. (designate, v.) The nomenclatural act of an author or the Commission in fixing, by an express statement, the name-bearing type of (...)"

It should be made clear that the "express statement" is not to be interpreted in the sense of "express statement of deliberate designation".
2009-03-16 10:42:34
FranciscoWelterSchultes   "conserve, v. To set aside or modify any provision of the Code so as, e.g. (1) to preserve or permit the use of a name as a valid name by removing the obstacles to such use"

This is also applied to names which are unavailable under the provisions of the Code and which were ruled to be available under the plenary powers.
The term "to conserve" is extremely misleading for these cases. I would propose to reinstall the term "to validate".

"To conserve" means to keep, retain and protect something. Conserving an unavailable name would mean that its status would be fixed and never be changed any more. This is exactly incorrect because under the plenary powers the status of the name is changed from unavailable to available, which is the opposite of the literal meaning of "to conserve".

One cannot even argue that by changing the status of availability the Commission retains the use of the name in applied taxonomies. The Commission has the power to make old names available which were never used before. It is extremely misleading to be forced to say that the name Trochulus Chemnitz, 1768 (from an unavailable work) was conserved in Opinion 2079, because there is nothing that was preserved or retained there. Trochulus was never used for the widely used genus Trichia Hartmann, 1840 (non De Haan, 1839). Trochulus was a completely new name that was installed in Op. 2079, an old name had to be found because no other name could have replaced Trichia, so neither its use in applied taxonomies nor its nomenclatural status was at any time preserved or retained. The term "validated" would fit much better here and be much more in accordance with its use in the common English language.

2009-02-20 15:34:04
FranciscoWelterSchultes   "validated, a. A term previously used in the sense of conserved."
should at least be modified to:
"validated, a. A term previously used (before 2000) in the sense of conserved."

But (1) I think not the name was conserved (in the commonly used sense of this term), only its use was conserved (example Attacus Linné, 1767), and (2) that it might be better to say the term "validated" was used in the sense of "ruled to be available".
I would like to propose to reinstall the use of the term "validated" and not to use the term "conserve" for the pure action of ruling a name to be available.
(see also my comment under "conserve").
2009-02-20 15:13:58
FranciscoWelterSchultes   Subsequent spelling: this definition is absolutely not helpful for the zoologist who has to decide, what exactly is a subsequent spelling and what is not? Give a link to Art. 33.3, where the term should be well defined, see my comment there (recorded under Art. 34 because comments to Art. 33 cannot be placed due to a technical bug).

2008-11-06 10:49:10
FranciscoWelterSchultes   The arrangement of the terms in this glossary is not good. It should be sorted strongly alphabetically. Incorrect subsequent spelling should be listed unter I, available name under A.
2008-11-06 10:24:10

Glossary (last edited 2011-12-20 19:45:07 by GaryRosenberg)