[Zoobank-list] RE: ZooBank Data Objects

[Chris Lyal]

I would suggest that although the register must be of Available names,
it also has to cover those names which are not available.  One of the
problems we face is the number of unavailable names in the literature
that need to be researched each time cataloguing work is done.  These
need to be 'nailed' just as much as the available ones.  In fact, as we
are thinking about developing registration systems for published names,
the reasons why a name might be unavailable are captured by default.  I
recognize that the list of unavailable names is possibly infinite, but
there are many such names that do fall within the realm of usual
taxonomic practice - published (or manuscript) names that fail to
satisfy one or more articles of the Code.  The ICZN already maintains a
list of rejected names - this is the logical extension.

 

Chris

 

Christopher H. C. Lyal, 

Department of Entomology

The Natural History Museum

Cromwell Road

London SW 7 5BD

UK

tel: +44 (0)207 942 5113

 

________________________________

From: zoobank-list-bounces at afriherp.org
[mailto:zoobank-list-bounces at afriherp.org] On Behalf Of
Faunaplan at aol.com
Sent: 06 March 2007 09:56
To: zoobank-list at afriherp.org
Subject: [Zoobank-list] RE: ZooBank Data Objects

 

Thanks for all those detailed new info! 
>From explanations and examples given it seems clear that a GUID
supported naming scheme needs to be more inclusive, not being restricted
to nomenclatural acts as traditionally governed by the Code. 
So why not divide the issue in two chapters:

- one related to ZooBank's "realm", - i.e., Code-compliant, available
zoological names. 
- another one comprising all those "name instances" (incl. misspellings,
misidentified names, in litteris names) as they occur in off- and online
publications, on specimen labels, etc.
The latter "realm" may be better governed by other initiatives like
uBio? (or GBIF's "Electronic Catalogue of Names"?) that are already
collecting ALL names, including names of bacteria, plants, etc. and even
including vernacular names?
I'd like to give urgent priority to the first chapter, the second
chapter could be written as a long-term step-by-step process which may
even lead to a better co-ordination of the realms of botany, zoology,
bacteriology...

In my opinion, one of the functions of ZooBank that is most urgently
needed is to serve as a reliable register of all AVAILABLE names in
zoology. As you know, currently we even don't have a reliable list that
tells us which genus- or family-group names are already pre-occupied!
Nomenclator Zoologicus and Zoological Record are excellent springboards
for a search but they are incomplete and do not provide information
about availability of names etc. 

Best wishes,
Wolfgang
-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and 
dangerous content by MailScanner <http://www.mailscanner.info/> , and is

believed to be clean. 


-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.afriherp.org/pipermail/zoobank-list/attachments/20070306/0118fb77/attachment.htm