[Zoobank-list] names vs. citations (of names)

[David Eades]

One way to deal with this situation is to allow “temporary name” as a
status.  Species File Software uses this for junior homonyms that have not
yet been replaced and for informal names (“n. sp. 1”) when the database
includes a citation to useful information about an undescribed species.
Incorrectly formed names would also be treated as temporary names if the
corrected name has never been published.

 

At one time my website (http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org) was showing
unpublished combinations for synonymized names transferred to different
genera.  For example, Aus xus Smith is a synonym of Aus yus Jones.  Aus yus
is moved to genus Bus.  I then showed Bus xus (Smith) as a synonym of Bus
yus (Jones).  ITIS rejected any use of the combination Bus xus (Smith)
because it had not appeared in any publication.  After review with the
taxonomists using Species File Software, we concluded my previous treatment
was incorrect.  The synonym must be listed as Aus xus Smith.

 

It seems to me that trying to formally treat names that have never been used
complicates a database without sufficient offsetting benefit.  In the
Mülleri to muelleri example, I would rather see a database contain only an
editorial comment about the required change and not a listing among the real
names.  This would avoid leading users of the database or website into
assuming the corrected spelling had some kind of real usage.

 

David Eades

Illinois Natural History Survey

 

From: zoobank-list-bounces at afriherp.org
[mailto:zoobank-list-bounces at afriherp.org] On Behalf Of Faunaplan at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 3:34 AM
To: zoobank-list at afriherp.org
Subject: [Zoobank-list] names vs. citations (of names)

 

Dear ZooBankers

 

Code-governed available names and citations of such names are two different
things and I'm trying to figure out how ZooBank will deal with the issue:

 

The Zoological Record informs us about citations of names (usage instances),
but there are names that *exist* in a Code-mandated spelling even if such a
spelling has never been cited in a publication. 

 

Examples:

 

A name cited as "Agenus Mülleri" also *exists* as Agenus muelleri, even if
there is no citation of that spelling.
A name cited as "Agenus Mülleri" may even *exist* as Agenus muellerorum,
when it was explicitly dedicated to Mr. & Mrs. Müller, even if that
Code-mandated spelling does not exist as a citation.
A name cited as "Agenus 4-maculatus" also exists as Agenus quadrimaculatus,
etc.

 

Or, two more common but often debated examples:
A name published under a narrow genus-concept as "Bgenus Smithi" also
*exists* in a corresponding wider genus concept (which includes Bgenus as a
subgenus) as "Agenus (Bgenus) smithi", even if that combination has never
been explicitly cited.

 

And, when a bi- or trinomen is synonymized under a different genus
combination, its epithet automatically competes with all epithets in that
genus, even if there is no explicit citation of such a binomen.

 

However, for unavailable names we do not need to store a Code-mandated form
like in the above examples, - they only *exist* as citations.

 

I hope there is room and interest for such discussions

 

Best wishes,
Wolfgang

 

--------------------------

 

Wolfgang Lorenz
Faunistics & Environmental Planning
Büro & Verlag für Faunistik und Umweltplanung
Hoermannstr. 4
D-82327 Tutzing
Germany

 

Tel:   ++49 (0)8158-7554
Email: faunaplan [at] aol.com, 
info [at] carabidfauna.net

 


 


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