electronic publication - reply

[Robin Leech]

The way around the use of a new name before it is published it NOT to use
the name.  If you are going to hand out an item (your diskettes) that
contain the essences of your new taxa, then use something like "New Genus
#1, New Genus #2,...New Species #1, New Species #2..." and so on.  This
way, you avoid the problem of your new names getting into the literature
BEFORE they are validly published.

A few years from now, your new taxa names will be found by others in
articles that precde your valid publication date.  It will create
problems indeed.

I recognize that for certain groups there is pressure to provide a name
for public, medical or other use before the name is validly published.
Your other option is to publish a very short paper with ONLY the
particular name(s) and description (enough to effect publication) in them to
accommodate the needful users.  There are several journals that will gladly
assist you this way when you explain the need.  Oftentimes it can be done
in a month or two this way.  But, I emphasize that there has to be a
genuine need for the names.

Robin Leech
Associate Editor
The Canadian Entomologist