Latin and formal descriptions

[Robin Panza]

> Poof! You have a new, validly published name, Flora flava
>Foxworthy ex Sims or whatever. Requiring the Latin description prevents
>this sort of thing, forcing the author to do some extra work and some
>extra thought in order to have a name become officially acceptible.
>
>Joe Laferriere
>JosephL at ccit.arizona.edu


Personally, I don't believe this can be credited to requiring Latin
descriptions.  19th century bird descriptions were just about as bad, some of
them in Latin.  Modern bird descriptions are much more formal, complete, and
usable, despite the fact that they are no longer in Latin.  I think the change
is due to the recognition of what is required for publishing a new species, not
the language it's in.

Robin Panza                     panzar at clp2.clpgh.org
Section of Birds
Carnegie Museum of Natural History