Harmonized Bionomenclature...

[John McNeill]

Peter Rauch <peterr at violet.berkeley.edu> wrote on 31 August:

> It would be nice if these and future texts were also put online (are
> they online somewhere?) so that they could be easily cut/pasted into
> discussions sponsored by a list dedicated to this topic.


> "Steps along the road to a harmonized bionomenclature" D. L.
> Hawksworth, Convenor, Special Committee on Harmonization of Codes,
> TAXON 44(3):447-456, August 1995.

> Summary

> "Steps taken towards an increasingly harmonized approach to the
> nomenclature of organisms in all groups since 1985 are identified. The
> key conclusions of an Exploratory Meeting on Harmonization held in
> 1994 are presented, along with the report of the first meeting of the
> Interim Commission on Bionomenclature held in 1995. The latter meeting
> made proposals on the harmonization of terms between the five existing
> _Codes_, and also prepared a first draft _International code of
> bionomenclature_ to deal with names published after (provisionally) 1
> January 2000."

> plus two of the Literature cited:

> Hawksworth, D.L. 1994. A draft glossary of terms used in
> bionomenclature.  IUBS Monogr. 8.

> Hawskworth, D.L., et al. 1994. Towards a harmonized bionomenclature
> for life on earth. Biol. Int., Special Issue 30.


In response to this posting by Peter Rauch, it should be noted that hard
copy of the two cited items is obtainable from IUBS, 51 boulevard de
Montmorency, 75016 Paris, France - e-mail: iubs at paris7.jussieu.fr

The IUBS Secretariat (or David Hawksworth, IUBS President) can determine
whether or not posting the material itself is feasible.

It seems, however, opportune to comment on the earlier suggestion that
the draft of the International Code of Bionomenclature (discussed in
David Hawksworth's _Taxon_ paper) be made available (as is the current
draft of the ICZN) on the TAXACOM (or other) Listserver.

This, or something similar, will be done, but not until the members of
the various Commissions and Committees, dealing with the nomenclature of
particular groups of organisms, have had an opportunity to comment
directly to the Interim Commisssion on Bionomenclature.  In such a
significant new direction, it is only reasonable that those most
involved in the existing biological codes of nomenclature be consulted
first.

The draft Code prepared at Egham, England, in May of this year has now
been circulated to the main Nomenclatural Commissions and Committees.
Their comments are now sought, and will be assessed by the Commission at
its next meeting in March 1996, also at Egham.  Immediately thereafter,
the most widespread possible consultation with the entire biologicaal
community will be encouraged, in order that full and informed discussion
can take place at the ICSEB meetings in Budapest next summer.  It is at
this stage that electronic posting seems the most useful.

John McNeill

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From: John McNeill, Director, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park,
      Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6, Canada.
      Tel.: 416-586-5639      Fax: 416-586-8044
      e-mail: johnm at rom.on.ca
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