-i or -ii? (ICZN)

[W.Wuster]

On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Alec McClay wrote:

> A similar case: An author in 1808 names a species "hookeri". In the
> original description he states that the species was discovered by a Mr.
> W.J. Hooker and that he is naming it after Mr. Hooker "and his brother Mr=
=2E
> J. Hooker". The name hookeri has been in common use since then. In 1995
> another author emends the spelling to "hookerorum" on the grounds that it
> should have a plural ending and "hookeri" is thus an incorrect original
> spelling under Article 32(c). I do not have access to the current ICZN, b=
ut
> would like to know (1) is this emendation justified under the code? (2) i=
s
> there a case for conserving the original spelling? (3) will the situation
> be any different under the 4th edition of the code when it comes into for=
ce?

Yes, the emendation was justified. The crucial point was that the
original description contained *internal* evidence - the author clearly
stated that he was naming the species after two persons, hence the
singular ending was wrong .

We had this discussion a while ago about the spelling of Daboia russelii
- the snake was by named Shaw and Nodder in honour of a Patrick Russell,
who spelled his name with -ll. However, Shaw and Nodder spelled
Russell's name with -l, and named the snake russelii. Since there is no
*internal* inconsistency within the original publication itself, the
original spelling must stand, even though it is nonsensical from an
etymological point of view.=20

My original question was basically whether the name of a species named
after a man whose name ends in -i (unlatinised) will automatically and
obligatorily end in -ii, or whether this falls under the remit of Art
33d, where it is stated that endings in -i or -ii are, in effect
immutable. From the answers I have received, it seems that the former is
the case. The reason I asked is that this is for a paper I am
refereeing, and I don't have the original descriptions of the species
concerned... =20

Many thanks for the many helpful posts on this!

Wolfgang Wuster

--
Wolfgang W=FCster
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK
e-mail: w.wuster at bangor.ac.uk   WWW: http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/