taxons and orthography

[Robin Leech]

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Schuchert <Peter.Schuchert at MHN.VILLE-GE.CH>
To: <TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG>
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 12:47 AM
Subject: taxons and orthography


> dear collegues
> English is not my mother tongue, so could you please give me some advice
on
> the correct usage of articles and taxon names? Are taxon names used with
or
> without articles ?
> Are taxon names used in plural or singular? In the literature I found both
> usages.
> So, whhat is the correct version in the following examples:
>
> Cnidaria are mostly marine animals ....
> The Cnidaria are mostly marine animals ....
        BOTH ARE OK.  IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOU ARE GIVING A LECTURE, OR
        IF THIS IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED.  PREFERENCE FOR FIRST.
>
> germ cells are lodged in the gastrodermis in Anthozoa and Scyphozoa ...
> germ cells are lodged in the gastrodermis in the  Anthozoa and Scyphozoa
..
>     PREFERENCE FOR FIRST ONE


> ... nematocysts are found in the Cnidaria only ...
> ... nematocysts are found in Cnidaria only ...
>     PREFERENCE FOR FIRST ONE.

> The Medusozoa are the sister group of the Anthozoa ...
> Medusozoa is the sistergroup of Anthozoa ...
> The Medusozoa is the sister group of the Anthozoa ...
>     THE FIRST ONE IS GRAMMATICALLY INCORRECT.  "MEDUSOZOA" IS BEING USED
AS A
        COLLECTIVE NOUN, AND SINCE IT IS BEING TREATED AS A SINGLE ENTITY,
THE VERB
        "IS" MUST BE USED.  MY PREFERENCE IS FOR THE SECOND ONE IF YOU ARE
GIVING
        A LECTURE, AND THE THIRD ONE IF PUBLISHING.  THOUGH THE THIRD ONE
READS OK,
        IT SOUNDS "STIFF" IF I READ IT ALOUD.

Hope this helps a bit (at least).  Robin Leech
>
>
> many thanks for your advice,
> Peter
> _____________________________________________
> Peter Schuchert
> Museum d'Histoire Naturelle
> 1 Route Malagnou
> CH-1211 Geneva
> Switzerland
>
> http://www.geneva-city.ch/musinfo/mhng/
> _____________________________________________
>