PhyloCode prefix/suffix?

[Cam Webb]

On Tue, 24 Oct 2000, Philip Cantino wrote:

> My own preferred approach would have been to require a standard
> symbol at the beginning or end of PhyloCode names--for example a
> slash at the beginning of the name, as used by David Baum and
> coworkers.  Thus, /Lamiaceae would be a clade name governed by the
> PhyloCode, whereas Lamiaceae would be a family name governed by the
> ICBN.

(Sorry if the following comment has been made previously - I just
joined the list)

It seems to me most logical to use a slash _after_ the name (apologies,
David Baum and friends!).  For those familiar with Unix (or the WWW, which
uses the grammar of Unix), directories (`folders') are indicated by a
slash following the name (e.g., projects/ ).  Since the slash is the
directory-level dividing symbol, it occurs after the name, to indicate
that there are contents `inside' that directory (e.g.,
projects/new_ideas.txt ).  The same logic is consistent with clade names:
unless the name refers to a terminal taxon (itself a collection of
populations), the clade `contains' other taxa and thus the dividing symbol
should be placed after the name.  A slash at the front of a word implies
`this clade or taxon is contained within a higher clade,' which, while
meaningful, seems not quite to capture what we mean when we talk about
e.g., `the clade called Tilioideae.' In addition, a symbol after the name
seems to tricks the eye and tongue slightly less when one reads the name
(at least it does for me).

Just a thought!

Cam

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  Campbell O. Webb

  Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
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