PhyloCode prefix/suffix?

[Richard Pyle]

I'd have to say that I'm partial to Finn Rasmussen's suggestion for using
the "<" or ">" symbol.  It does indeed resemble a node and two branches
within a cladogram.  I would either use a prefix ">" (e.g., ">Apogonidae"),
or (my preference) a suffix "<" ("Apogonidae<"), so that the name is at the
node of the mini-cladogram, and the two branches would represent the minimum
two specifiers that define a clade name.  The only catch is that these
symbols are used to delineate HTML tags....but that shouldn't be a
show-stopper.  An alternative would be the carat "^", which shows the name
as a terminal branch of the mini cladogram.  Although this symbol is used in
computerese to represent a "control" character, and also as an exponent
identifier, those shouldn't conflict with a PhyloCode name. But I don't
think it's as good, because it puts the taxon name at the end of a branch,
rather than at the node.

Aloha,
Rich

Richard L. Pyle
Ichthyology, Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817
Ph: (808)848-4115, Fax: (808)847-8252
email: deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
"The views expressed are the author's, and not necessarily those of Bishop
Museum."


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Taxacom Discussion List [mailto:TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG]On Behalf Of
> MAGarland at AOL.COM
> Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2000 3:30 PM
> To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
> Subject: Re: PhyloCode prefix/suffix?
>
>
> In a message dated 10/25/00 8:36:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> Philip Cantino
> writes:
>
> > I like the ! symbol too.
>
> You can even pronounce it if you want to.  I can see the
> presentations now:
> "Phylogeny of the !ASTERACEAE!" (said excitedly--a PhyloCode paper) versus
> "Relationships of the [sigh] Asteraceae" (a non-PhyloCode paper).  Should
> make talks interesting.
>
>
> Mark A. Garland
> Florida Department of Environmental Protection
> 2600 Blair Stone Road, Mail Station 2500
> Tallahassee, Florida 32399
> U.S.A.
> mark.garland at dep.state.fl.us
> magarland at aol.com