abbreviations for author names

[Spies, Martin]

It is pointless and a waste of time to try to discuss anything with
someone who habitually shifts to another issue instead of addressing the
other person's argument. Therefore, let it be known here that no more
replies from me from here on won't mean that I have bought into Chris'
rambling schemes.

In an ideal future situation - when all homonyms, etc., have been
resolved - we might be able to get by without information in addition to
the bare scientific names. Such nirvana could be reached, e.g., if
ZooBank were established and extended all the way back to the beginning
of zoological nomenclature, or if for each and every group of animals an
Official List in the sense of the ICZN Code were established. However,
as everybody knows, we are far away from such a dream world. Instead,
under the present circumstances, treating additional data such as
taxonomic authors' names as irrelevant or "junk" would lead to confusion
in many cases and therefore counteract rather than promote the purpose
of nomenclature: meaningful communication about the named organisms.

And as far as funding goes: If you want to turn your opinion about what
is scientifically sound and meaningful with the current largest volume
of hot air generated by the latest passing fad, then go ahead and
abandon what you've been working for for decades. But then please don't
go around spreading what constitutes misinformation and claiming that
your guideline in doing so is science rather than a combination of panic
and opportunism.

--
Martin Spies
c/o Zoologische Staatssammlung Muenchen
Germany