[Taxacom] Proposed ICZN amendments on electronic publishing

[Denis Brothers]

Perhaps the context in which the amendment is being proposed needs to be emphasised. The Commission sees the need to accommodate electronic publications as so urgent that the amendment to the current (4th) edition of the Code is being proposed now. Work on fundamental review and revision of the Code to produce the 5th edition is also being started, however. So, further input on broader issues will be called for, and the sorts of shortcomings highlighted here will almost certainly be considered then.

Denis

Prof. Denis J. Brothers
President, International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
School of Biological and Conservation Sciences
University of KwaZulu-Natal     (Room 105, John Bews B)
Private Bag X01                        (Carbis Road)
Scottsville
3209 SOUTH AFRICA
tel: +27 (0)33 260 5106
fax: +27 (0)33 260 5105
e-mail: brothers at ukzn.ac.za


>>> "Geoff Read" <gread at actrix.gen.nz> 2008/12/04 11:36 pm >>>
>>> On 5/12/2008 at 9:43 a.m., "Thomas J Simonsen"
<Thomas.simonsen at ualberta.ca>
wrote:
> The second problem I see is the demand for registration on ZooBank of
> electronically published names and changes only. This will only create
> first and second level taxonomic works. If anything, the need for
> registration is lesser for the easily searchable e-publications
> compared to paper publications. It is very well to recommend that
> journal editors ask authors to register names and changes. But why not 
have one rule for all?

I agree. Some drawbacks of a 2 category system were not raised on the iczn
discussion list, yet I think I recall that one of the proposed advantages
of registration was supposed to be there would be no surprise taxa
anymore. But with this scheme there will be no wonderful database of all
new species - one will still have to ferret around looking for obscure new
taxa in paper publications. And without universal registration people will
still be able to (irritatingly & adding to confusion) publish the same
species name more than once.

--
Geoffrey B. Read, Ph.D.
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
gread at actrix.gen.nz 


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