[Taxacom] New Blog Post: Calling Time on Biological Nomencla

[Francisco Welter-Schultes]

Roger,

> A recognized list of the names used. To establish that any two 
> studies are actually using the same names whilst accounting for 
> spelling variants and homonyms as well as to facilitate consistency 
> in spelling and presentation. 
In zoology we have a difference between nomenclature and taxonomy. 
Are you aware of this difference?
You are addressing the ICZN Code to solve the problem by establishing 
a register of names. But this concerns only nomenclature, not 
taxonomy. So, would it solve your problem?

> The  publications in which new names appear could be published
> anywhere and deposited in any library. 
Yes, this is correct.

> Although continuously updated the codes are still focused on a world
> of paper publication 
Yes this is also correct, and necessary.

> There is no requirement for them to be peer reviewed.
There is a language problem. I would not be able to peer-review a 
Russian paper.

> any revisionary treatment of a group has the potential to 
> destabilise the names in current use by uncovering older 
> publications.
This is correct but occurs relatively rarely in zoology. Changes of 
names for taxonomic reasons occur much more frequently, 
sometimes mandatory (if two taxa result to belong to the same 
species and must be lumped), but often based on pure subjective 
feelings (elevating subgenera into generic rank).

Francisco




University of Goettingen, Germany
www.animalbase.org