[Taxacom] formation of zoological names with Mc, Mac, etc.

[Tony.Rees at csiro.au]

Dear Taxacomers,

A related question:

Can suitably knowledgeable persons advise as to the correctness or otherwise of author names that start with M' , i.e. (in Nomenclator Zoologicus) these currently include M'Andrew (genus Amouroecium), M'Clelland (genus Ophisternon plus others), M'Coy (genus Actinoconchus plus others), M'Intosh (genus Cephalodiscus plus others), M'Lachlan (genus Colpomera plus others), M'Leay (genus Anoplocheilus plus others) and M'Murtrie (genus Priodon). In general I have also seen these cited elsewhere with Mc substituted for M'  , e.g. in the online Catalog of Fishes Eschmeyer has Ophisternon McClelland 1844 whereas Nomenclator Zoologicus has Ophisternon M'Clelland 1844, so for my IRMNG database I made these changes, however possibly I should revert them?

Any advice appreciated.

Regards - Tony


-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Gary Rosenberg
Sent: Thursday, 27 August 2009 4:27 AM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] formation of zoological names with Mc, Mac, etc.

David,
 
You're remembering Recommendation 21a from Appendix D, "Recommendation in the Formation of Names", of the third edition of the Code. That appendix was dropped in the fourth edition. It said: "The prefixes "Mac", "Mc" or "M' " should be spelled "mac" and united, as in maccooki (McCook), maccoyi (M'Coy)."
Bieler (1988, Veliger 30: 423-424) noted that this recommendation had misinterpreted to mean that names formed contrary to this recommendation should be emended. The recommendation applies only to the initial formation of the name, not to its subsequent usage, so emendations changing "mc" or "m' " to "mac" are unjustified.
 
Best wishes,
Gary

>>> "Dr. David Campbell" <amblema at bama.ua.edu> 8/26/2009 12:32 PM >>>
I recall a provision that M', Mc, etc. commencing various surnames of 
Celtic origin was to be written out as Mac, but am unable to locate it 
with a fair amount of time looking at the online Code.  Did this get 
dropped out at some point?  

-- 
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections Building
Department of Biological Sciences
Biodiversity and Systematics
University of Alabama, Box 870345
Tuscaloosa AL 35487-0345  USA


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