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

[Richard Petit]

Francisco:

Would you please explain your statement:
"There is a strong recommendation not to use initials of first names in a taxon name author string, never and nowhere." 

There are times when initials are necessary to identify an author. In the UK there were the Adams brothers (H. Adams and A. Adams) who published many new taxa during the same period as the American C.B. Adams.  In the U.S. there were the Verrills. The Sowerby family, of course, has the most authors who need to be distinguished at least by intials (J.; J.D.C.; G.B. I; G.B. II, G.B. III).  Identification is important as some of them introduced the same name for different species (e.g., Conus catenatus G.B. Sowerby I, 1850 and Conus catenatus G.B. Sowerby III, 1875).  In this example the dates would easily distinguish the two to those familiar with the life dates of the members of the Sowerby family, but there are others that are not so easily determined.  

Regards,

dick p.