[Taxacom] Scientific name vs Scientific name string

[Francisco Welter-Schultes]

A "string" is a technical term used in electronic environments
describing a combination containing letters and eventually numbers. 

A "scientific name" as used here is a name of an organism established
in a scientific context. This includes also unavailable names and 
polynominal names of the 1600s, given that they were established for 
the use in sciences. A scientific name is opposed to a vernacular 
name.

"Scientific name string" is an inaccurate term which I do not use
because it is not defined and can have a broad range of meanings. For
educational purposes I would never use this term.

In the ICZN Code the term "name" (of a taxon) refers to Parus major, 
and does not include author and year (ICZN Code Art. 51.1). Author 
and year are attached to the name, this is recommended by the IZCN 
Code, which also provides rules how to do that consistently.

The combination genus-species-author-year used in electronic
environments has been called "taxon name author string" since the 
1990s. I find this term useful and apply it also myself because 
since the time when it was established it has been restricted to 
modern scientific names under one of the currently accepted Codes, 
and includes more than the pure name, at least author, usually also 
year.

Francisco

(My browser is not technically able to post this answer to the given 
wiki page. If somebody likes to post my answer there I have no 
problems with it).


University of Goettingen, Germany
www.animalbase.org