[Taxacom] Article 16.2 of the ICZN

[mivie at montana.edu]

At least in entomology, most journals are on record as having code
compliance as a requirement, but that requires that someone who knows the
code well enough reviews the paper well enough, to actually check every
little thing.  Lets face it, it is the job of the AUTHORS to be code
compliant.  I am as frustrated as anyone with the issue, as I think I
spend half of my time dealing with people who did not do their job on
nomenclature, and yet they got it through review. This includes
well-respected systematists who just blew it.  But, to blame anyone but
the author is misplaced.

And yes, the Code is voluntary, and will only be followed if it is not too
onerous.  What is onerous to me is not the same as it is for someone else.
 So, we have flex.  The commissioners need to keep this in mind when they
have the urge to increase legalism.

Lastly, some journals simply refuse to be code compliant.  I know of
people who had the descriptive parts (Code compliance) stripped from
Science and Nature, and forced to be reduced to an absolute minimum in the
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B.  Yet, the journal
wanted them to use the (invalid) scientific name.  The editors of those
prestigious journals feel their space is too precious for such trivia. 
Yet, there is great pressure to publish there if you can.

Mike Ivie


> No code regulates the behavior fo editors or reviewers.  That's a given.
> But, journals could adopt a policy that no manuscript will be published
> until matters involving the code have been dealt with and have passed
> muster by at least one reviewer familiar with the code.  Some journals
> have nomenclature editors to ensure that nomenclatural matters are
> properly dealt with.  Why wouldn't such a system work?  Is it that
> editors/reviewers can't be, or don't want to be, bothered with such
> minutiae?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dick J
>
> Richard Jensen, Professor
> Department of Biology
> Saint Mary's College
> Notre Dame, IN 46556
>
> tel: 574-284-4674
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Stephen Thorpe <s.thorpe at auckland.ac.nz>
> To: Bob Mesibov <mesibov at southcom.com.au>, Dick Jensen
> <rjensen at saintmarys.edu>
> Cc: TAXACOM <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
> Sent: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:21:49 -0500 (EST)
> Subject: RE: [Taxacom] Article 16.2 of the ICZN
>
> ... and no Code which regulates the BEHAVIOUR of taxonomists! To quote one
> (anonymous) coleopterist: "I don't care if someone comes along in the
> future and redesignates my types ..."
>
> ________________________________________
> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> [taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Bob Mesibov
> [mesibov at southcom.com.au]
> Sent: Wednesday, 25 November 2009 2:09 p.m.
> To: Dick Jensen
> Cc: TAXACOM
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Article 16.2 of the ICZN
>
> Dick Jensen wrote:
>
> "How about this: reject any manuscripts that are not in compliance with
> the code.  Or, is that just too radical and idea?"
>
> The predicate 'reject' is missing a subject there. If it were *my*
> journal, I wouldn't have let those invalid lectotypifications get
> published, and if it were Stephen Thorpe's journal, the new family
> wouldn't have been erected without a type genus designation. If we had
> been the reviewers, we would probably have insisted that changes be made
> to ensure Code-compliance, but papers do get published over the objections
> of reviewers... by the subjects of your predicate. There is no Code which
> regulates the behaviour of editors and publishers.
> --
> Dr Robert Mesibov
> Honorary Research Associate
> Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, and
> School of Zoology, University of Tasmania
> Home contact: PO Box 101, Penguin, Tasmania, Australia 7316
> (03) 64371195; 61 3 64371195
> Webpage: http://www.qvmag.tas.gov.au/mesibov.html
>
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