[Taxacom] Quick question re formation of a family-group name

[Doug Yanega]

Tony Rees wrote:

>Hi Doug, thanks for the input.
>
>I've located the original work i.e. Laidlaw, 1902, in Gardiner, 
>Fauna Maldive Laccad., 1 (3), 291, in which the family is erected 
>and therein spelled Pericelidae, here:
>
>http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11179819
>
>So I am presuming that settles it?

Only if that is the form in prevailing usage, actually, since it is 
the elided form. The unelided form could be used even if it is not 
the original spelling, *if* it is in prevailing use. The converse 
does not appeaar to be the case - that is, if the unelided form is 
the original, it ALWAYS is maintained, despite prevailing usage. This 
is how to examine the squid names. Yes, it does require tracking down 
the first family-level usage (and note that "family-level", as the 
Code defines it in Art. 35, is any rank above genus up to and 
including superfamily). Thus, the issue is only instantly settled in 
cases where you find the unelided form is the oldest. It's tedious, 
but necessary to be certain.

Peace,
-- 

Doug Yanega        Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314        skype: dyanega
phone: (951) 827-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
              http://cache.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
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