[Taxacom] EJT, European journal for taxonomy : call for papers

Thu Jun 30 03:23:11 CDT 2011

I understand Art. 29.1 all too well ... but it's out of step with reality - hence the e-publication proposal to be debated (and, I assume, voted positively on) in about 20 days time ... :-)

The 'Libraries accessible to botanists generally' have been replaced by the Web ... specifically the BHL and the other digital archives (I have used BHL twice this morning to research a nomenclatural problem); a proportion of the 'new kids on the block', recently graduated, have never been in a 'physical' Library - this proportion will only increase, dramatically, in the next 5-10 years. And, the BHL is a god-send to the vast majority of systematists outside Europe (esp. NW) and North America.

I do not find reference to a requirement for a 'permanent scientific record' in the ICBN - perhaps I missed it. The primary function of the ICBN, imho, is to support 'stability of naming taxonomic groups' [nomenclature supports taxonomy] ... it does this by the type method and priority of publication - if the type method and priority of publication are contrary to stability the Code provides mechanism for dealing with this. The date of a name is that appearing with the name when it is made public - if there is doubt or ambiguity this can be fixed by applying the Code.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of dipteryx at freeler.nl
Sent: 30 June 2011 09:01
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] EJT, European journal for taxonomy : call for papers

I don't think that the original meaning of publication - to make public - has ever been abandoned. However, for the publication of a scientific name this is only one of two components. The other is establishing a "permanent scientific record", which is the technically hard part (hence all the discussion): see Art. 29.1 of the botanical Code.

Paul

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Paul Kirk [mailto:p.kirk at cabi.org]
Verzonden: do 30-6-2011 9:37

Is not the simple solution here (and for botanical nomenclature) to return to the original (?) meaning of publication - to make public. If a name is made public it satisfies that part of the Code w.r.t. publication; assuming other parts of the publication are Code compliant, the name is available(zool.)/valid(botan.). Right?

A previous comment suggested that taxonomy has a means of dealing with names which are the result of bad taxonomy - it's synonymy - and in a digital era this can happen very very fast. The half-life of nomenclaturally superfluous names is falling ... if this was a metric it might be useful as a 'moderating' mechanism. Not too good on your CV if your 'new' name has a half-life of 69 milli seconds?

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of dipteryx at freeler.nl
Sent: 30 June 2011 08:26
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] EJT, European journal for taxonomy : call for papers

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu namens Doug Yanega
Verzonden: wo 29-6-2011 18:50

>> Quoting from the website (third paragraph):
>>
>>    "Printed versions of EJT papers will be distributed to some
>>     major natural history museums and institutions to comply
>>     with the rules of the different nomenclatural codes."

> It is remarkable how many people seem to think that the Zoological 
> Code contains a requirement that paper copies be deposited in a 
> library.

***
It is not possible to deduce from the quote if these 'publications'
will be Code compliant (or not), all it says that the intent is to comply with the rules of the relevant Code. So it is much too early to start criticizing.

As to the wording of the zoological Code, the "COULD have printed one copy one day, two copies the next day, another copy three days later (with a typo fixed), two more copies the following day, and so forth,"  is only non-compliant because of the fixing of the typo. The requirement is for the work to be simultaneously obtainable, not simultaneously produced. A method that produces five copies a day, for a week and a half (with a rest over the weekend) can be Code-compliant, provided the copies are made public (published) simultaneously. What you cannot do is put them in the mail or sell them off as they are produced, piecemeal.

As to the fixing of the typo this could also occur when printing them in a single day, or when using a printing press. So these are two separate issues.

Of course, this is not to say that the procedure that EJT announces to be pursuing is an example to be followed (it does sound like a grey area), but there is no reason to assume anything will actually go wrong.

Paul

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