[Taxacom] ICZN Opinion 105

[Francisco Welter-Schultes]

Stefan,
a new name should be euphonious and easily memorable. Very long names 
are not easily memorable, and you would risk violating 
Recommendation 5 of Appendix B of the Code. This has no direct 
consequences under the Code (Opinion 105 was a decision about one 
single case without direct implications on likewise cases), but it 
visibly reflects your responsible behaviour as a taxonomist if you 
intend to avoid this. If the last name of the person is too long, you 
can use the first name or one of the person's first names, like 
stefani or stefaniana. 

Art. 31.1 provides one solution of many possible solutions of how a 
name dedicated to a person "may be constructed", this Article has 
no binding function. You are free to select a different mode, and you 
are not forced to form the genitive of the person's last name.

The Code gives no restriction how to construct a euphonious name of 
your choice, playing with some syllables of the person in question, 
like stekoniana, stefakonia or likewise constructions. Recent 
examples for this kind of solutions are the mollusc names Clameia 
brooki, in honour of Claus Meier-Brook, or Menkia horsti, in honour 
of Mr. Menkhorst (in those cases both a new genus and a new species 
were established). 

Francisco

University of Goettingen, Germany
www.animalbase.org