[Taxacom] LSID versus names

Thu Jun 21 06:52:48 CDT 2012

Jim,
which begs the question what is the purpose of the list? As far as I  
am concerened the list (which is not necessarily simply limited to  
"names") does not replace the main information concerning the  
properties of the taxon in question etc. It summarises critical  
information, which in the case of the Bacteriological Code would be:
a) the name and where it was published (in our case in a Code  
compliant fashion).
b) where one finds the description
c) where the types are located
d) given the relevance of specialist databases for data such as  
gene/protein sequences the links to the relevant sequence accession  
numbers.
e) documenting assertions of synonym (without determining whether such  
assertions are to be followed), or rulings affecting the use of names  
made by appropriate authorities that deal with such matters.

That is a good start. Both ZooBank and MycoBank look like that they  
would like to head for being far more than being just lists of names.

Brian

Quoting Jim Croft <jim.croft at gmail.com>:

> Absolutely... which is why as a community we invest in things like
> IPNI, APNI, etc.
>
> But I think there is a risk, if not a problem, in assigning the point
> of authority to an abstracted list rather the publication.
>
> Having said that, the crystal ball and bat entrails are insisting that
> time and technology will inevitably take us to a place where 'the list
> is the thing'. They don't tell me when or how it is going to work, but
> they are pretty sure it is going to happen.
>
> jim
>
> On Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 10:57 PM, Dr.B.J.Tindall <bti at dsmz.de> wrote:
>> Jim,
>> Well, if anything is going to be "authoritative" it would have to be the
>> fact that certain nomenclatural and taxonomic events/acts have taken place.
>> There is no better way of doing this than to make sure that these
>> acts/events are properly documented. In bacteriology and virology this is
>> via a centralised system. To my knowledge the virologists maintain an
>> authoritative list of names on the ICTV website and there were suggestions
>> that bacteriologists should do the same - the only issue being who pays the
>> bills.
>>
>> The only issue that is problematic is when there is an "authoritative" list
>> (which in bacteriology would document new names and new combinations) and
>> other lists surface which are misleading/erroneous and undermine the work of
>> those who try to make sure that the "authoritative lists" are accurate.
>>
>> Brian
>>
>> Quoting Jim Croft <jim.croft at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> This kind of thinking is a big problem and one of the reasons we get
>>> into messes like this. NONE of these databases is authoritative.  They
>>> are not mentioned in the Code, they have not legislated priority and
>>> have no official standing in nomenclature or taxonomy at all. They are
>>> at best useful and reliable indices to the literature (with the type
>>> and cited specimens, the real authority), at worst, incomplete
>>> perpetuators of falsehoods.
>>>
>>> There is no point looking for a single point of truth when there isn't
>>> one. Well ok, it might be core business for religion and politics. But
>>> it is not going to work for nomenclature and taxonomy, unless we
>>> change the Code radically and create one (ducks quickly, to avoid the
>>> ugly reg* word).
>>>
>>> jim
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 5:42 PM, Roderic Page <r.page at bio.gla.ac.uk>
>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Plant people are
>>>> somewhat better off with IPNI, although one could argue whether we should
>>>> regard IPNI, Tropics, or the Plant List as the definitive authority.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>> Taxacom Mailing List
>>> Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
>>>
>>> The Taxacom archive going back to 1992 may be searched with either of
>>> these methods:
>>>
>>> (1) by visiting http://taxacom.markmail.org
>>>
>>> (2) a Google search specified as:
>>>  site:mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom  your search terms here
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr.B.J.Tindall
>> Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von
>> Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH
>> Inhoffenstraße 7B
>> 38124 Braunschweig
>> Germany
>> Tel. ++49 531-2616-224
>> Fax  ++49 531-2616-418
>> http://www.dsmz.de
>> Director: Prof. Dr. J. Overmann
>> Local court: Braunschweig HRB 2570
>> Chairman of the management board: MR Dr. Axel Kollatschny
>>
>> DSMZ - A member of the Leibniz Association (WGL)
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> _________________
> Jim Croft ~ jim.croft at gmail.com ~ +61-2-62509499 ~ http://about.me/jrc
> 'Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to
> pause and reflect.'
> - Mark Twain
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> of doubtful sanity.'
>  - Robert Frost
>
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Dr.B.J.Tindall
Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von
Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH
Inhoffenstraße 7B
38124 Braunschweig
Germany
Tel. ++49 531-2616-224
Fax  ++49 531-2616-418
http://www.dsmz.de
Director: Prof. Dr. J. Overmann
Local court: Braunschweig HRB 2570
Chairman of the management board: MR Dr. Axel Kollatschny

DSMZ - A member of the Leibniz Association (WGL)

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