[Taxacom] Generic type of large genus belongs in different genus

[Doug Yanega]

On 4/7/13 5:01 PM, Kim van der Linde wrote:
> On 4/7/2013 6:45 PM, Ken Kinman wrote:
>> Hi Alan,
>>
>> Given that this type species is relatively unknown, and that it is
>> going to cause messes for both the old large genus and the newly
>> named small genus, I would be very tempted to petition the
>> International Commission to have a new type species designated for
>> the larger genus.  This would protect the large genus from many name
>> changes, as well as the new small genus (which already has a type
>> species).  Probably would be best to consult other authorities in
>> advance of such a petition to determine what would be an appropriate
>> choice for the new type species.  I would be hesitant to just let the
>> problem fester waiting for a generic revision that apparently isn't
>> coming anytime in the near future.
> Maybe it is was the botanical commission it could work. The zoologists
> could not even muster to protect Drosophila melanogaster, so do not
> expect much from them..... ;-)
>
The subgenus Drosophila contains a very large number of species, and the 
petition was to eliminate its type species, by replacing it with a 
species (melanogaster) that was the type species of a different subgenus 
entirely - so, not only would the generic AND subgeneric names of all 
the former subgenus Drosophila have to be changed, but the subgeneric 
names of all the former members of D. (Sophophora), as well. Hundreds of 
well-established names would have been changed by assigning a new type 
species in that case. In the botanical case above, assigning a new type 
species would mean all of the names in the large group could be left 
*un*changed. That is essentially the *opposite* situation, and were it 
our decision, we'd probably support it; the ICZN will typically vote for 
the option that preserves the most names.

Sincerely,

-- 
Doug Yanega      Dept. of Entomology       Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314     skype: dyanega
phone: (951) 827-4315 (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
              http://cache.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82