[Taxacom] italicizing names

[Erik Rijkers]

On Fri, May 8, 2015 17:12, Patrick, Brian wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> A colleague writing (revising, actually) an introductory biology textbook has agreed that my suggestion of why species
> names are italicized would be an interesting addition to the introductory text.  Of course, this begs the question of
> exactly why we italicize below the sub-family designation.
>
> I would like to provide this colleague with the wording of the ICZN as it may pertain to this particular question.  I
> thought that the Code made specific reference to genera and specific epithets as Latinized words, thereby necessitating
> italicizing the names.  For names above the rank of genus group, as I read the code it only states that there should be
> standardized endings (articles 4, 11, 29, 31.1, etc...), but no explanation of why these, too, are not italicized.
>
> My assumption is that the genus and specific epithet are specifically to be Latinized, while others are merely words that
> have standardized ending, not necessarily making them Latinized.
>
> This seems overly simplistic, but an explanation would be useful.  Are there specific articles of the ICZN that govern this
> and that I am missing?


A to convention, I believe the convention is not so much to always italicise the name but to make the type face different
from the surrounding text (so that, for instance, a name in a wholly italicised paragraph (which often occurs) the name
should stand out by normal characters, or some other device.


Erik Rijkers

>
> Thank you for your time!
>
> Best regards, Brian
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> L. Brian Patrick, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor of Biology and Chair
> Department of Biological Sciences
> Dakota Wesleyan University
> 1200 W. University Ave.
> Mitchell, SD  57301
>
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