[Taxacom] two names online published - one new species

Richard Pyle deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
Fri Jan 22 15:38:59 CST 2016


No, Stephen, it is not splitting hairs.  The role of secretary general is an administrative role, used to help maintain voting schedules, assist in fund-raising (e.g., long-term viability), etc. It's a role that is part of the ICZN Secretariat (see Art. 9 of the ICZN Constitution).  The term "head" unambiguously implies an authoritative and/or decision-making role that is over and above other Commissioners.  This would include the President, Vice-President, and Council.

Aloha,
Rich

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Taxacom [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf
> Of Stephen Thorpe
> Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 11:29 AM
> To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu; Michael A. Ivie
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] two names online published - one new species
> 
> Well, the article I linked to states [quote]One of his top priorities in his new
> job would be to ensure the commission’s long term viability[unquote]
> 
> So, what does the president do, then?
> 
> It is really splitting hairs to criticize my use of the vague term "head of"! It is
> near enough to make my point.
> 
> Stephen
> 
> --------------------------------------------
> On Sat, 23/1/16, Michael A. Ivie <mivie at montana.edu> wrote:
> 
>  Subject: Re: [Taxacom] two names online published - one new species
>  To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>  Received: Saturday, 23 January, 2016, 10:10 AM
> 
>  Isn't the head of the ICZN a
>  President?  Did someone change the By-Laws?
> 
>  On 1/22/2016 2:03 PM, Stephen Thorpe wrote:
>  > Rich,
>  >
>  > I'm going to have to reply to some of your comments  individually. Firstly:
>  >
>  >> Finally, can you elaborate on what you mean by this
>  statement:
>  >> "BTW, congrats to Z.-Q. Zhang on his recent  appointment as head of the
> ICZN"
>  >> ?
>  > This is what I mean:
> http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/about/news/snippets/researcher-in-nz-
> first
>  >
>  > Looks like I do know something that you don't! :)  >  > Stephen  >  > ---------
> -----------------------------------
>  > On Sat, 23/1/16, Richard Pyle <deepreef at bishopmuseum.org>
>  wrote:
>  >
>  >   Subject: RE: [Taxacom] two names
>  online published - one new species
>  >   To: "'Stephen Thorpe'" <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>,
> taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu,  "'engel'" <msengel at ku.edu>,  "'Doug
> Yanega'" <dyanega at ucr.edu>  >   Received: Saturday, 23 January, 2016,
>  9:55 AM
>  >
>  >   Hi Stephen,
>  >
>  >   Let me clarify... I scale the
>  >   magnitude of the issue using a
>  baseline of paper-based
>  >   publications and/or the situation as  it existed prior to the  >   amendment
> for electronic  publication.  I often see lots of  >   frantic arm-waving and
> other forms of  virtual panic about  >   one crisis or another related to
> electronic publication.
>  >   To be sure, there are some new
>  problems that have been
>  >   introduced with the Amendment, and
>  CERTAINLY the Amendment
>  >   did not solve all of the problems that  existed before it  >   (nor could it
> have).  As Doug has  already alluded to, the  >   Amendment represents a
> compromise  between many different  >   possible approaches, and
> ultimately  reflects the best  >   consensus of the community at the  time.
>  >
>  >   One thing the Amendment has done is  shine a  >   spotlight on problems
> that have  existed for a long time, but  >   which people scarcely noticed
> before.  That they went  >   unnoticed before doesn't mean that  they were
> any less  >   serious before; only that many of us  were blissfully
> >   ignorant.  One might argue that  an "ignorance is  >   bliss" approach is
> warranted, but it  seems incompatible  >   to basic scientific principles that
> we  taxonomists would  >   generally like to adhere to.
>  >
>  >   So, here are some examples of things  that are  >   helpful:
>  >   - Specific observations about how
>  >   the existing rules fail in particular  circumstances  >   - Constructive
> suggestions on how the  next  >   edition of the Code can be improved to
> minimize such  >   failures  >  >   And here are some  >   examples of things
> that are not
>  helpful:
>  >   -
>  >   Frantic arm-waving and hyperbolic
>  exclamations about how the
>  >   nomenclatural sky is falling.
>  >   -
>  >   Misrepresentation of problems with the  Code that have been
> >   illuminated by the Amendment for  electronic publication as  >   though
> they were *caused* by the  Amendment (when in most  >   cases they were,
> in fact, extant prior  to the Amendment, and  >   in many cases at least
> mitigated to  some extent by the  >   Amendment).
>  >   - Representing personal
>  >   interpretations about how the Code
>  "should" be,
>  >   with what is actually written in the  Code.
>  >   -
>  >   Utterly bogus (and, frankly,
>  childish) accusations that
>  >   the Amendment was somehow nefariously  influenced by the
> >   needs/demands of the for-profit  publishing community.
>  >
>  >   Note: Stephen, I am not
>  >   necessarily accusing you of all these  things; but I've  >   seen examples of
> them fly through  Taxacom and other venues  >   on a regular basis.
>  >
>  >   In
>  >   answer to some of your specific
>  questions: every edit to
>  >   every record in ZooBank is logged with  information on what  >   field was
> changed, what the previous  and new values are, who  >   changed them, and
> exactly (to the  nearest millisecond, UTC  >   time) when the change was
> made. So,  for example, if you  >   edited archive info into the Zoobank
> record for Systematic  >   Entomology, there would be a record of  the fact
> that you  >   edited it, and exactly when you edited  it. Not all of this
> >   information is visible on the ZooBank  website, but as soon  >   as we
> receive the next round of  ZooBank development funding,  >   much of it will
> be added. In the  meantime, I am happy to  >   retrieve and provide this
> information  for any field of any  >   record.
>  >
>  >   Finally, can you
>  >   elaborate on what you mean by this
>  statement:
>  >   "BTW, congrats to Z.-Q. Zhang on his  >   recent appointment as head of
> the  ICZN"
>  >   ?
>  >
>  >   Either you
>  >   know something that I don't, or this  serves as one more  >   example
> reflecting the reliability of  your insights on the  >   ICZN and its functions.
>  >
>  >   Thanks, and Aloha,
>  >   Rich
>  >
>  >
>  >   Richard L.
>  >   Pyle, PhD
>  >   Database Coordinator for Natural
>  >   Sciences | Associate Zoologist in
>  Ichthyology | Dive Safety
>  >   Officer
>  >   Department of Natural Sciences,
>  >   Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St.,
>  Honolulu, HI 96817
>  >   Ph: (808)848-4115, Fax: (808)847-8252
>  email: deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
>  >   http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/staff/pylerichard.html
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >   > -----Original
>  >   Message-----
>  >   > From: Stephen Thorpe
>  >   [mailto:stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz]
>  >   > Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016
>  10:29 AM
>  >   > To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu;
>  >   'engel'; 'Doug Yanega';
>  >   >
>  >   deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
>  >   > Subject: RE: [Taxacom] two names
>  online
>  >   published - one new species
>  >   >
>  >   > The issue may not be "huge", but
>  >   I think it is probably bigger than
>  you
>  >   >
>  >   indicate. There can be problems in
>  determining "the
>  >   earliest date on which all
>  >   > of the
>  >   requirements have been met". Adding to  this problem is  >   the fact that
> >   > many publishers are  >   publishing print editions online ahead  of actual
> print  >   > (sometimes by months). We have  already  >   seen Frank Krell
> suggest, quite  >   >  >   erroneously in my view, that "March  2016" must be
> >   a mistake on the  >   > Cretaceous Research  >   website. In fact, it is no
> mistake!
>  They have published
>  >   > their March 2016 print edition
>  online
>  >   already, but it presumably won't be  >   >  >   actually printed until March!
> One, I  suppose only fairly  >   minor problem,  >   > concerns the nominal
> >   year of publication for taxon names,  which is  >   > frequently widely
> appended to the  names  >   (i.e., Aus bus Author, YEAR). It is  >   > now
> >   very hard to choose between one year  and the next (if online  >   versions
> >   > are published in one year, but  >   the print version isn't actually  printed
> until the  >   > following year). Another problem  is that  >   many people have
> wasted a  >   > significant  >   amount of time doing preregistrations  on
> ZooBank that were  >   in  >   > fact pointless. They thought  that  >   they
> were validly publishing online  first!
>  >   > There are also issues relating to  how easy  >   it might be to make
> apparently  >   >  >   retroactive edits on ZooBank, which  cannot be (at least
> not  >   publicly)  >   > datestamped (for example,  >   what would happen if I
> now edited  archive info  >   > into the Zoobank record for  Systematic
> >   Entomology?) Regrettably, I think  >   > that  >   in the rush to push through
> a Zootaxa  optimised electronic  >   amendment,  >   > the ICZN has created
> rather  >   a confusing mess for many authors and  >   >  >   publishers to try
> to deal with. BTW,  congrats to Z.-Q. Zhang  >   on his recent  >   >
> appointment as head of  >   the ICZN (I would have thought that  there was
> >   > rather a big COI involved there,  but  >   apparently not...)  >   >  >   >
> Stephen  >   >  >   >  >   --------------------------------------------
>  >   > On Fri, 22/1/16, Richard Pyle
>  <deepreef at bishopmuseum.org>
>  >   wrote:
>  >   >
>  >   >  Subject:
>  >   RE: [Taxacom] two names online
>  published - one new
>  >   species
>  >   >  To: "'Stephen
>  >   Thorpe'" <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>,  >   >
> taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu,  >   "'engel'" <msengel at ku.edu>,  >   "'Doug
> >   > Yanega'"
>  >   <dyanega at ucr.edu>
>  >   >  Received: Friday, 22
>  January, 2016, 6:45
>  >   PM
>  >   >
>  >   >  Well,
>  >   it's neither
>  >   >  new, nor huge*.
>  >   But it is a problem, and it was a
>  problem  that was
>  >   > recognized prior to the
>  publication of
>  >   the  Amendment, and one which
>  the
>  >   >
>  >   Commissioners have discussed
>  several times.
>  >   >
>  >   >  The
>  >   >  fundamental question that
>  we do not have
>  >   a definitive answer  for yet
>  (even
>  >   >
>  >   though we have an over-abundance of  opinions),  is how to  >   establish
> the  >   > date of publication for  >   purposes of  priority, when the  following
> dates are  >   > non-identical:
>  >   >
>  >   >  1) The date on which the
>  >   >  publication was registered
>  in
>  >   ZooBank.
>  >   >  2)
>  >   >
>  >   The date of publication as stated in  the ZooBank record.
>  >   >  3) The date of publication
>  as stated in
>  >   the  work itself.
>  >   >  4) The date on
>  >   which the first
>  >   >  electronic edition of
>  >   the work was obtainable.
>  >   >  5) The date
>  >   on which the ISSN or ISBN was
>  added  to the ZooBank
>  >   record.
>  >   >  6) The date on which
>  >   >  the Intended archive was
>  added to the
>  >   ZooBank record.
>  >   >  7) The date on which
>  >   a revised version of the
>  electronic edition of the work
>  >   > was obtainable (e.g.,
>  containing
>  >   evidence of registration).
>  >   >  8) The
>  >   >  date on which paper copies
>  were
>  >   obtainable.
>  >   >
>  >   >
>  >   There are other dates as well
>  >   >  (e.g.,
>  >   the date of publication as stated in  the paper  edition of  >   the work,
> >   > etc.), but I hope you get the  >   point  that it's not a simple  issue,
> because there  >   > are many  possible dates  associated with  >   a given
> work.
>  >   >
>  >   >
>  >   So... which is the date of
>  >   >
>  >   publication for purposes of
>  priority?  Certainly, most
>  >   would agree that it
>  >   > cannot be prior to
>  >   #4 (assuming the  above list is
>  in chronological
>  >   > sequence).  Certainly,
>  not  after #8
>  >   (provided the paper edition meets all  >   >  >   other  criteria of the code
> for  paper-based  >   publications).  Most  >   > Commissioners I  >   have
> discussed this with agree that  the  logical answer  >   is,  >   > generally "the
> earliest date  >   on  which all of the requirements  have been  >   > met".   As
> #2 has  no  >   bearing on any article  in the  Code, we can probably  >   >
> ignore that one.  But all  the  others  >   are in potential play.  One could
> argue  >   > (pretty  effectively, in  fact), that  >   while the Code requires
> electronic works to  >   > include the date of publication  to be  >   stated
> within the work itself, there  is no  >   > requirement that  it be the
>  *correct*
>  >   date of publication.  Indeed, if
>  such a
>  >   > requirement was, in fact, part of  the Code  >   (or how the Code  is
> interpreted),  >   >  >   stability would most likely suffer.
>  >   >
>  >   >  Until there is clarity on
>  this
>  >   >  issue, either by
>  Declaration, Amendment,
>  >   formal statement,  or ratified
>  5th
>  >   >
>  >   Edition by the Commission, it seems to  me  (and most others  >   I've
> discussed it  >   > with), that the  >   trusty "the earliest date on which all  of
> the  >   requirements  >   > have been met"
>  >   approach seems the most  logical
>  to use as a guideline.
>  >   >
>  >   >  Aloha,
>  >   >  Rich
>  >   >
>  >   >  *The reason it's not a
>  >   "huge"
>  >   >  issue is that it
>  >   ultimately affects date of publication  for  purposes of  >   priority;  >   >
> and while there may be a few  >   cases  where potentially  competing names
> >   > both fall within the  "grey  >   zone", there certainly aren't many.
>  >   >
>  >   >
>  >   >  > -----Original
>  >   >  Message-----
>  >   >  >
>  >   From: Stephen Thorpe
>  >   >  [mailto:stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz]
>  >   >  > Sent: Thursday,
>  January 21, 2016
>  >   11:53  AM  > To:
>  >   > taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu;
>  >   engel; Doug Yanega  > Cc:
>  >   > deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
>  >   > Subject: Re: [Taxacom] two names
>  online
>  >   > published - one new species
>  >  >
>  >   Doug (CC Rich),  >  >
>  I think we may have
>  >   > just stumbled upon a  huge
>  problem:
>  >   "the ZooBank  >
>  registration state both
>  >   > the name of an electronic
>  archive
>  >   intended to  > preserve the
>  work and  ..."
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  > I
>  >   have
>  >   >  always assumed that the
>  >   publisher does this, once for
>  each  journal?
>  >   >  > Certainly Magnolia
>  Press does
>  >   >  it for Zootaxa (not
>  surprisingly,
>  >   perhaps, since  > the whole
>  electronic
>  >   > amendment is arguably
>  optimised for
>  >   Zootaxa). How  > many
>  authors think
>  >   > to worry about the archive when
>  >   registering  articles on
>  > ZooBank? Bugger
>  >   > all!
>  >   >  Looking at
>  >   some random records on ZooBank, I'm  now  > worried  >   that a  >   >
> large number of them fail  this  >   requirement! I think we need  > some  >   >
> clarification here (Rich?)  >  >  >   Stephen  >  >  >   >  >   ---------------------------
> -----------------
>  >   >  > On Fri, 22/1/16, Doug
>  Yanega <dyanega at ucr.edu>
>  >   >  wrote:
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >  Subject:
>  >   >
>  >   Re: [Taxacom] two names online
>  published - one new
>  >   species  >  To:
>  >   > taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu,
>  >   "engel" <msengel at ku.edu>
>  >   >  Received:
>  >   > Friday, 22 January,
>  >   2016,
>  >   >  10:17 AM
>  >   >
>  >   >
>  >   >  >  On
>  >   >
>  >   1/21/16 1:03 PM,
>  >   >  >  Stephen
>  >   Thorpe
>  >   >  wrote:
>  >   >
>  >   >  > It is worth
>  >   >  >  noting
>  >   that Michael Engel did
>  >   >  preregister
>  >   his article (twice
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  actually!) on ZooBank:
>  >   >  >  >
>  >   >
>  >   >  > 18 October 2015 http://zoobank.org/References/A6A94078-42E5-
> 48B8-
>  >   >  > B602-49DA7D0523F6
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  [Record not
>  >   publicly viewable]
>  >   >  >  >
>  >   >  13
>  >   >  >
>  >   November 2015 http://zoobank.org/References/ADFE8605-38F3-45C6-
>  >   >  > B686-5094367C9695
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >  > It would
>  therefore
>  >   >  >  appear to be the
>  fault of the
>  >   journal  (Cretaceous
>  Research)  editorial
>  >   > team  >  that no
>  ZooBank registration
>  >   was indicated in  the
>  publication, and
>  >   > very  > unfortunate
>  in  this case
>  >   since it  the same taxon was
>  apparently
>  >   > validly  > described as
>  new by
>  >   Pohl  & Beutel shortly
>  after!
>  >   >
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >  It is not just
>  >   this one thing that
>  >   >  causes the  name
>  >   to be unavailable.
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  There are *three*
>  >   >
>  >   >  requirements under
>  >   >  the present
>  >   ICZN, and the Engel et  al.
>  online paper  > failed to
>  >   comply with
>  >   > *two* of  them, not
>  just
>  >   one. Note  the following
>  > (from
>  >   >
>  >   >  http://iczn.org/content/electronic-publication-made-available-
>  >   > amendment-
>  >   >  >
>  >   code):
>  >   >  >
>  >   >
>  >   >  " The requirements for
>  >   >
>  >   >  electronic publications are
>  that the  work be
>  >   registered in ZooBank before
>  >   > it  >
>  >   is published,  that the work
>  itself  state  the date of
>  >   publication and
>  >   > contain  > evidence
>  >   that registration has
>  occurred,  and that the ZooBank
>  >   > registration  >
>  state  both the name
>  >   of an  electronic  archive
>  intended to
>  >   > preserve the work  > and
>  the ISSN or
>  >   ISBN  >  >
>  associated  with the work."
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >  The
>  >   online version of this
>  >   >  >  work
>  >   fulfills the first of these
>  >   >
>  >   criteria,  but neither of the
>  latter two.
>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >
>  >   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  >
>  >
>  >   >
>  >   _______________________________________________
>  >   >  >  Taxacom Mailing
>  List
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>  >   >  >  The Taxacom
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>  >   >  >
>  >   >  >
>  >   Celebrating 29
>  >   >  years of
>  >   >  >  Taxacom in
>  2016.
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> 
>  --
>  __________________________________________________
> 
>  Michael A. Ivie, Ph.D., F.R.E.S.
> 
>  US Post Office Address:
>  Montana Entomology Collection
>  Marsh Labs, Room 50
>  1911 West Lincoln Street
>  Montana State University
>  Bozeman, MT 59717
>  USA
> 
>  UPS, FedEx, DHL Address:
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>  Marsh Labs, Room 50
>  1911 West Lincoln Street
>  Montana State University
>  Bozeman, MT 59718
>  USA
> 
> 
>  (406) 994-4610 (voice)
>  (406) 994-6029 (FAX)
>  mivie at montana.edu
> 
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> 
>  Celebrating 29 years of Taxacom in 2016.
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