[Taxacom] "sp. nr." in name

[Stephen Thorpe]

There is a lot of variation in this sort of thing. I don't think that there is a right or wrong. A slightly more significant question is whether Geolaelaps sp.
 nr. aculeifer excludes aculeifer itself (in the mind of the determiner), or whether they mean "aculeifer or near", which is more like some definitions I've read of "cf." (="confer", = could be a different species but needs more research to be sure).

Stephen

--------------------------------------------
On Wed, 18/10/17, Guanyang Zhang <gyz151 at gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: [Taxacom] "sp. nr." in name
 To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 Received: Wednesday, 18 October, 2017, 9:01 AM
 
 Dear all,
 
 I've recently come across "sp. nr." in
 names.  For example, Geolaelaps sp.
 nr. aculeifer (Canestrini) (Acari:
 Laelapidae) (Source
 <https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/canadian-entomologist/article/biological-control-of-fungus-gnats-bradysia-spp-diptera-sciaridae-and-western-flower-thrips-frankliniella-occidentals-pergande-thysanoptera-thripidae-in-greenhouses-using-a-soil-dwelling-predatory-mite-geolaelaps-sp-nr-aculeifer-canestrini-acari-laelapidae1/CE688E27B47A3747F1A2328A3984F823>
 )
 
 This appears to be uncommon. In nearly
 all insect determination labels I've
 seen, if the identifier isn't sure
 about the identification, either nr. or
 cf. could be used, but without sp.,
 which seems redundant. A colleague of
 mine argues that "sp." is needed to
 make the name binomial. Not sure if I
 see the point of doing that for species
 with doubtful identification. Any
 thoughts? Thanks.
 
 Best,
 Guanyang
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