[Taxacom] unflagged classification change question

Paul van Rijckevorsel dipteryx at freeler.nl
Tue Jun 12 12:34:58 CDT 2018


Zoologists tend to be divided as to what a "name" is.
The zoological Code is not quite internally consistent.

But Article 5.1 clearly states that "The scientific name
of a species [...] is a combination of [a] generic name
and [a] specific name." Thus, the whole binomen is
a matter of nomenclature.

Also, Recommendation 51G provides for citing the
author responsible for the recombination.

Paul

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Francisco Welter-Schultes" <fwelter at gwdg.de>
To: "Paul Kirk" <P.Kirk at kew.org>; "Stephen Thorpe" 
<stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>; <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2018 5:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] unflagged classification change question


> This is the difference between taxonomy and nomenclature. Placing a 
> specific name in whichever genus is taxonomy and has no nomenclatural 
> relevance in zoology. In botany this is different, as Stephen said. Most 
> people don't know that, but this does not change it.
>
> Cheers
> Francisco
>
> Am 12.06.2018 um 15:30 schrieb Paul Kirk:
>> Francisco, are you saying that a change in name is not 'nomenclaturally 
>> relevant information'? If so, I would respectfully suggest that most 
>> individuals of the species Homo sapiens would disagree with this.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Paul
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu> On Behalf Of Francisco 
>> Welter-Schultes
>> Sent: 12 June 2018 14:26
>> To: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>; 
>> taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] unflagged classification change question
>>
>> It depends. If Smith published a well elaborated taxonomic work with high 
>> impact then Option C "ignoring" is a bad option.
>> As Mike said, authors of papers dealing with ecology, conservation or 
>> economy are often not up to date with current trends in taxonomy. Helix 
>> aspersa is mostly classified in the genus Helix, in hundreds of 
>> publications each year, though most taxonomists have since long preferred 
>> to place it in the genus Cornu. If I place aspersa in the genus Cornu in 
>> a taxonomic work I do not need to justify that, and I can ignore that 100 
>> molecular genetical publications of high impact journals in the last two 
>> weeks have called this species Helix aspersa. If I select Helix as its 
>> current genus in a taxonomic work I should explain and justify my choice.
>>
>> Zoology is not botany. The criteria of publication apply only to 
>> nomenclaturally relevant information. Anything that contains only 
>> taxonomically relevant information does not need to be published in the 
>> sense of the ICZN Code. The unpublished works (internet pages, web 
>> interfaces of online databases etc.) however must also follow the rules 
>> of forming and citing the zoological names.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Francisco
>>
>> Am 12.06.2018 um 02:34 schrieb Stephen Thorpe:
>>> Francisco said: Option C is also an option
>>>
>>> "An option", certainly, but a bad one! By ignoring and not citing Smith, 
>>> it looks like you have overlooked Smith's publication! Some people will 
>>> think (erroneously, but nevertheless) that you have overlooked the 
>>> "fact" that the "species" has been reinstated from synonymy! As a 
>>> general rule, always cite anything that you disagree with!
>>>
>>> The issue in zoology with combinations and synonyms is messy, compared 
>>> with botany. I now much prefer the approach in botany. In botany, 
>>> combinations and synonymies are formal nomenclatural acts which must be 
>>> published according to the botanical code. It still doesn't mean that 
>>> such acts have to be followed, but it makes it a lot easier to keep 
>>> track of the different published options.
>>>
>>> Stephen
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------
>>> On Tue, 12/6/18, Francisco Welter-Schultes <fwelter at gwdg.de> wrote:
>>>
>>>    Subject: Re: [Taxacom] unflagged classification change question
>>>    To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>>    Received: Tuesday, 12 June, 2018, 12:26 PM
>>>    Option C is also an option. Your
>>>    reaction should depend on the
>>>    particular
>>>    significance and impact of Smith's publication.
>>>    I find myself in agreement with Mike and
>>>    Stephen.
>>>    Being classified
>>>    as a junior synonym of another name is not an official
>>>    status that a name has. Every classification is
>>>    always a subjective
>>>    judgement. Terms like
>>>    "new synonym" or "new combination" may
>>>    erroneously
>>>    suggest that we are dealing
>>>    with an official act. To avoid such
>>>    misunderstandings I usually do not recommend
>>>    employing such terms at
>>>    all. They are not
>>>    necessary and have the effect of blurring the
>>>    difference between nomenclature and
>>>    taxonomy.
>>>    If I place Canis lupus in the
>>>    genus Homo this will produce a name Homo
>>>    lupus. I do not know if somebody did that
>>>    before, published, unpublished
>>>    in a museum
>>>    catalog, or in the internet. Taxonomic treatments do not
>>>    need to be published. So actually I would not
>>>    be able to say for sure
>>>    that my idea was
>>>    new.
>>>    Francisco
>>>    -----
>>>    Francisco Welter-Schultes
>>>    Am 11.06.2018 um 23:06 schrieb Stephen
>>>    Thorpe:
>>>    > Hi Derek,
>>>    >
>>>    I'm deliberately answering your question before reading
>>>    the replies by others, so as to give you an independent
>>>    response.
>>>    > The obvious answer to your
>>>    question is simply to explain the situation in the
>>>    publication as you explained it in the Taxacom post and just
>>>    say that you consider the synonymy to be correct, so, in the
>>>    absence of any explanation by Smith for treating it again as
>>>    a valid species, you are continuing to treat it as a
>>>    synonym. Note that synonymy isn't a formal nomenclatural
>>>    act in zoology, so there is no sense in which Smith
>>>    "has made it a valid species again". It is simply
>>>    a valid species in his opinion, and although everyone is
>>>    entitled to their opinion, nobody is obliged to follow.
>>>    > I hope this helps (and I apologise in
>>>    advance for any repetition of what others may have
>>>    replied),
>>>    > Cheers,
>>>    >
>>>    Stephen
>>>    >
>>>    >
>>>    --------------------------------------------
>>>    > On Tue, 12/6/18, Derek Sikes <dssikes at alaska.edu>
>>>    wrote:
>>>    >
>>>    >
>>>    Subject: [Taxacom] unflagged classification change
>>>    question
>>>    >   To: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
>>>    <Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>>>    >   Received: Tuesday, 12 June, 2018, 6:52
>>>    AM
>>>    >
>>>    >   All,
>>>    >
>>>    >   For those of
>>>    you who keep track of one
>>>    >   or more
>>>    taxonomic classifications on
>>>    >   which
>>>    you are an authority...
>>>    >
>>>    >   I'd like to know how you'd
>>>    react to the
>>>    >   following (all
>>>    too-realistic)
>>>    >   hypothetical
>>>    scenario:
>>>    >
>>>    >
>>>    *You find a publication by Smith in
>>>    >
>>>    which a species name that you feel had
>>>    >   been justifiably made a junior
>>>    synonym
>>>    >   some years earlier, was
>>>    treated as a
>>>    >   valid species with no
>>>    explanation for
>>>    >   the change. *
>>>    >
>>>    >   In the next
>>>    publication you produce on
>>>    >   the group
>>>    do you:
>>>    >
>>>    >   A)
>>>    list it as a valid species citing
>>>    >
>>>    Smith's publication
>>>    >
>>>    >   B) re-synonymize it, cite Smith, and
>>>    >   explain that there was no evidence
>>>    >   offered by Smith for the change
>>>    >
>>>    >   C) ignore
>>>    (don't cite) Smith and list
>>>    >   it
>>>    as a junior synonym
>>>    >
>>>    >   D) something else? (& for this
>>>    >   hypothetical, imagine Smith recently
>>>    died)
>>>    >
>>>    >
>>>    Thanks,
>>>    >   Derek
>>>    >
>>>     >   --
>>>    >
>>>    >   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>>    >   Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects
>>>    >   Associate Professor of Entomology
>>>    >   University of Alaska Museum
>>>    >   1962 Yukon Drive
>>>    >
>>>     Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960
>>>    >
>>>    >   dssikes at alaska.edu
>>>    >
>>>    >   phone:
>>>    907-474-6278
>>>    >   FAX: 907-474-5469
>>>    >
>>>    >   University of
>>>    Alaska Museum
>>>    >   - search 400,276
>>>    digitized arthropod records
>>>    > 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Farctos.database.museum%2Fuam_ento_all&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=C0G92EPsLUzsdr7iMAPA6QaJvyWQZ4XKkiCgJQcH2mY%3D&reserved=0
>>>    > 
>>> <https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uaf.edu%2Fmuseum%2Fcollections%2Fento%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=m76JWpPUOERpt9DuqEFa31xNiUSZmlAAc0EXknCGADE%3D&reserved=0>
>>>    >   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>>    >
>>>    >   Interested in
>>>    Alaskan Entomology? Join
>>>    >   the Alaska
>>>    Entomological
>>>    >   Society and / or sign
>>>    up for the email
>>>    >   listserv
>>>    "Alaska Entomological
>>>    >
>>>    Network" at
>>>    > 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.akentsoc.org%2Fcontact_us&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=sHwwWY%2BBuSIdrgMnfvAeJV1K8LrF6u4h5w%2FnOlcR5gc%3D&reserved=0
>>> 
>>> <https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.akentsoc.org%2Fcontact.php&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=ZfWQutlzO2kgne8Y749rO1x87IKPTRozJcU2eCWN8O4%3D&reserved=0>
>>>    >
>>>    _______________________________________________
>>>    >   Taxacom Mailing List
>>>    >   Send Taxacom mailing list
>>>    submissions
>>>    >   to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>>    >
>>>    > 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=LCT6ah4yC7vIC7C57FNugKfJEcflkq2BCMKovreluyo%3D&reserved=0
>>>    >   The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may
>>>    be
>>>    >   searched at: 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=UCTOGgSJHqdwPfSG3fsvyNRyjiaL9%2B9SVKlCw7IigLs%3D&reserved=0
>>>    >   To subscribe or unsubscribe via the
>>>    >   Web, visit: 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=LCT6ah4yC7vIC7C57FNugKfJEcflkq2BCMKovreluyo%3D&reserved=0
>>>    >   You can reach the person managing
>>>    the
>>>    >   list at: taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>>    >
>>>    >   Nurturing
>>>    Nuance while Assaulting
>>>    >   Ambiguity
>>>    for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
>>>    >
>>>    >
>>>    _______________________________________________
>>>    > Taxacom Mailing List
>>>    >
>>>    Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>>    >
>>>    > 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=LCT6ah4yC7vIC7C57FNugKfJEcflkq2BCMKovreluyo%3D&reserved=0
>>>    > The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be
>>>    searched at: 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=UCTOGgSJHqdwPfSG3fsvyNRyjiaL9%2B9SVKlCw7IigLs%3D&reserved=0
>>>    > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the Web,
>>>    visit: 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=LCT6ah4yC7vIC7C57FNugKfJEcflkq2BCMKovreluyo%3D&reserved=0
>>>    > You can reach the person managing the list
>>>    at: taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>>    >
>>>    > Nurturing Nuance
>>>    while Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
>>>    >
>>>    _______________________________________________
>>>    Taxacom Mailing List
>>>    Send
>>>    Taxacom mailing list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>> 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=LCT6ah4yC7vIC7C57FNugKfJEcflkq2BCMKovreluyo%3D&reserved=0
>>>    The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be
>>>    searched at: 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659201568&sdata=UCTOGgSJHqdwPfSG3fsvyNRyjiaL9%2B9SVKlCw7IigLs%3D&reserved=0
>>>    To subscribe or unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
>>> 
>>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659211576&sdata=sbiQPWBa5gZB13v%2Bg3a0nALIjYCyaWyli4d9rH3W4sM%3D&reserved=0
>>>    You can reach the person managing the list at:
>>>    taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>>    Nurturing Nuance while
>>>    Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
>>>    .
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Taxacom Mailing List
>> Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>
>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659211576&sdata=sbiQPWBa5gZB13v%2Bg3a0nALIjYCyaWyli4d9rH3W4sM%3D&reserved=0
>> The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be searched at: 
>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659211576&sdata=jX6WsW5%2BuCRPWul0bMSxdHaC4UsdR%2FPZqDG%2FVmAvcfg%3D&reserved=0
>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the Web, visit: 
>> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.nhm.ku.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftaxacom&data=02%7C01%7Cp.kirk%40kew.org%7C8ad3fc36dcc744bae93508d5d0680b93%7C44892b45194046119753a4b3be4ea7fe%7C0%7C0%7C636644067659211576&sdata=sbiQPWBa5gZB13v%2Bg3a0nALIjYCyaWyli4d9rH3W4sM%3D&reserved=0
>> You can reach the person managing the list at: 
>> taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>
>> Nurturing Nuance while Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Taxacom Mailing List
> Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>
> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
> The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be searched at: 
> http://taxacom.markmail.org
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the Web, visit: 
> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
> You can reach the person managing the list at: 
> taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>
> Nurturing Nuance while Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
> 



More information about the Taxacom mailing list