[Taxacom] Taxonomy of removing subspecies

[Francisco Welter-Schultes]

Dear John,

synonymy refers to the level. At the level of species a name of a taxon 
that belongs to the species but does not provide its name, is a snyonym 
of the name of the species.

Placostylus ambagiosus watti is not the name of a synonym, but of a 
subspecies. Such a listing is confusing for the reader. The author 
should explain what he or she means (n. syn. is not a fixed 
nomenclatural standard term, it is a taxonomic term that any author can 
use in whichever sense). I would not recommend such a style.

It is sufficient to provide a statement that in the new classification 
watti is considered to be a junior synonym of P. ambagiosus. It is not 
necessary to state that this synoynm is new.

And it is not even correct.

A name of a valid subspecies is at the same time a junior synonym of the 
species - in those cases where we only look at the names that can 
potentially be used for the taxonomic species. If the name for the 
species ambagiosus turns out to be unavailable, the oldest one of its 
synonyms must be used for the species. This does not necessarily have to 
be a junior synonym of the previously nominotypic subspecies. All names 
for all subspecies are synonyms of the species ambagiosus in this sense.

If this helps.

Francisco

-----
Francisco Welter-Schultes

Am 11.05.2018 um 16:47 schrieb John Grehan:
> Deer colleagues,
> 
> If subspecies are subsequently regarded as not representing any definable
> entity and are eliminated what is the new status of the previous names?
> This is in reference to a particular case in snails where subspecies of
> Placostylus ambagiousus were all listed as new synonymies: e.g.
> 
> Placostylus ambagiosus watti n. syn.
> Placostylus ambagiosus annectens n. syn.
> Placostylus ambagiosus michiei n. syn. etc.
> 
> Can one 'synonymise' a subspecies name under a species when it is already
> considered to be of that species?
> 
> I am no questioning the validity of removing the subspecies (a separate
> issue) but whether subspecies names become new synonyms of the species name.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> John Grehan
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