[Taxacom] Taxonomy of removing subspecies

[John Grehan]

 Francisco and Barry,

Thanks for the feedback To be sure I understand correctly, the subspecies
names are already junior synonyms so of one eliminates (or no longer
recognizes) the subspecies entities, then they are not new synonyms because
they are already junior synonyms. Sorry to belabor the point, just want to
be sure I get that right!

John Grehan

On Fri, May 11, 2018 at 11:23 AM, Francisco Welter-Schultes <fwelter at gwdg.de
> wrote:

> 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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