Taxacom: Question to botanical experts RE ICNafp Code - rank changes for descriptive names, with changed termination

Thu Mar 30 03:21:40 CDT 2023

Thanks, Paul for your thoughts. I would, however take slight issue with
your third sentence; for typified names, -phyta does signify that rank =
Division (=Phylum), even if literally it just means "plants", thus in the
Code:

*16.3.* Automatically typified names end as follows: the name of a division
or phylum ends in *‑**phyta,* unless it is referable to the fungi in which
case it ends in *‑**mycota;* the name of a subdivision or subphylum ends in
*‑**phytina,* unless it is referable to the fungi in which case it ends in
*‑**mycotina;* the name of a class in the algae ends in *‑**phyceae,* and
of a subclass in *‑**phycidae;* the name of a class in the fungi ends in *‑*
*mycetes,* and of a subclass in *‑**mycetidae;* the name of a class in the
plants ends in *‑**opsida,* and of a subclass in *‑**idae* (but not *‑*
*viridae*). Automatically typified names with a termination not in
accordance with this rule or Art. 17.1
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iapt-taxon.org%2Fnomen%2Fpages%2Fmain%2Fart_17.html%23Art17.1&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460685481%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2BNdVHOy124AI1fzyGuKscyTwMHUBD3bhmbdShlwIyE%3D&reserved=0> are to be
corrected, without change of authorship or date of publication (see Art.
32.2 <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iapt-taxon.org%2Fnomen%2Fpages%2Fmain%2Fart_32.html%23Art32.2&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=2MhRB3v7vz5RI7WPjSrn3Ye8k2KvrVZbCts4dvsn65c%3D&reserved=0>).

So, using the same as an implied rank indication for descriptive names is
at least consistent, as well as per user expectations...

Tony Rees, New South Wales, Australia
https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fabout.me%2FTonyRees&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Qqh9R1L3lJ%2F5WUWWUAkOTiaJ2b8%2B6HC65YL1zVi2FAM%3D&reserved=0

On Thu, 30 Mar 2023 at 19:10, Paul van Rijckevorsel via Taxacom <
taxacom at lists.ku.edu> wrote:

> The /ICNafp/ makes no distinction between descriptive
> names with an ending that implies a rank and names
> without such an ending.
>
> It seems likely that authors do. So/Eophytidae/ Edwards,
> Morris, Axe, Duckett, Pressel&Kenrick (2021) can be
> used (unaltered in spelling and with that exact authorship)
> in any rank above that of family, but it seems unlikely
> that this will be popular (presumably somebody looking
> for a name at the rank of class may well be inclined to
> publish a new name /Eophytopsida/).
>
> A name like /Chlorophyta/ is just a Latin word (originating
> in Greek) for "green plants" and it would be a personal
> choice to say that the -/phyta/ implies a rank.
>
> Or to put it differently, if the authors of/Eophytidae/
> intended to publish a name that could easily be used
> generally, in any rank, they would have done better to
> publish a name in the form of /Eophyta/, or /Eospermae/,
> etc.
>
> There probably should be a Recommendation against
> publishing descriptive names with endings that imply a
> rank.
>
> Paul
>
> On 30-Mar-23 04:27, Tony Rees via Taxacom wrote:
> > Thanks Richard... however as I see it, there is a distinction, not
> > commented upon in the Code, between descriptive names that do not carry
> any
> > rank connotation - such as "Angiospermae" - and those that do, such as
> > "Chlorophyta" - the latter used almost exclusively to denote a Division
> > (Phylum), while at class level it is Chlorophyceae. I would contend that
> > "Eophytidae" carries the implied rak of subclass, as explained by the
> > authors who created the name, and that it would be perfectly reasonable -
> > in fact to be expected - for the termination to be changed if it were
> > re-used at another rank...
> >
> > After all, the Code says that descriptive names " _may_ be used unchanged
> > at different ranks", not " _must_ be used..." (my emphasis).
> >
> > Regards - Tony
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 30 Mar 2023 at 12:34, Richard Rabeler<rabeler at umich.edu>  wrote:
> >
> >> Dear Tony:
> >>
> >> An interesting question to which I will offer an observation.
> >>
> >>  From my reading of your explanation and the relevant Code sections, it
> >> looks like a descriptive name is not subject to following the
> terminations
> >> for ranks above family.  Those endings are noted in Sect. 16.3 which
> begins:
> >>
> >> *16.3.* Automatically typified names end as follows:
> >>
> >> That may explain the statements noting that descriptive names "may be
> >> used unchanged at different ranks"; they are not subject to standard
> >> terminations.
> >>
> >> Sincerely,
> >>
> >> Rich Rabeler, MICH
> >>
> >> On Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 6:01 PM Tony Rees via Taxacom <
> >> taxacom at lists.ku.edu> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Dear all,
> >>>
> >>> I am seeking advice as to how a descriptive name above the rank of
> family
> >>> can be re-used, with a change in termination (to signify changed rank)
> >>> with
> >>> or without a change in cited authorship and/or "stat. nov." - the
> latter
> >>> presumably requiring a formal publication.
> >>>
> >>> The name in question is Eophytidae Edwards, Morris, Axe, Duckett,
> Pressel
> >>> &
> >>> Kenrick, 2021, erected as a subclass within class Embryopsida,
> consistent
> >>> with the treatment of land plants by Chase & Reveal, 2009, except that
> >>> "Embryopsida" replaces the latter's "Equisetopsida".
> >>>
> >>> This name is erected at a similar rank to bryophytes, marchantiophytes
> >>> atc.
> >>> which are at equivalent rank i.e. subclass in the Chase & Reveal
> >>> treatment.
> >>> However in other treatments such as that of Ruggiero et al., 2015,
> >>> followed
> >>> in my own IRMNG system and elsewhere, bryyophytes, etc. are treated as
> >>> separate phyla within Embryophyta, which is represented as a
> superphylum.
> >>>
> >>> So my requirement is to treat the "eophytes" (presently Eophytidae) as
> a
> >>> separate phylum, e.g. "Eophyta", where it will sit alongside
> >>> Anthocerotophyta, Bryophyta, Charophyta and so on. Note here,
> "Eophytidae"
> >>> is a "descriptive name" per the ICNafp (not based on a genus) so falls
> >>> under the provisions of Arts. 16 and 6.10, thus:
> >>> -------------
> >>> Article 16.1 Names above the rank of family
> >>> "… descriptive names … may be used unchanged at different ranks"
> >>> -------------
> >>> Article 6.10 Note 3
> >>> Note 3. A descriptive name (Art. 16.1(b)) used at a rank different from
> >>> that at which it was first validly published is not a name at new rank
> >>> because descriptive names may be used unchanged at different ranks.
> >>> -------------
> >>> So one reading of this is that Eophytidae may be recast as "Eophyta"
> (with
> >>> the same circumscription) without a change of authorship, and not
> >>> requiring
> >>> a published "stat. nov.". However the alternative reading would be
> that a
> >>> published change of authorship would be needed, plus a "stat. nov.",
> since
> >>> although the initial portion of the name is unchanged, the termination
> is
> >>> -
> >>> in other words the name is not "unchanged" in the sense of Art. 16.1.
> >>>
> >>> Thoughts, advice appreciated.
> >>>
> >>> Tony Rees, New South Wales, Australia
> >>>
> >>>
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fabout.me%2FTonyRees&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Qqh9R1L3lJ%2F5WUWWUAkOTiaJ2b8%2B6HC65YL1zVi2FAM%3D&reserved=0
> >>>
> >>>
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irmng.org%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OSq271VdoNjbwPHu2huMxVddAzuGxwVdup3z9KUKwvY%3D&reserved=0
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Taxacom Mailing List
> >>>
> >>> Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to:taxacom at lists.ku.edu
> >>> For list information; to subscribe or unsubscribe, visit:
> >>> https://lists.ku.edu/listinfo/taxacom
> >>> You can reach the person managing the list
> at:taxacom-owner at lists.ku.edu
> >>> The Taxacom email archive back to 1992 can be searched at:
> >>>
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J6YvHYEloDe1y8Db1AZNDKsjVXr46BKTDltCZyqHX5U%3D&reserved=0
> >>>
> >>> Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity and admiring alliteration
> for
> >>> about 36 years, 1987-2023
> >>>
> > _______________________________________________
> > Taxacom Mailing List
> >
> > Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to:taxacom at lists.ku.edu
> > For list information; to subscribe or unsubscribe, visit:
> https://lists.ku.edu/listinfo/taxacom
> > You can reach the person managing the list at:taxacom-owner at lists.ku.edu
> > The Taxacom email archive back to 1992 can be searched at:
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J6YvHYEloDe1y8Db1AZNDKsjVXr46BKTDltCZyqHX5U%3D&reserved=0
> >
> > Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity and admiring alliteration for
> about 36 years, 1987-2023
>
>
> --
> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
>
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avg.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4qcGhgWm6ViaUQ2u9X1tmz2KE4tj%2FnyF2sAflBxOhyE%3D&reserved=0
> _______________________________________________
> Taxacom Mailing List
>
> Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to: taxacom at lists.ku.edu
> For list information; to subscribe or unsubscribe, visit:
> https://lists.ku.edu/listinfo/taxacom
> You can reach the person managing the list at: taxacom-owner at lists.ku.edu
> The Taxacom email archive back to 1992 can be searched at:
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C1902f2841ab74ea3046b08db30f7e3c9%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638157613460841452%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J6YvHYEloDe1y8Db1AZNDKsjVXr46BKTDltCZyqHX5U%3D&reserved=0
>
> Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity and admiring alliteration for
> about 36 years, 1987-2023
>