Taxacom: a class of errors in Worms (and similar databases)

[Douglas Yanega]

On 2/24/25 9:41 AM, Francisco Welter-Schultes via Taxacom wrote:
> Doug,
>
> Your scenario would apply to names proposed after 1930, because if I 
> have not overlooked something (except cases with a very special 
> disclaimer) a generic name proposed before 1931 in combination with an 
> available species-group name will automatically have been made 
> available under Art. 12.2.5.

Actually, I think the correct Article is 12.2.6, because 12.2.5 refers 
to previously-existing species names published by other authors; 12.2.6 
is the simultaneous proposal of a new species and a new genus. That 
aside, you're correct, that prior to 1930, this would not happen unless 
the genus name was unavailable for some other reason, such as being 
originally published in synonymy.

>
> So do you opt for not setting parentheses if a name is used today that 
> was established as Aus bus Smith, 1950, Aus having been unavailable at 
> the time for not having had a type species fixed, and Aus was 
> established as Aus Dupont, 1970?
>
I would not put the name in parentheses in any case where the original 
combination is the same as the present combination.

> The alternative option to solve such a case would be to set 
> parentheses in the form Aus bus (Smith, 1950), because the original 
> genus was unavailable, nothing can be done with an unavailable name in 
> nomenclature, and consequently such a name could not be used 
> subsequently.

Putting parentheses will only confuse people if the original combination 
and the present combination are identical. Any sensible taxonomist will 
remove the parentheses if they notice this.

Peace,

-- 
Doug Yanega      Dept. of Entomology       Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314  voicemail:951-827-8704
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