International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

The International Rules for Zoological Nomenclature - International Code of Zoological Nomenclature English ( ICZN ) - are a convention by which the designation and classification of all species is governed internationally. The rules in the literature often referred to as just " code", specify in particular,

Through this international set of rules to be trying to keep the naming and the scientific literature internationally on a uniform and continuous level. At the same time they should also contemplate the freedoms in the naming of new species and their limits. In botany applies in accordance with the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature ( ICBN ).

Within the limits of the code some very bizarre names for animals have emerged, such as proposals Gammaracanthuskytodermogammarus loricatobaicalensis however, were declared invalid.

History of the nomenclature code

Until about 1840, the authorship has been understood for a principle of authority, an unwritten convention, after which the name was often attributed to the person who was the best expert or specialist in the art. The resulting chaos in the nomenclature reached such dimensions that in 1842 the English paleontologist Hugh Edwin Strickland was invited to form a panel of experts, which includes Charles Darwin and Richard Owen belonged to establish a code of rules for Zoological Nomenclature. This first attempt of an International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, which appeared in 1843, is called Strickland code.

This first code followed by further inside and outside of the UK, some of whom had only regional or national levels of efficiency. With the need to unify these rules, the International zoologists congresses dealt in Paris in 1889 and Moscow in 1892. At the Third International Congress of Zoology (Leiden 1895) it was decided to set up a commission, which until then three regionally common and partially inconsistent rules ( an English, a French and a German ) should unite. After further clarification on the 4th Congress in Cambridge (1898 ) presented a trilingual text proposal at the 5th Congress in Berlin (1901 ), the recognition took place. The then again revised text was published in 1905 in three languages. This is now regarded as the first edition of the Code. As a legally binding was only the French text.

These rules were changed in a further 8 congresses to 1958 again and supplemented (Boston, 1907, Graz 1910, Monaco 1913, Budapest 1927, Padua 1930, Paris 1948, Copenhagen 1953, London 1958), and published in the conference proceedings, in the English language. One problem was that the original edition was sold out in 1905 and soon the many changes could be overlooked any more. 1953 to the present day effective decision was made that the English and French texts are legally equivalent.

In 1958, an existing seven-person Editorial Committe commissioned at the Congress in London to prepare a second edition of the Code, which was published on 9 November 1961, in English and French. A German edition appeared in 1962, in the history of the code is shown briefly.

After 1972 ( 17th International Zoological Congress, Monte Carlo, more followed until 2000 does not ) the decisions were not taken on zoological congresses, but the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature ( ICZN Commission, English name also ICZN, currently 28 members) decided henceforth relatively self-sufficient under the International Union of Biological Sciences ( IUBS ), also with regard to the appointment of new members. She had, in practice, means that is no longer decided in zoological nomenclature since 1972 in a democratic manner to be designated.

The 3rd edition of the ICZN Code was published in 1985.

The 4th edition of the ICZN Code was published in 1999 and entered into force on 1 January 2000. The procedure was repeated in 1985. This edition was prepared by a commission appointed by the ICZN consisting of 7 persons Editorial Committee. Ahead there was the possibility for expression of opinions, but decisions summarized the Editorial Committee arbitrarily and without having to explain itself.

Survey

The ICZN is divided into 18 chapters with a total of 90 articles. The Articles govern the use of names for taxa up to the level of superfamily. Higher taxa (of the subordination and up) are not covered by the conventions.

The rules provide detailed rules on essentially of:

  • The availability of a zoological name ( = when a name has been correctly inserted )
  • The validity of a zoological name ( = when a name can also be used for animal)
  • The procedure for synonyms and homonyms
  • Education and spelling of names
  • Definition of types
  • Procedures for exemptions.

The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature decreases in any case position on questions of zoological systematics, but only to their taxonomic handling. So it is, for example, always at the discretion of the author, whether two different names refer to the same species, but the rules shall determine which is the valid name in this case.

Important Articles

3.1 The zoological nomenclature starts 1758 with Linnaeus ' Systema Naturae 10th edition of, all previously published works will not be accepted. All with one exception: the 1757 published book " Svenska Spindlar " of Clerck. Controversial is the reference requiring that the names of these spiders should be cited with the year 1758, although published in 1757 and over the actual year of publication must be given.

4.1 All ranks above the species have a name consisting of only one word and starts with a capital letter ( Uninomen ).

5.1 species have a two-part names ( binomials ). It consists of the name of the genus, beginning with a capital letter, and the names of species, starting with a lowercase letter. The term species epithet is no longer used in the German nomenclature regulations since 1962, instead species name (English specific name).

5.2 subspecies have a three-part name ( trinomen ), which consists of the binomials and the subspecies name, the latter beginning with a lowercase letter.

6.1 If a subgenus called in a binomials or trinomen, it must be enclosed in parentheses between genus and species name and is not considered part of the Binomens or Trinomens. It begins with a capital letter.

8-9 They state what is a feature available for zoological nomenclature publication and what is not. Electronic files are for example only since September 2012 as publications.

11 To be accepted as an available name, a name must meet certain requirements; this includes that it was published by the rules, be written in a consistently binominal work, and the name must be written in Latin script. A new name has also been used by the author for the animal (not only as a synonym ). Very famous is the relatively newly introduced and very controversial article 11.6, which synonyms sometimes but can be made available, was being neglected to formulate minimum standards for this purpose.

12 Any name that should be available, must be provided with a description, either directly or by means of citation. A picture is also valid as a description. Branches on, it is sufficient if at least one available type was placed in the genus. Trivial names, spread information or name of host organisms are not considered as description.

13 After 1930, the type species from the original description must clearly identify in generic names.

16 After 1999, the eponymous type specimen must be called in species descriptions.

21 The date is always called the actual publication date. It is set exactly how this is to be determined.

22 Also called the taxonomic name the year of publication, so it is behind the author. Between author and year to following a recommendation no longer available as a maximum a comma ( the comma is not required ).

23 The valid name of a taxon is always the eldest available name if this has not been invalidated by another rule of the Code or an award of the Commission. This priority principle is applied to determine when synonyms ( different names for a taxon ), which name should be used, and to determine when homonyms (same name for different taxa ), which taxon is to keep the name. Very significant is Article 23.9, which allows in certain cases to suspend the rule of priority. For this purpose, the name should have been priority must, since 1899 no longer have been used, and the preferred name must have been frequently used in recent times.

24 If two names are equal, for example, if two names were published at the same time, the "First Reviser " principle applies. The first author who notices something, must choose one of the names.

25 It is recommended to write out a name at their first occurrence in a labor. After parts of a Binomens or Trinomens can be shortened if these abbreviations are unambiguous. The abbreviated part of the name should be followed by a point.

27 In a name no diacritics or other special characters may be used.

29 The name of a superfamily ends in- oidea, a family - idae, a subfamily on - inae, a tribe on -ini, and subtribes on -ina. It is formed from the root word of the name of the genus, which has the oldest publication date, and the above mentioned extension.

32 The notation that has been used for a name in the original publication, is valid, unless it consists of the following reasons that make a correction required:

  • In the publication, there is an obvious error (" inadvertent error" ), for which the author cause a high no responsibility, such as a typographical error; an incorrect Latinization is not considered a fault.
  • A name was published with a diacritical mark.
  • A name of a higher taxon was not formed according to the rules of Article 29.

50 The author of a name is the person who first published the name in a valid manner pursuant to Article 11. The English code is ambiguous and does not distinguish between author and publisher. It is understood in practice as the person who wrote the text of the description, not the person who is responsible for printing or the financing thereof.

51 The mention of an author behind the name is optional. If it is no punctuation between the name and author. Author and date are set at specific names in brackets if the species is listed in a different genus than the one in which it was originally described.

58 Very often consulted oriented articles, exactly specifies in detail when two slightly different spellings are considered equal.

67-70 Here we will explain exactly how the type species of genera are determined.

72-73 This specifies exactly which type specimens species names are based.

74 Here are all the rules to Lektotypen summarized.

75 Here are all the rules to neotypes summarized.

77-84 Here, the rights and obligations of the ICZN Commission are regulated. Is not regulated, is how to proceed if the Commission goes beyond their rights.

Criticism of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

Trailer phylogenetic systematics criticism mainly on the two-part species name with the specified generic name, since genera are artificial constructs in the phylogenetic sense and as units in nature nor exist as all higher taxonomic ranks.

Among the frequently criticized articles certainly include Article 11.6 ( Availability of names that were first published as a synonym ), which was largely imported only after 1985 without standards and is sometimes even abused to circumvent the important rule that every name that to be available, must be provided with a description.

Why does the spinning of Clerck to be common quoted unnecessarily with 1758 and not, as before 2000 with 1757 (Article 3.1), is also an open question. There is no reason for the deviation from the basic rule that always the actual year of publication must be given.

The code failed to specify exactly how the author's name should be written, and does not participate directly position on the use of initials. This creates enormous problems in the electronic age, when different databases are merged. A problem that does not know the botany.

Unhappy many taxonomists are also so that is defined much too vague in Article 8, which should be one available for the nomenclature publication. Fixed is just that they have been printed on paper must " establish a method that allows multiple identical copies ". This is now possible with any laser printer. Has failed to establish a minimum number of printed copies.

Others would like to make electronic publications recognize officially, and Article 9.8 amended, ( the which prohibits ). 2008 amendment was initiated (Amendment). The discussion process for this purpose in 2010 was not yet complete. Several dozen taxonomists have expressed in writing to, there were votes for and against, the survey did not yield any clear trend. The main problem is seen in the fact that electronic documents are not automatically preserved as long as paper and that there is no experience with publicly funded library systems for the storage and retrieval after some 100 years.

Last but not least is often heavily criticized, saying that it has 28 people ICZN Commission structured oligarchic, compiled unbalanced ( English members are over-represented ) and is not democratically legitimized in some way, even if to accomplish this well in modern times on the Internet would be.

The code is now and again in a modified edition edited ( 3rd edition 1985, 4th edition 2000), by an appointed by the Commission Committee, which consists of about 7 people, and often questionable take decisions ( for example, was not with Article 11.6 only not thinking, but warnings of experts were thrown to the winds ). At the 4th edition has been criticism that, despite extensive discussions leading not always clear or documented at all, why were adopted by the Committee at the end of certain changes. Most taxonomists have little or no influence on the legislation, which they are concerned, there are no elections and no conferences or congresses for zoological nomenclature.

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