standard practices in taxonomy biol447 26 january 2016
DESCRIPTION
Scientific name Never use specific epithet alone UC genus and LC species (even for patronym) Italicize: Genus species Reverse if text in which Genus species is mentioned is italicized Underline if hand-written Traditionally, no italics for higher taxa Changing? Abbreviation after first use: Genus species, then G. species Except at beginning of sentence Ambiguous ref.: Genus sp. or Genus spp.TRANSCRIPT
Standard Practices in Taxonomy
BIOL44726 January 2016
Properly Writing Taxonomic Names
Scientific name Never use specific epithet alone UC genus and LC species (even for patronym) Italicize: Genus species
Reverse if text in which Genus species is mentioned is italicized
Underline if hand-written Traditionally, no italics for higher taxa
Changing? Abbreviation after first use:
Genus species, then G. species Except at beginning of sentence
Ambiguous ref.: Genus sp. or Genus spp.
Subspecies name Italicized trinomial Abbreviation:
1st use: Genus species subspecies Subsequently: G. s. subspecies
Ambiguous reference: Genus species ssp. Subspecific intergrade
Genus species subspecies x subspecies
HANDOUT—Conant and Collins 1991 Rana areolata
Rana areolata areolata
Rana areolata circulosa
Rana areolata areolata circulosa
Rana capito Rana capito capito
Rana capito aesopus
Rana capito sevosa
Rana capito sevosa aesopus
Standardized endings for higher taxa Zoology: superfamily (-oidea)
family (-idae) subfamily (-inae) tribe (-ini)
Botany: standardized endings exist from phylum to family
Subgenus names Genus (Subgenus) species
Ex: Cooter and redbelly turtle genus
Pseudemys (Pseudemys) =
the cooters
Pseudemys (Ptychemys) = the redbellies
Pseudemys (Pseudemys) concinna
Pseudemys (Ptychemys) rubriventris
Including author name(s) Genus species Author 1894
Author name in parentheses if moved to a different genus
Genus Author 1795 Familyidae Author 1961 Famous taxonomists of yore have
standard abbrs. (e.g., L. for Linnaeus, Raf. for Constantine Rafinesque)
Miscellaneous rules Do not use "the" with scientific name All higher taxa are plural
Ex: The Coloeptera are, not the Coleoptera is Anglicize/LC any Latin name above genus
and subgenus Ex: Members of the Trionychidae are
called trionychids. Plurals:
species species (sp. spp.) genus genera
phylum phyla
Codes of Nomenclature
International Codeof Zoological Nomenclature Separate codes for bacteria, plants, and
animals Protistan biologists must be familiar with latter
two Preamble: "The object of the Code is to
promote stability and universality in the scientific names of animals, and to ensure that each name is unique and distinct. All its provisions are subservient to these ends."
Priority
Taxonomic priority Oldest available name is valid name for a species
or higher taxon Date of publication hence very important
Begins with 1758 in zoology (1753 in botany) To be available, must be published in ink on
paper in scientific source available free or by purchase; does not qualify if… …microfilm or microfiche …personal distribution …mention at a conference …specimen labelling …anonymous publication …electronic files
Synonyms and Homonyms
Synonyms Senior synonym—oldest available name
for a taxon, and thus its valid name Junior synonym(s)—all subsequently-
published names for the same taxon Objective synonyms—based on same
specimens Subjective synonyms—based on
different type material (far more common)
Fixing synonymy Reviser may synonymize two taxa, with
the older name having priority Junior synonym is unavailable name (may not
be applied to other taxa) Complete listing of synonyms is important
in a taxonomic revision
Homonyms Two identical names for different taxa Senior homonym—earlier use Junior homonym(s)—later application(s)
to other taxa May occur as a result of taxonomic
lumping (i.e., two genera happen to have species with same specific epithet) Primary homonym—name used twice;
second author unaware of first use Secondary homonym—use of same specific
epithet in two genera that are later combined
Fixing homonymy Junior homonyms must be renamed
Use oldest available junior synonym if there is one
If not, usually original author (if living) is informed and given chance to propose new name in a short published article
Ollotis, not Cranopsis—Frost et al., 2006
Esselenichthys, not Esselenia—Anderson, 2003
Proper Latin in the Names of Species
Gender in genus and species combinations Latin rules followed to keep genus and
species in same gender When a species changes its genus name, it
may have to change its emendation Ex: Sternotherus carinatus, S. odoratus, S.
depressus, and S. minor became Kinosternon carinatum, K. odoratum, K. depressum, and K. minor
(Since reverted to Sternotherus) Movement to dump emendation rules has,
so far, been fended off
Patronyms Honor someone other than author of the
species Male honoree: -i (or, in older literature,
often –ii ) Female honoree: -ae Group with one or more males: -orum Group of females: -arum
Graptemys caglei Haynes & McKown 1974
Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Schoepf 1801)
Named for naturalist G.H.E. Muhlenberg,a Pennsylvania botanist (1753-1815) whostudied wetland plants and collected thetype specimen
Heloderma horridum charlesbogertiCampbell & Vanzolini 1988
Amphisbaena carlgansi Thomas & Hedges 1998
Uraetyphlus oommeniGower & Wilkinson 2007
Hyla stingi Kaplan 1994
Menetia koshlandae Greer 1991Menetia sadlieri Greer 1991
Microcebus berthae Rasoloarison, Goodman, & Ganzhorn 2000
Hesperarion mariae Branson 1991
Hyla allenorum Duellman & Trueb 1989
“Sunk” as junior synonym of Dendrosophus timbeba (Martins and Cardosa 1987) in 2013
Anolis datzorum Köhler, Ponce, & Batista 2007
Gymnotes omarorum Richer-de-Forges, Crampton, & Albert 2009
Eurycea sosorumChippindale, Price, & Hillis 1993
Cuora chriskarannarumErnst & McCord 1987
Since “sunk” as junior synonymof Cuora pani
Geographical place names Generally end with
–ensis, –iensis, –inus, –icus, or –ense Exs: Castor canadensis
Alligator mississippiensis
Alligator sinensisSciurus carolinensis
Types
Type taxa Types bear names Necessary because taxonomic revision is
so common Separate species synonymized Species-group taxa are lumped or split with
new phylogenetic analyses
Type taxa A family has a type genus, with a similar
name Exs: Hylidae Hyla (tree frogs)
Emydidae Emys (European pond turtle)
Ursidae Ursus (bears)Salmonidae Salmo (salmon)
Type taxa If a family is subsequently split into two or
more, name remains with new family that contains type genus Ex: Emydidae Emydidae (contains Emys)
and Geoemydidae (from type genus, Geoemyda)
Reduced Emydidae since divided into Emydinae (type Emys) and Deirochelyinae (type Deirochelys)
Type taxa Each genus has a type
species Sometimes (not always)
with a specific epithet such as typicus, typus, vulgaris, or same name as genus Exs: Rattus rattus
Gorilla gorillaIguana iguanaGulo gulo
Type taxa There is always one nominate
subspecies (if subspecies are designated) Exs: Gorilla gorilla beringi
G. g. graueriG. g. gorilla
Gulf CoastApalone mutica calvata
MidlandA. m. mutica
Type taxa Suggestion: name type from largest
cluster of subtaxa within group, so that least nomenclatural change would occur upon revision
Type specimens Holotype—taxonomic anchor for revision; a
single specimen so designated Type locality—exact geographic locality where the
holotype was collected Syntypes (=cotypes)—series of specimens on
which description was based, prior to requirement of single holotype
Lectotype—single syntype later designated as the (holotype-like) taxonomic anchor for the species
Neotype—designated type specimen if the holo-, syn-, and/or lectotypes are all lost or destroyed; only designated if other species within the genus make such action necessary
The lectotype of Homo sapiens? See Blunt p. 247 Linnaeus’ 1758 description: Homo nosce
te ipsum (Man, know yourself) Linnaeus’ remains entombed in Uppsala
Cathedral—our lectotype?
Type specimens Topotypes—collected at type locality (no
taxonomic standing) Paratypes—other specimens examined by the
author of a name (no taxonomic standing) Paratopotypes—both of above Paralectotypes (=Lectoparatypes)—syntypes
not assigned lectotype status Part of original series examined, just not anchors
Allotype—sometimes applied to a single member of opposite sex of holotype, if sexual dimorphism is pronounced (no taxonomic standing)
Plenary Powersof the ICZN
Application to suppress a senior synonym or change spelling of a taxon name Exs: Alligator mississippiensis (originally one p
missing)Iguana iguana (Linnaeus originally named it
Iguana igvana)Lampropeltis Fitzinger 1850; one species later
found to be included, and had been placed originally in Phibolus Hervey 1842
Geochelone nigra (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)First named Testudo californiana Quoy & Gaimard 1824, then Testudo nigra Quoy & Gaimard 1824 (later switched to genus Geochelone)—24 April vs. 18 Sept.
Former name never used—petition filed to suppress it
Readings for Next Time Schuh & Brower: None Winston: 55-93 Additional: C through I
Some recent examples of new species description—to skim lightly: C. Branson, B.A. 1991. Hesperarion mariae (Gastropoda: Arionidae:
Ariolimacinae), a new slug species from Oregon. Transactions of the Kentucky Academy of Science 52:109110.
D. Neely, D.A., J.D. Williams, and R.L. Mayden. 2007. Two new sculpins of the genus Cottus (Teleostei: Cottidae) from rivers of eastern North America. Copeia 2007:641655.
E. Campbell, J.A., J.C. Blancas-Hernández, and E.N. Smith. 2009. A new species of stream-breeding treefrog of the genus Charadrahyla (Hylidae) from the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, Mexico. Copeia 2009:287295.
F. Thomson, S., and A. Georges. 2016. A new species of freshwater turtle of the genus Elseya (Testudinata: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from the Northern Territory of Australia. Zootaxa 4061:1828.
G. Athreya, R . 2006. A new species of Liocichla (Aves: Timaliidae) from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Indian Birds 2:8294.
H. Cozzoul, M.A., C.L. Clozato, E.C. Holanda, F.H.G. Rodrigues, S. Nienow, B. de Thoisy, R.A F. Redondo, and F.R. Santos. 2013. A new species of tapir from the Amazon. Journal of Mammalogy 94:13311345.
I. Dokuchaev, N.E. 1997. A new species of shrew (Soricidae, Insectivora) from Alaska. Journal of Mammalogy 78:811817.