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.