systematics - bio 615...systematics - bio 615 1 1 systematics lecture 5 - nomenclature 2 names are...

Systematics - BIO 615

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Systematics Lecture 5 - Nomenclature

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Names are tags, like codes or passwords, that form a link between nature and our information about nature.

If this link is broken information is lost.

“Nomina si nescis, perit et cognito rerum”

[Who knows not the names, knows not the subject] Linnaeus, Criticia Botanica, 1773.

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Scathophaga impudicum

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descriptions

identification

collections classification

character evolution

phylogeny

biogeography

Biosystematics

Describing species = assigning names to groups (populations) = classification

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Lecture 5: Nomenclature & Classification

Mayr, E.& P. D. Ashlock (1991) Principles of Systematic Zoology, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, Inc., NY. pp. 383-406.

Smith, H. M. and O. Williams (1970) The salient provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature: A summary for nontaxonomists. Bioscience, 20: 553-557

**Winston, J. E. (1999) Describing species: Practical Taxonomic Procedure for Biologists. Columbia University Press, NY. pp. 19-40, 407-432.

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Basically a two step process

1. Taxonomist finds something thought to be unnamed, “new”

2. A name is given by publishing (according to the rules of nomenclature)

at which point the name is introduced to the literature, i.e. it is ‘official’

NOTE: currently the publication can be in any of a large variety of formats

and is not required to be registered with a central database of names

Naming

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Step 1 - “Is it a new species?” (minimum)

1. Are the diagnostic (unique) characters constant across large samples within the genus?

2. Have you compared the new species with descriptions of all its congeners? (globally?)

3. If the group has not been revised (well), have you examined the primary type specimens of all congeners?

Naming

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Step 1 - “Is it a new species?” (better)

1.  Do you have samples large enough to obtain statistically significant differences in quantitative traits?

2.  Do you have DNA data that indicates a “gap” exists between the new species and congeners?

3.  Do you have data that indicate reproductive barriers exist? (e.g. courtship songs, pheromones)

Naming

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Comment on uniqueness…

-  Early taxonomists dealt mostly with the “obvious” cases - wide phenotypic gaps

-  Current taxonomists deal more & more with difficult cases: cryptic species, incipient species, etc. - narrow gaps

-  Taxon dependent (e.g. birds vs insects)

Naming


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Step 2 - Publishing

-  See Winston (1999) Describing species

-  Rules of International Code of Zoological Nomenclature must be followed (for animals) - this lecture

Naming

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Linnaean system of binominal nomenclature

-  Vast improvement over phrase names and prior naming systems BUT…

-  No stability, Linnaeus & users of his system would change names to “improve” them

(e.g. change the name to better reflect distribution)

-  Lamarck, 1798, criticized lack of rules, instability, & chaos under the Linnaean system

History of the Code

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Problem: no rules to ensure species were known by a single name

-  Early 1800s exploration of tropics revealed immense & surprising diversity

-  To stabilize names, in 1813 a Swiss botanist, Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, introduced the concept of Priority

History of the Code

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Priority - oldest name is used

-  Starting at a fixed date: -  1758 - zoology (except spiders in Clerck’s

1757 publication) -  1753 - botany

-  Exceptions exist for cases when principle of priority would result in extreme, if temporary, instability

History of the Code

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The first Zoological Code

-  1843 the “Strickland” code

-  Formed by members of the Strickland Commission, including Charles Darwin

-  Revisions resulted in two competing codes

-  A governing body, International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature, 1895

History of the Code

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Conflicting goals of taxonomic classification (not nomenclature)

- provide a unique, stable name (ideally, would never change)

- provide a natural classification (requires change if new

data reveal new relationships)

ICZN - goals for the code


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1. Promote stability

2. Promote universality

3. Names will be unique & distinct

-  By establishing rules for: -  Publication -  Priority -  Typification

Current Code: edition 4, 1999.

ICZN - goals for the code

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(International Code of Zoological Nomenclature)

1. Neutrality - doesn’t infringe on taxonomic judgment

2. Will not solve rank placement problems

Nomenclature ≠ Taxonomy

Key elements of the ICZN

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Nomenclature: Provisions for the formation and use of a system of names (rules)

e.g. nomenclatural status of a name - its standing in nomenclature, does it conform to the rules?

Taxonomy: The theory & practice of classifying organisms (opinions)

e.g. taxonomic status of a name - is it valid, is it unique to one species?

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(International Code of Zoological Nomenclature)

1. Typification - the name-bearing type, all names are tied to a type specimen

2. Principle of Priority - oldest name is valid

3. Principle of Stability - case by case basis to prefer stability over priority (in rare cases)

ICZN regulates names from superfamily to subspecies

More Key elements of the ICZN

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Priority works to 1) Recognize first scientist to publish and

2) Promote stability because there can only be one “first” publication whereas there can be many arguments for “better” names

3) However, there are exceptions…

Priority & Stability

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Nomina oblita (a nomen oblitum) - “forgotten name” - many cases of unknown publications

an older name not used in over 50 years can be suppressed as a nomen oblitum if following the principle of priority would destabilize usage

imagine if someone found an older name for Drosophila melanogaster!



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Nomina oblita (a nomen oblitum) - “forgotten name”

e.g. Nicrophorus americanus Olivier 1790 - well known name

Nicrophorus orientalis Herbst 1784 - never used name

When invoked the valid name becomes a nomen protectum


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Failure to follow the rules of proper publishing can result in a nomen nudum - a “naked name,” a name that was not published properly - fails to be established

a nomen nudum is not available

an available name has been published properly, is available for use as a taxon name

ICZN Rules

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To be available a name must:

1. Be published in the meaning of article 8 8.1.1 + 8.1.2 + “8.1.3 it must have been produced in an edition containing simultaneously obtainable copies by a method that assures numerous identical and durable copies”

Web pages do not assure identical or durable copies (but see Amendment of Articles 8, 9, 10, 21 and 78 - ZooKeys 219: 1–10, doi: 10.3897/zookeys.219.3944)

ICZN Rules - publication

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Amendment of Articles 8, 9, 10, 21 and 78 - ZooKeys 219: 1–10, doi: 10.3897/zookeys.219.3944

“The requirements for electronic publications are that:

1)  The work be registered in ZooBank before it is published

2) That the work itself state the date of publication and contain evidence that registration has occurred

3) That the ZooBank registration state both the name of an electronic archive intended to preserve the work and the ISSN or ISBN associated with the work.


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To be available a name must:

2. Be spelled using only the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet

3. Be a word (e.g. not ‘cbafdg’)

Also recommendations (not requirements): e.g. do not use unmodified vernacular

(common) names, or offensive names


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Recent case of the new monkey described without a type specimen - photo only.

Jones et al. 2005. The Highland Mangabey Lophocebus kipunji: a new species of African monkey. Science.

Caused a debate - Justified due to conservation status?

Small population size?

Bad idea to describe new species based on photos only.

No voucher for independent verification.



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“It’s no good to science if it’s running around free.”

Link Olson


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Valid name - the single correct, accepted name for a taxon

Many names might be available for a species, but there is only one valid name

If there are multiple names for one species these are synonyms of each other

*Taxonomy tells us which names are synonyms; nomenclature tells us which of the synonyms is the valid name*

ICZN Rules - Validity

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Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, 1790

Synonyms: Silpha (Nicrophorus) orientalis Herbst,1784:77 [nomen oblitum] Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, 1790:(no. 10):6 Nicrophorus virginicus Frölich, 1792:123 Necrophorus grandis Fabricius, 1792a:247 [type: ZMUC, 2 specimens]

Example of simple synonymy list

Valid name = senior synonym other, invalid synonyms = junior synonyms

Some species, e.g. swan mussel, Anodonta cygnea, have hundreds of synonyms (400+)

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Nicrophorus insularis Grouvelle, 1893: 161 Type locality: “Sumatra”, Indonesia Type depository: MNHN: Paris [!] 1893 Grouvelle: 161 (JA: descriptions in French) >> Orig. comb.: Necrophorus insularis [!] 1903 Portevin: 331 (JA: descriptions in French) >> as valid species 1920 Portevin: 399 (JA: descriptions in French) >> as valid species 1922 Portevin: 55 (JA: descriptions in French) >> New syn./status as N. nepalensis var. insularis 1923 Portevin: 307 (JA: key, descriptions in French) >> as N. nepalensis var. insularis 1926a Portevin: 208 (Book: revision: key, descriptions & catalog in French) >> as N. nepalensis var. insularis 1928 Hatch: 129 (Book Chapter: catalog in English) >> as N. nepalensis var. insularis 1964b Hlisnikovsky: 244 (JA: descriptions in German) >> New status as N. nepalensis form insularis [ab. intended?] 1975 Emetz & Schawaller: 230 (JA: checklist in German (English summary)) >> as N. nepalensis ab. insularis 1990 Hanski & Niemelä: 149 (Book Chapter: in English) >> New status as valid species 1991 Hanski & Krikken: 195 (Book Chapter: in English) >> as valid species 2001 Peck: 94 (JA: in English) >> as valid species

herein >> desig. lectotype = humeralis Pic, 1917: 2 Type locality: “Java” [-from label] Type depository: MNHN: Paris [!] 1917a Pic: 2 (JA: descrip. of var. in French) >> Orig. comb.: Necrophorus insularis var. humeralis; auth. attrib. Port. [!] 1920 Portevin: 399 (JA: descriptions in French) >> descrip. of variation: 1 unavailable name 1926a Portevin: 253 (Book: revision: key, descriptions & catalog in French) >> New syn. of N. nepalensis var. insularis 1928 Hatch: 129 (Book Chapter: catalog in English) >> as syn. of N. nepalensis var. insularis 1993 Kozminykh: 67 (JA: key, descriptions, regional in Russian) >> as syn. of N. nepalensis

herein >> REVISED SYNONYM of N. insularis Grouvelle

Example of bibliographic synonymy list

Objective synonyms = same type specimen Subjective synonyms = different type specimens

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Methia necydalea (Fabricius) NEW COMBINATION

Saperda necydalea Fabricius, 1798: 148

Saperda necydalina; Fabricius, 1801: 332. Schoenherr, 1817:439 UNJUSTIFIED EMENDATION

Methia pusilla; Salle, 1889: 468 (not Newman, 1840). MISIDENTIFICATION

Thia jamaicensis Gahan 1902: 44. NEW SYNONYMY

Reading a Synonomy list (table)

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Two or more available names having the same spelling established for different taxa

primary homonymy - originally identical Careospina snail genus Careospina moth genus

secondary homonymy - later combined with the same generic name

homonyms across the plant & animal kingdoms are OK eg. Pieris & Pieris

Homonyms


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secondary homonymy - later combined with the same generic name

Ptomascopus morio Kraatz 1887 Nicrophorus morio Motschulsky 1841

OK.. Until P. morio is moved into the genus Nicrophorus by Chapman in 1955

Then: N. morio (Kraatz, 1887) - homonym of N. morio Motschulsky 1841

Homonyms

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N. basalis Faldermann, 1835"N. basalis Gistel, 1848"

N. bipunctatus Kraatz, 1880 "N. bipunctatus Portevin, 1914"

N. cadaverinus Gravenhorst, 1807"N. cadaverinus Gistel, 1857 "N. cadaverinus Mareuse, 1840"

N. insularis Grouvelle, 1893"N. insularis Lafer, 1989 "

N. interruptus Brullé, 1832"N. interruptus Gistel, 1857"N. interruptus Stephens, 1830"

N. lunatus Fischer von Waldheim, 1842"N. lunatus LeConte, 1853"

N. marginatus Gistel, 1857"N. marginatus Fabricius, 1801 "

N. maritimus Guérin-Ménéville, 1835"N. maritimus Mannerheim, 1843"

N. orientalis Motschulsky, 1860"N. orientalis (Herbst,1784)"

!N. plagiatus (Ménétries, 1854) "N. plagiatus Motschulsky, 1870"

N. pollinctor LeConte, 1854"N. pollinctor Mannerheim, 1853"

N. quadricollis Hatch, 1928""N. quadricollis Gistel, 1848"

26 Homonyms in Nicrophorus !Without the author, a binomen is not necessarily unique!!

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Among the ~7,000 species of non-marine Alaskan arthropods:!

alaska ! !2!alaskae ! !6!alaskaensis !2!alaskana ! !8!alaskanum !2!alaskanus! !9!alaskense! !4!alaskensis! !64"

Without the genus or author, an epithet is not !necessarily unique!!

NOTE: epithet ≠ species name!

The epithet qualifies the genus name "

so using an epithet alone is like saying"

ʻredʼ instead of saying"

ʻred wagonʼ"

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junior homonym - younger of two homonyms

senior homonym - oldest of two + homonyms

N. morio (Kraatz, 1887) - note parentheses added to author name when species is no longer in original genus

In Botany the author who moves the name gets appended also e.g. Rosa alba (L.) Fab.

Homonyms

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“name bearers” - anchors to all formal names representative for the population

Regardless of opinions on species demarcations / limits / boundaries the type always belongs to the name with which it was published

A new name must have a declared type specimen (article 72.3 ICZN ed 4) as of 1999

Types

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Dr. Fraunhofer has been studying a snail species, Hendersonia occulata.

She finds this species has been cited 37 times in the literature.

example


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Dr. Fraunhofer decides to check the type specimen & finds it in the Linnaean collection in London

Surprisingly, the holotype looks like this

example

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Further study reveals that the species everyone thought to be H. occulata isn’t

The actual H. occulata turns out to be rare & unstudied and the species everyone thought to be H. occulata is undescribed!

example

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Descriptions are interpretations of observations

Types are things (objective)

No type & poor description = nomen dubium

Why types? Why not descriptions?

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Primary types - single specimen linked to name

1. Holotype - one specimen chosen by author in original description

2. Lectotype - one specimen taken from a type series during revisionary work

3. Neotype - all types lost, reviser may designate a new specimen as primary type

Types

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Many older names have no holotype but instead have a type series = syntypes

when a lectotype is chosen from a syntype series the remaining specimens become paralectotypes

when a holotype is designated, other specimens used become paratypes

These are secondary types and have no ‘legal’ standing

Types - secondary types

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The locality from which the holotype was collected is the type locality

This is the best place to collect specimens if one is designating a neotype

Note on priority - if two names have same date & month is unknown, “first reviser” gets to choose the valid name

Types - locality


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The type of a genus is the

type species

- anchors the genus name

a) original designation b) subsequent designation c) monotypy (only one species in genus)

Type of the family is the type genus

Types above species group

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Rank Taxa Suffix *Kingdom Animalia *Phylum Arthropoda *Class Insecta *Order Diptera

Superfamily -oidea *Family Culicidae -idae Subfamily -inae Tribe -ini Subtribe -ina *Genus Culex *Species Culex pipiens

(note that species has two names) * Mandatory ranks

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The family group name when writing in English is "a noun in the nominative plural"

Examples: "The Tenebrionidae are widespread." "The tenebrionids are widespread." "That tenebriond is black.”

NEVER "That Tenebrionidae is black.”

(see also the word ‘data’)

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Femoria (Ectodermia) populella Genus (subgenus) specific epithet

Apatosaurus (=Brontosaurus) giganteus Genus (synonym of genus) specific epithet

Informal groupings: species group species complex

Classification

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written works concerning animals published unpublished

Available unavailable suppressed

NAMES NOMENCLATURAL ACTS

Scientific vernacular VALID invalid suppressed

Available Unavailable Excluded

Potentially valid objectively invalid

Jr objective synonym Jr homonym suppressed

subjectively invalid

VALID Jr subjective synonym nomina dubia jr homonym suppressed

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Priority Stability ICZN Typification Nomen oblitum Nomen nudum Available (name) Valid (name) Synonyms (senior/junior, objective, subjective) Primary & secondary homonymy

Terms - from lecture & readings

Nomen dubium Primary type Holotype Lectotype Neotype Secondary type Paratype Paralectotype Syntype Type locality Type species Type genus


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Describe the conflicting goals of the code of nomenclature

Describe the difference between nomenclature and taxonomy

Describe the difference between an available name and a valid name

Understand a synonymy table

Explain any of the terms on the previous slide

Explain why type specimens are so important

Know how many names are in a species name

You should be able to

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