FW: BUGS: Nomenclatural help needed !

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Here is some useful insight. So to use the Hoary elfin as an example then
one needs to use either polios or polia for the species depending on whether
you accept Incisalia or Callophrys as the genus. But which species spelling
goes correctly with which genus. Hey, this is interesting.

> ----------
> From: 	Williams, Daryl[SMTP:DaWillia at NRCan.gc.ca]
> Sent: 	Thursday, May 20, 1999 8:40 AM
> To: 	Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX
> Cc: 	'albertabugs'
> Subject: 	RE: BUGS: Nomenclatural help needed !
> 
> To quote from the rules of zoological nomenclature:
> 
> "Article 30. Agreement in Gender. A species-group name, if an adjective in
> the nominative singular, must agree in gender with the generic name wiht
> which it is at any time combined, and it's termination must be changed, if
> necessary, when the species is transfered to another genus."
> 
> The three genders involved are masculine, feminine, and neuter, and there
> are a whole suite of conditions, depending on the origin of the word,
> which
> determine the gender of the genus name. The rules for gender are different
> for greek or latin v.s. other languages v.s. patronyms (named after
> someone). So you have to figure out what the original source of the word
> is
> before you know whether the ending of a specific epithet is the
> approporiate
> gender for the genus it has been combined with. The real problems arise
> when
> revisors shuffle species around WITHOUT changing the ending of the
> specific
> epithet, something that I doubt happens very often.
> 
> In your example below, S. californi... could be 'cum' or 'cus', since both
> are masculine. S. californica would not be correct since the 'a' ending is
> feminine.
> 
> Of course, to complicate matters further, there are always exceptions
> ruled
> by the Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.
> 
> Clear as mud?
> 
> 
> Daryl J. Williams
> Systematics and Biodiversity Research
> Canadian Forest Service
> 5320-122st.
> Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
> T6H 3S5
> dawillia at nrcan.gc.ca
> 
> 
> > ----------
> > From: 	Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX[SMTP:Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca]
> > Sent: 	Thursday, May 20, 1999 9:13 AM
> > To: 	'lepsl'
> > Cc: 	'altabugs'
> > Subject: 	BUGS: Nomenclatural help needed !
> > 
> > While browsing through my copy of the new Peterson field guide to
> > butterflies of western Canada, western USA and a small part of Mexico; I
> > noticed more name changes that may be related to this vexing issue of
> > genus/species gender congruence. eg Satyrium californicum vs. S.
> > californica
> > etc.  Seems like every new book puts a different spin on this issue. I
> > have
> > no problem accepting name changes that are based on sound field and lab
> > work
> > but this name gender issue is a real pain in the backside. If there is a
> > professional taxonomist watching this list please educate the great
> > unwashed
> > masses as to what the H--- is going on and may I be so bold as to
> suggest
> > that the butterfly taxonomy community gets its act together on this
> issue
> > ?
> > Thanks in advance for any enlightenment- or even some personal opinion.
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Norbert Kondla  P.Biol., RPBio.
> > Forest Ecosystem Specialist, Ministry of Environment
> > 845 Columbia Avenue, Castlegar, British Columbia V1N 1H3
> > Phone 250-365-8610
> > Mailto:Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca
> > http://www.env.gov.bc.ca
> > 
>