Nomenclatural help needed !

[Ian Thirlwell]

Regarding gender: Emmet in "Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera...."
explains that specific names are of three forms of which one is an
adjective. Modern practice is to treat the generic name as genderless and
the specific name retains the original gender (from its first - valid -
use). The example he gives is Crambus pratella rather than Crambus
pratellus. Apparently this contravenes I.C.Z.N. Article 30, he writes.

Ian

Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX wrote in message
<60F1FEB31CA3D211A1B60008C7A45F43A41134 at blaze.bcsc.gov.bc.ca>...
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