The White Patch Dusky Wing?

[Kenelm Philip]

> However, I do not know of one instance, although I am sure they exist,
> where the species name has changed.  It is always the genus name that has
> changed.

	In Alaska, with 83 currently-known butterfly species, there have
been at least 10 cases of the specific epithet having been changed, mostly
since 1965. The reasons have varied. Subspecies were raised to full species;
Russian scientific names were found to have priority; taxonomists decided
that a European name did not apply to the nearctic taxon; sibling species
were identified; species epithets were brought into agreement with genera.

	Stability is desirable--but as long as taxonomists are free to
do their work there is always the possibility of changes in both genus
name and specific epithet for any organism. One may hope this process
is asymptotic to stability...

						Ken Philip
fnkwp at uaf.edu