Propagation of typos

[Ron Gatrelle]

Personally, I agree with James Scott that gender matching is not too
important or even impossible.  (A female genus with a franki male species
for example.) I favor sticking with the original spelling method just
because of the _many_ potential genus changes over the centuries Mike
mentions below. But I will not do so until the ICZN changes the rule.
Without rule we have scientific anarchy - which can only lead to dumbed
down science.

Do note however that the use of Papilio multicaudatus in some recent books
was not done to retain the original spelling (which is multicaudata) nor to
meet the code's latinization rules. Sorry ( friends (-: )  it's just
sloppy.  However, this technically incorrect combination in books that
cover scores of taxa is certainly overlookable versus a scientific paper
specifically on this taxon and its subspecies.

Back to the matter of changing genus names. When a researcher publishes a
new genus - or generic alignment - none of us "have" to use it. But - I
think a specialist should be given a lot of professional respect -
especially by popular book authors who are not expert in that particular
area - and use the new combinations. A good current example is the genetic
based generic work by Dr. Wahlberg on the Melitaeini.

Ron

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Gochfeld" <gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU>
To: "Leps-l" <Leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2001 10:52 AM
Subject: Propagation of typos


> It was my understanding long ago that if a name was misspelled on the
> original description, it nonetheless attained priority and could not be
> corrected unless there was evidence that the author intended a different
> spelling.
> In other words if it was a typographical error, the author could correct
> it, but if it was a misspelling it could not be changed.
>
> Is this still true (or was it ever true) and if so how does it apply to
> endings that do not agree in gender.
>
> What's the point in changing a species name everytime someone revises at
> the genus level. MIKE GOCHFELD
>
>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>
>    For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
>
>    http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl
>
>


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl