Another code violation ---

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Recently I grumbled about some authors being in plain violation of the
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature by continuing to use the name
Phyciodes pratensis. Arrival of the western butterflies through binoculars
book reminded me of another name that seems to violate the code. This one is
Colias pseudochristina (erroneously placed as a ssp of Colias occidentalis
by some). This is the same butterfly that was named Colias occidentalis
wasatchia and wasatchia was evidently published 5 days prior to
pseudochristina so it takes priority.  Evidently some people have alleged
that the publication date of wasatchia is incorrect. But the code is very
clear on this point; Article21.2 states: The date of publication specified
in a work is to be adopted as correct in the absence of evidence to the
contrarry.  So until somebody produces some evidence to show that the
publication date of wasatchia is incorrect and the publication date of
pweudochristina is correct; the name stands as having priority over
pseudochristina.  I personally do not know if either of the publication
dates for these two taxa is correct or incorrect. Hopefully if someone
intends to research this issue and publish their results, they will do a
thorough job and look for evidence of the dates for both taxa rather than
starting with a biased assumption that one is correct and one is incorrect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Norbert Kondla  P.Biol., RPBio.
Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management
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


 
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