Join the rebellion

[Torben Larsen]

Dear all,

I am old enough to have a working knowledge of Latin.
I am still young enough to be a rebel.

In my recent book BUTTERFLIES OF WEST AFRICA I have tried to use original
spellings. I follow in the illustrious footsteps of the Natural History
Museum trio who edited Carcasson's monumental catalogue of African
butterflies.

This rebellion will eventually prevail ... so please use original spelling
even when the gender of a new genus name is different from the original one.
I am doing an in-depth study on Ghana butterflies at the moment, and in
front of me I have one of the best early papers ever written. In this Karsch
(1893) meticulously describes Monotrichis campa from Togo. There were no
rules at the time. It is now placed in the genus Bicyclus - so purists would
want that to become B. campus. This is quite useless.

Fortunately the gender agreement between genus and specific names is the
only remaining mandatory requirement under the Code of Zoological
Nomenclature, and rebellion will soon [15 years?] consign it to the "dustbin
of history". The remaining references to Latin and Greek in the Code are
advisory. I shall not necessarily follow this advice. Kedestes nancy Larsen,
1991 was named in honour of my wife. I would never have called it nancyae  -
but at the time I was sufficiently intimidated to say that I did not name
the butterfly after my wife, but that I gave it her first name.

Once upon a time, someone revising a complex group of insects had a sudden
insight. He named a new genus Aha in recognition of this sudden insight
(not specifying the gender). Were I ever to chance across a new species of
Aha, it would be Aha igotit ... mind you, this name has no gender, so even
if the author Aha was to change his mind and the genus name became Ahem, my
species name would not be changed.



Torben Larsen
358 Coldharbour Lane
London SW9 8PL, UK
UK 0044 [0]20 7737 1689
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