Tautonym

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A tautonym is a scientific name of a species in which both parts of the name have the same spelling, such as Rattus rattus . The first part of the name is the name of the genus and the second part is referred to as the specific epithet in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants and the specific name in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature .

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Tautonymy (i.e., the usage of tautonymous names) is permissible in zoological nomenclature (see List of tautonyms for examples). In past editions of the zoological code, the term tautonym was used, but it has now been replaced by the more inclusive "tautonymous names"; these include trinomial names for subspecies such as Gorilla gorilla gorilla and Bison bison bison .

Tautonyms can be formed when animals are given scientific names for the first time, or when they are reclassified and given new scientific names. [1] An example of the former is the hidden mirror skipper of Brazil with the scientific name Speculum speculum , which comes from a Latin word for "mirror" in reference to the shiny, mirror-like coloring on its wings. [2] [3] An example of the latter is Nombe nombe , an extinct kangaroo from the late Pleistocene epoch found in Papua New Guinea's Nombe Rockshelter that was classified as Protemnodon nombe until 2022 when it was reclassified in light of a more recent review of the animal's dental attributes. [4] Animals with tautonymous names can also be reclassified so that they no longer have tautonymous names, as was the case with Polyspila polyspila (now Calligrapha polyspila ). [5]

For animals, a tautonym implicitly (though not always) indicates that the species is the type species of its genus. [6] This can also be indicated by a species name with the specific epithet typus or typicus, [7] although more commonly the type species is designated another way.

Regarding other living organisms, tautonyms were prohibited in bacteriological nomenclature from 1947 until 1975, but they are now permitted for all bacteria and prokaryotes. [8] Tautonyms are prohibited by the codes of nomenclature for botany and for cultivated plants, but they are not prohibited by the code of nomenclature for viruses. [9]

Botanical nomenclature

In the current rules for botanical nomenclature (which apply retroactively), tautonyms are explicitly prohibited. [10] The reason for prohibiting tautonyms is not explained in current or historical botanical nomenclatural codes, but it appears to have resulted from concerns over a century ago that identical taxon names could result in confusion where those names share identical spelling and identical capitalization. [11]

One example of a former botanical tautonym is 'Larix larix'. The earliest name for the European larch is Pinus larix L. (1753) but Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten did not agree with the placement of the species in Pinus and decided to move it to Larix in 1880. His proposed name created a tautonym. Under rules first established in 1906, which are applied retroactively, Larix larix cannot exist as a formal name. In such a case either the next earliest validly published name must be found, in this case Larix decidua Mill. (1768), or (in its absence) a new epithet must be published.

However, it is allowed for both parts of the name of a species to mean the same (pleonasm), without being identical in spelling. For instance, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi means bearberry twice, in Greek and Latin respectively; Picea omorika uses the Latin and Serbian terms for a spruce.

Instances that repeat the genus name with a slight modification, such as Lycopersicon lycopersicum (Greek and Latinized Greek, a rejected name for the tomato) and Ziziphus zizyphus , have been contentious, but are in accord with the Code of Nomenclature. [12]

In April 2023, a proposal was made to permit tautonyms in botanical nomenclature on a non-retroactive basis, noting that tautonyms have been allowed in zoological and bacteriological codes for decades without incident, and that allowing tautonyms would simplify botany's nomenclatural code while eliminating certain naming problems and preserving the epithets originally assigned to species. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genus</span> Taxonomic rank directly above species

Genus is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binomial nomenclature</span> System of identifying species of organisms using a two-part name

In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature, also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages. Such a name is called a binomial name, a binomen, binominal name, or a scientific name; more informally it is also historically called a Latin name. In the ICZN, the system is also called binominal nomenclature, "binomi'N'al" with an "N" before the "al", which is not a typographic error, meaning "two-name naming system".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jujube</span> Species of plant with edible fruit

Jujube, sometimes jujuba, known by the scientific name Ziziphus jujuba and also called red date, Chinese date, and Chinese jujube, is a species in the genus Ziziphus in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related Indian Jujube, Z. mauritiana. The Chinese jujube enjoys a diverse range of climates from temperate to tropical, whereas the Indian jujube is restricted to warmer subtropical and tropical climates.

In biology, trinomial nomenclature is the system of names for taxa below the rank of species. These names have three parts. The usage is different in zoology and botany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type species</span> Term used in biological nomenclature

In zoological nomenclature, a type species is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen. A similar concept is used for suprageneric groups and called a type genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type (biology)</span> Specimen(s) to which a scientific name is formally attached

In biology, a type is a particular specimen of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the defining features of that particular taxon. In older usage, a type was a taxon rather than a specimen.

Nomenclature codes or codes of nomenclature are the various rulebooks that govern the naming of living organisms. Standardizing the scientific names of biological organisms allows researchers to discuss findings.

In botany, the correct name according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) is the one and only botanical name that is to be used for a particular taxon, when that taxon has a particular circumscription, position and rank. Determining whether a name is correct is a complex procedure. The name must be validly published, a process which is defined in no less than 16 Articles of the ICN. It must also be "legitimate", which imposes some further requirements. If there are two or more legitimate names for the same taxon, then the correct name is the one which has priority, i.e. it was published earliest, although names may be conserved if they have been very widely used. Validly published names other than the correct name are called synonyms. Since taxonomists may disagree as to the circumscription, position or rank of a taxon, there can be more than one correct name for a particular plant. These may also be called synonyms.

In zoological nomenclature, author citation is the process in which a person is credited with the creation of the scientific name of a previously unnamed taxon. When citing the author of the scientific name, one must fulfill the formal requirements listed under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. According to Article 51.1 of the Code, "The name of the author does not form part of the name of a taxon and its citation is optional, although customary and often advisable." However, recommendation 51A suggests, "The original author and date of a name should be cited at least once in each work dealing with the taxon denoted by that name. This is especially important and has a unique character between homonyms and in identifying species-group names which are not in their native combinations." For the sake of information retrieval, the author citation and year appended to the scientific name, e.g. genus-species-author-year, genus-author-year, family-author-year, etc., is often considered a "de-facto" unique identifier, although this usage may often be imperfect.

In zoological nomenclature, the valid name of a taxon is the correct scientific name for that taxon. The valid name must be used for that taxon, regardless of any other name that may currently be used for that taxon, or may previously have been used. A name can only be valid when it is an available name under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN); if a name is unavailable, then it cannot be considered either valid or invalid.

In biology, a homonym is a name for a taxon that is identical in spelling to another such name, that belongs to a different taxon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conserved name</span> Conserved name (a protected scientific name)

A conserved name or nomen conservandum is a scientific name that has specific nomenclatural protection. That is, the name is retained, even though it violates one or more rules which would otherwise prevent it from being legitimate. Nomen conservandum is a Latin term, meaning "a name to be conserved". The terms are often used interchangeably, such as by the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (ICN), while the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature favours the term "conserved name".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paratype</span> Taxonomic term

In zoology and botany, a paratype is a specimen of an organism that helps define what the scientific name of a species and other taxon actually represents, but it is not the holotype. Often there is more than one paratype. Paratypes are usually held in museum research collections.

In biological nomenclature, a nomen novum, new replacement name is a scientific name that is created specifically to replace another scientific name, but only when this other name cannot be used for technical, nomenclatural reasons. It does not apply when a name is changed for taxonomic reasons. It is frequently abbreviated, e.g.nomen nov., nom. nov..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Principle of priority</span> Principle of botanical and zoological nomenclature

Priority is a fundamental principle of modern botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature. Essentially, it is the principle of recognising the first valid application of a name to a plant or animal. There are two aspects to this:

  1. The first formal scientific name published for a plant or animal taxon shall be the name that is to be used, called the valid name in zoology and correct name in botany.
  2. Once a name has been used, no subsequent publication of that name for another taxon shall be valid (zoology) or validly published (botany).

In zoological nomenclature, an available name is a scientific name for a taxon of animals that has been published after 1757 and conforming to all the mandatory provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature for the establishment of a zoological name.

In zoological nomenclature, emendations are intentional alterations made to the spelling of taxon names. In bacteriological nomenclature, emendations are made to the circumscription of a taxon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of scientific naming</span>

This is a list of terms and symbols used in scientific names for organisms, and in describing the names. For proper parts of the names themselves, see List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names. Note that many of the abbreviations are used with or without a stop.

In botanical nomenclature, a validly published name is a name that meets the requirements in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants for valid publication. Valid publication of a name represents the minimum requirements for a botanical name to exist: terms that appear to be names but have not been validly published are referred to in the ICN as "designations".

References

  1. ↑ Stephan, Michael J. (2023). Tautonyms. BookBaby. p. 11. ISBN   979-8350910759.
  2. ↑ Stephan 2023, p. 149.
  3. ↑ Austin, George T. (2008). "Hesperiidae of Rondonia, Brazil: A New Genus and Species of Pyrginae". Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 62 (1): 36–39.
  4. ↑ Stephan 2023, p. 36.
  5. ↑ Stephan 2023, p. 12.
  6. ↑ ICZN. Chapter 15 Art. 68.1
  7. ↑ ICZN. Chapter 15 Art. 68.2
  8. ↑ Stephan 2023, p. 209.
  9. ↑ Stephan 2023, p. 208–210.
  10. ↑ "Article 23.4". International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code). International Association for Plant Taxonomy. 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  11. ↑ Stephan 2023, pp. 208–215.
  12. ↑ Kirkbride, J.H.; Wiersema, J.H.; Turland, N.J. (2006), "(1753) Proposal to conserve the name Ziziphus jujuba against Z. zizyphus (Rhamnaceae)", Taxon, 55 (4): 1049–1050, doi:10.2307/25065716, JSTOR   25065716 (subscription required)
  13. ↑ Stephan, Michael J. (April 2023). "Proposals to require initial lowercase letters for specific and infraspecific epithets, to permit tautonyms non-retroactively, and to use consistent language in Articles 20.1 and 23.2". Taxon. 72 (2): 446–447. doi: 10.1002/tax.12902 .
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