Noun oblitum

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A nomen oblitum (plural: nomina oblita , German  forgotten name , English forgotten name ) is a terminus technicus in zoological nomenclature for a special type of scientific name that is no longer in use.

A nomen oblitum has been used in its current meaning since the 4th edition (1999) of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature . After January 1, 2000, a scientific name can be formally declared a nomen oblitum if it has been shown not to have been used as a valid name by the scientific community since 1899 , and if it is either an older synonym (i.e. there is more than one current name referring to the same taxon and in common use) or homonym (i.e. a name spelled the same but e.g. by a different author in common use), and if the preferred younger synonym or homonym as can be considered widespread in the publications for at least 50 years. Once a name has been formally declared a nomen oblitum , it is to be regarded as 'forgotten'. In the same process, the next name available in accordance with the rules must be declared a nomen protectum ; from this point on it enjoys priority.

An example is the case of the scientific name for the leopard shark . In addition to the name Mustelus felis , which is considered an older synonym, an error in the recording of the data for publication led to the widespread use of Triakis semifasciata as the scientific name of the leopard shark. After this flaw persisted and was discovered, T. semifasciata (as nomen protectum ) became the valid name and Mustelis felis (as nomen oblitum ) was declared invalid.

Use in taxonomy

The assignment of a nomen oblitum has been used quite often to give priority to old, sometimes uncommon names, and - what is controversial - often without justification that a name meets the current criteria for assignment. Some taxonomists have viewed the error as a way to use the assignment of a nomen oblitum to conduct taxonomic research or to get a preferred name regardless of the priority principle. When discussing the taxonomy of the North American birds, Rea (1983) noted that

"... Swainson's [older but disused] name must stand unless it can be demonstrated conclusively to be a nomen oblitum (a game some taxonomists play to avoid their supposed fundamental principle, priority)."
“… Swainson's [older but uncommon] name must endure unless it can be conclusively shown to be a nomen oblitum . (A game taxonomists play to avoid their fundamental belief, priority.) "

In immediate response to Rea's strict application of the ICZN rules to determine nomina oblita, Banks and Browning (1995) found:

"We believe that the fundamental obligation of taxonomists is to promote stability, and that the principle of priority is but one way in which this can be effected. We see no stability in resurrecting a name of uncertain basis that has been used in several different ways to replace a name that has been used uniformly for most of a century. "
“We believe that the fundamental duty of taxonomists is to promote stability, and that the priority principle is just one way to achieve it. We cannot see the stability of reviving a name with an uncertain basis that has been used in different ways to replace a name that has been used consistently for most of the century. "

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ INTERNATIONAL CODE OF ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE . International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature. 1999. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  2. ↑ TW Pietsch, JW Orr, WN Eschmeyer: Mustelus felis Ayres, 1854, a Senior Synonym of the Leopard Shark, Triakis semifasciata Girard, 1855 (Carchariniformes: Triakidae), Invalidated by "Reversal of Precedence" . In: Copeia . 2012, 2012, pp. 98-99. doi : 10.1643 / ci-11-089 .
  3. ↑ Amadeo M. Rea: Once A River . University of Arizona Press, Tucson 1983, p. 270.
  4. ^ RC Banks, MR Browning: Comments on the status of revived old names for some North American birds . In: The Auk . 112, No. 3, 1995, pp. 633-648.