Correct procedure for uploading information on new taxonomic names to ZooBank.

Abstract

This Editorial provides advice on how to upload information to ZooBank for manuscripts that include new taxonomic names. This is a requirement of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, to ensure that new taxonomic names are accepted as valid in electronic publication of manuscripts prior to print publication. Hence, the Journal of Fish Biology requires that the procedure outlined below is followed for any new taxonomic names. Amendment of Article 8 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to expand and refine methods of publication (Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 2012 69, 161–169) requires that: Article 8.5. To be considered published, a work issued and distributed electronically must be registered in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) and contain evidence in the work itself that such registration has occurred. Accordingly, the Journal of Fish Biology requires that any manuscript dealing with the description of new species, genera or families, submitted to the journal, must be registered in ZooBank and the name of each new taxonomic name (e.g. new family, genus or species) should be added to ZooBank. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:XXXXXXXX-XXXXX-XXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX (a series of numbers and letters). urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX (a series of numbers and letters). Note the identification numbers for publications include ‘pub’ in the sequence number. The ZooBank identification number for the manuscript must be included in your manuscript on the title page of your manuscript submitted to the Journal of Fish Biology, following the author names and affiliations for your manuscript. The ZooBank identification number for each new species should appear at the start of the definition of the new taxon, as below: Aus bus, new species urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:XXXXXXXX-XXXXX-XXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX Figure 1; Tables I & II (While the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature does not require the species register numbers to be included in the electronic publication, the Journal of Fish Biology requests this information, to conform with protocols of several other taxonomic journals.) Once your manuscript has been published electronically, please ensure to update the status of your ZooBank record for the manuscript from ‘not yet published’ to ‘published.’ This will then ensure the name is publicly searchable in the ZooBank database. ZooBank has tutorial videos on all steps of the process (creating an account; registering a publication; then registering the new names in that publication): http://zoobank.org/VideoGuide/ We are grateful to C. Ferraris for bringing this information to our attention, and to M. DeJong (Cline Library, Northern Arizona University) for providing information about online archives that store the Journal of Fish Biology. I.J.H. is grateful to the American Museum of Natural History (Department of Ichthyology) for supporting Research Associate status.