Abstract
Griffiths, G. C. D. (Department of Entomology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada) 1976. The future of Linnaean nomenclature. Syst. Zool. 25:168–173.—Linnaean nomenclature in its present form cannot represent phylogenies unambiguously when fossil species are included. It is possible to avoid this difficulty by discontinuing the classification of taxa into Linnaean categories. The features of the resulting unclassified hierarchy and the way in which newly discovered taxa may be inserted in it are explained. Taxa may be classified in different ways, for instance into age classes or into evolutionary grades. The Linnaean category names, with their essentialist connotations, are inappropriate in either case. The international codes of nomenclature should be concerned primarily with the rules for naming taxa and should not prescribe how classes (categories) should be named and used. The prescription of suffices to indicate categorical rank conflicts with the stated aim of the codes to promote stability of nomenclature, and should be discontinued. While binomial nomenclature will surely be retained, a difference of logical status between the forenames of Quaternary and earlier species will need to be recognized.
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