The Linz Zoocode project. Second report of activities (2020).<br>Nomenclatural availability. 1. What is nomenclatural availability?
This second report of activities of the Linz Zoocode Committee is devoted to a careful analysis of the concept of nomenclatural availability in zoological nomenclature, a concept often misunderstood and misused in recent taxonomic publications. It provides a definition of this expression and establishes a new nomenclatural principle, the Principle of Availability. It addresses a number of terminological problems related to this concept and makes new proposals regarding this terminology.
- Research Article
- 10.11646/bionomina.42.1.2
- Jun 23, 2025
- Bionomina
Various problems posed by the 2012 Amendment to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature are reviewed. They concern mainly the nomenclatural availability and the promulgation date of works published online and of the new nomina and nomenclatural acts they contain. A methodology is proposed for the analysis of these problems in many works published after 3 September 2012. A detailed survey of 120 herpetological online publications having nomenclatural implications is presented: 63 of them include unavailable nomina and nomenclatural acts, and 57 of them were made available through their printed versions at dates subsequent to that stated on their PDFs. Detailed proposals and recommendations to authors, editors and referees, publishers, libraries, and concerning the Code, Zoobank and the Commission, are offered to try to limit the negative impact of these problems in zootaxonomy.
- Research Article
91
- 10.1649/0010-065x(2006)60[144:arotfn]2.0.co;2
- Dec 1, 2006
- The Coleopterists Bulletin
For the first time, all family-group names in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) are evaluated using the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to determine their availability and validity. A total of 383 family-group names were found to be available, and all are reviewed to scrutinize the correct spelling, author, date, nomenclatural availability and validity, and current classification status. Numerous corrections are given to various errors that are commonly perpetuated in the literature. A reversal of precedence is used to preserve the prevailing usage of the following family-group names: Eupariini Schmidt, 1910 (over Ataeniini Harold, 1868); Pachydemini Burmeister, 1855 (over Elaphocerini Blanchard, 1851); Heterosternina Bates, 1888 (over Macropnina Horn, 1866); and Anomalina Streubel, 1839 (over Euchlorina Hope, 1839).
- Research Article
2
- 10.1007/s13358-015-0081-2
- Jul 21, 2015
- Swiss Journal of Palaeontology
The nomenclature of Polyptychoceras, a Late Cretaceous heteromorph ammonite genus, and 18 related taxa is examined with a view to clarifying their nomenclatural availability, authors, dates of publication, and name-bearing types, on the basis of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Fourth Edition). It is concluded that one family-group name, four genus-group names, and 12 species-group names are currently available. In contrast, the names Po. subundatum and Po. jimboi are unavailable. We also showed that Po. yubarense had been established by Shimizu (J Shanghai Sci Inst, Sect II, 1(11):159–226, 1935a).
- Research Article
541
- 10.4002/040.061.0201
- Dec 1, 2017
- Malacologia
2,604 names at the rank of subtribe, tribe, subfamily, family and superfamily have been proposed for Recent and fossil gastropods, and another 35 for monoplacophorans. All names are listed in a nomenclator giving full bibliographical reference, date of publication, typification, and their nomenclatural availability and validity under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Another 790 names, established for categories above the familygroup (infraorder to subclass) are listed separately. A fully ranked, hierarchical classification summarizes recent advances in the phylogeny of the Gastropoda and Monoplacophora. In all, the classification recognizes as valid a total of 721 gastropod families, of which 245 are known exclusively as fossils and 476 occur in the Recent with or without a fossil record; and 20 monoplacophoran families, of which 1 only occurs as Recent.Nomenclatural acts in this work: Amberleya bathonica Cox & Arkell, 1950, fixed as type species of Amberleya J. Morris & Lycett, 1851, under Art. 70.3; Ampezzopleura tenuis Nutzel, 1998, fixed as type species of Ampezzopleura Bandel, 1991, under Art. 70.3; Proserpina nitida G. B. Sowerby II, 1839, designated type species of Despoena Newton, 1891; Buccinum glabratum Linnaeus, 1758, designated type species of Dipsaccus H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853; Murex ficus Linnaeus, 1758, designated type species of Ficula Swainson, 1835; Oncomelania hupensis Gredler, 1881, designated type species of Hemibia Heude, 1890; Murex metaxa Delle Chiaje, 1828, fixed as type species of Metaxia Monterosato, 1884 under Art. 70.3; Neridomus anglicus Cox & Arkell, 1950, fixed as type species of Neridomus J. Morris & Lycett, 1851, under Art. 70.3; Navicella clypeolum Recluz, 1843, designated type species of Orthopoma Gray, 1868; Trochus viadrinus M. Schmidt, 1905, fixed as type species of Parataphrus Chavan, 1954 under Art. 70.3; Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758, designated type species of Pentataenia A. Schmidt, 1855; Flammulina ponsonbyi Suter, 1897, fixed as type species of Phenacohelix Suter, 1892, under Art. 70.3; Cyrtolites corniculum Eichwald, 1860, fixed as type species of Pollicina Koken, 1895, under Art. 70.3; Purpurina elegantula d'Orbigny, 1850, designated as type species of Purpurina d'Orbigny, 1850, and lectotype of Turbo bellona d'Orbigny, 1850, designated as neotype of Purpurina elegantula; Pyramidella minuscula Monterosato, 1880, fixed as type species of Tiberia Jeffreys, 1884, under Art. 70.3; Cyclostoma delicatum Philippi, 1844, fixed as type species of Trachysma G. O. Sars, 1878, under Art. 70.3; Helix elegans Gmelin, 1791, fixed as type species of Trochoidea T. Brown, 1827, under Art. 70.3; Turritellopsis stimpsoni Dall, 1919, fixed as type species of Turritellopsis G. O. Sars, 1878, under Art. 70.3; Fusus averillii Gabb, 1864, fixed as type species of Volutoderma Gabb, 1876, under Art. 70.3; Voluta pepo Lightfoot, 1786, fixed as type species of Yetus Bowdich, 1822. Curnonidae d'Udekem d'Acoz, nom. nov., and Curnon d'Udekem d'Acoz, nom. nov., are established for Charcotiidae Odhner, 1926, and Charcotia Vayssiere, 1906, (between 27 March and 1 May), non Charcotia Chevreux, 1906 (January) [Amphipoda]; Yuopisthonematidae Nutzel, nom. nov., and Yuopisthonema Nutzel, nom. nov., are established for Opisthonematidae Yu, 1976, and Opisthonema Yu, 1974, non Gill, 1862 [Pisces]. The new family-group name Burnupiidae Albrecht is established in this work; and the names Scolodontina and Orthalicoidei are first used here to denote, respectively, a suborder containing the family Scolodontidae, and an infraorder containing the superfamily Orthalicoidea.
- Research Article
177
- 10.4002/040.052.0201
- May 1, 2010
- Malacologia
Some 1,048 names at the rank of subtribe, tribe, subfamily, family and superfamily have been proposed for Recent and fossil bivalves. All names are listed in a nomenclator giving full bibliographical reference, date of publication, type genus, and their nomenclatural availability and validity under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Another 274 names, established for categories above the family-group are listed separately. A working classification attempts to group all bivalve family-group names into a single system based on current hypotheses of relations and synonymies. At several rank levels, the groups are given in alphabetical rather than some assumed phylogenetic arrangement, reflecting current uncertainties and conflicting results from anatomical, molecular, and fossil data. Altogether, the classification recognizes as valid a total of 324 families, of which 214 are known exclusively as fossils and 110 occur in the Recent with or without a fossil record.
- Research Article
2
- 10.11646/bionomina.23.1.1
- Oct 25, 2021
- Bionomina
The ‘suppression’ (invalidation) for nomenclatural purposes by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature of the work Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupèdes Ovipares et des Serpens first published by La Cepède from 1788 to 1790 brought no benefit of any kind to zoological taxonomy and nomenclature but generated several nomenclatural problems. Here we review the history of the many discussions and proposals, as well as the successive and contradictory decisions of the Commission, regarding this work and the new nomina it contains, and we make new proposals to solve some of the problems created by these decisions. We suggest the Commission should take the initiative to restore nomenclatural availability to 18 nomina of La Cepède invalidated or of unclear status following its previous actions. More generally, we think that the use of the Plenary Power by the Commission should be more strictly regulated and made less easy and straightforward, and that the whole invalidation of complete works that have been considered as nomenclaturally available for a very long time in many works (e.g., 100 works in the 100 immediately preceding years) should be forbidden, and that the Commission should rather concentrate its attention and action on nomina rather than on works. Besides, we show that the snake nomen Coluber trigonocephalus Donndorff, 1798, currently considered valid, is invalid, and should be replaced by the nomen Coluber capitetriangulatus Bonnaterre, 1790.
- Research Article
2
- 10.11646/zootaxa.4171.3.13
- Sep 29, 2016
- Zootaxa
Thirty new species of benthic leptothecate hydroids were described and named from Patagonia in a 1991 PhD dissertation by Mohamed El Beshbeeshy. Although constituting nomina nuda under provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), the names of some species were used in several scientific publications between 1991 and 2011. In 2011, the dissertation of El Beshbeeshy was published in accordance with Article 8 of the ICZN. Several species-group names appearing in that work nevertheless fail to fully comply with certain articles of the code. The goal of this contribution is to review the nomenclatural availability of the names of those 30 new taxa, and to clearly establish the current status of El Beshbeeshy's material. Two of them were made available in 1999 as part of studies other than those of El Beshbeeshy, and correct authorship and date is here noted. Twenty-one of the nomina nuda were made available in a work published by El Beshbeeshy in 2011, although some constitute junior synonyms. Six of the new species-group names appearing in both the 1991 and 2011 works, established following a literature review of Patagonian species, were proposed without re-description, or designation of name-bearing types, or locations of such types. Most of them do not meet criteria of availability and remain nomina nuda. The status of each is discussed to avoid additional nomenclatural errors and continued taxonomic confusion.
- Research Article
- 10.11646/bionomina.36.1.5
- Dec 29, 2023
- Bionomina
This paper is the first of a series devoted to the analysis of the early classifications of amphibians and reptiles published from 1758 onwards, and of the nomenclatural status of all the nomina of herpetological taxa established in these works. In this introductory paper, we present the new methodology and the terminology used for these analyses, which propose a new approach to the understanding of the hierarchy of nomina and taxa in taxonomic publications. The hierarchical relationships between the taxa in these works have strong nomenclatural implications and consequences on the understanding of the nomenclatural status (nominal-series assignment, nomenclatural availability; taxonomic allocation; nomenclatural validity and nomenclatural correctness) of all early nomina, and in particular those of the higher nominal-series (family- and class-series), which have so far been misinterpreted in many cases.
- Research Article
- 10.11646/zootaxa.4915.2.11
- Jan 21, 2021
- Zootaxa
Hernáez et al. (2020) described a new species of ghost shrimp, Neocallichirus pinheiroi, from northeastern coast of Brazil, Western Atlantic. Although the description and figures presented by Hernáez et al. (2020) fully characterize the new species, the journal issue in which the description appeared was published online only, and the article in which N. pinheiroi appeared did not include a ZooBank registration number (LISD), required for validation of new names in electronic-only publications [vide Art. 8.5.3 of the amended Code of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 1999, 2012)]. As result, the name Neocallichirus pinheiroi Hernáez, Windsor, Paula Santana, 2020, is not available according the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 1999, 2012). Therefore, the present note serves to validate the name Neocallichirus pinheiroi by fulfilling the ICZN conditions for nomenclatural availability.
- Research Article
1
- 10.11646/zootaxa.4729.1.11
- Jan 28, 2020
- Zootaxa
Díaz-Díaz et al. (2018) described a new species of oweniid polychaete, Owenia vieitezi, from the north-western coast of the Gulf of Venezuela, Caribbean Sea. Although the description and figures presented by Díaz-Díaz et al. (2018) fully characterize the new species, the journal issue in which the description appeared was published online only and the article in which the new name appeared did not include a ZooBank registration number (LSID), required for validation of new species names in electronic-only publications (ICZN 2012). As a result, the name Owenia vieitezi Díaz-Díaz, Parapar Moreira, 2018, as published in Cahiers de Biologie Marine 59: 589-597, is not available according the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999, 2012). Therefore, the present note serves to validate the name Owenia vieitezi by fulfilling the ICZN conditions for nomenclatural availability.
- Research Article
1
- 10.11646/zootaxa.4759.2.12
- Apr 2, 2020
- Zootaxa
Schmidt-Rhaesa Vieler (2018) described a new species of benthic chaetognath, Spadella kappae, collected by meiofaunal sampling near Roscoff, France. Although the description and figures presented by Schmidt-Rhaesa Vieler (2018) fully characterize the new species, the journal issue in which the description appeared was published online-only, with no print version, and the article in which the new name appeared did not include a ZooBank registration number for the article (LSID), required for validation of new species names in electronic-only publications (ICZN 2012). As a result, the name Spadella kappae Schmidt-Rhaesa Vieler, 2018, as published in Cahiers de Biologie Marine 59: 257-265, is not available according the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, hereafter, the Code (ICZN 1999, 2012). Therefore, the present note serves to validate the name Spadella kappae by fulfilling Code conditions for nomenclatural availability. The date and authorship of the specific name, accordingly, are those of this note, not Schmidt-Rhaesa Vieler (2018).
- Research Article
5
- 10.1080/13235818.2020.1724603
- Feb 23, 2020
- Molluscan Research
ABSTRACTAmong non-marine genus-group names of Australian Gastropoda established by Tom Iredale (1880–1972), 42 were introduced without a description, and are thus unavailable under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Several of these names were made available, often inadvertently, in subsequent literature, but others have remained unavailable. We clarify the nomenclatural availability of all 32 originally unavailable names, the nomenclatural availability of which was not subsequently properly assessed. Most notably, the names Arnemelassa, Figuladra, Malandena, Meridolum, Nannochloritis, and Turrisitala continue to be used in taxonomic literature to this day, although they are unavailable. Where no other available name can be applied, these genera are herein described as new (Arnemelassa n. gen., Figuladra n. gen., and Nannochloritis n. gen.) to stabilise the nomenclature of Australian non-marine gastropods.Publication LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E0FE996A-E52D-4DF4-B5E0-95FA399B9BC2
- Research Article
- 10.11646/bionomina.42.1.1
- Jun 23, 2025
- Bionomina
Failure to follow the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature can lead to significant confusion in taxonomic literature. This study examines five reptilian names (for two species, two genera and one family) that should be considered unavailable due to non-compliance with specific Code’s criteria. Proper adherence to the Code is essential for maintaining consistency and clarity in taxonomy. However, interpreting the Code is often challenging, and some of its rules require improvement. Despite these difficulties, taxonomists must remain knowledgeable about the Code regulations to ensure the nomenclatural availability of their work and stability of zoological nomenclature.
- Research Article
1
- 10.11646/zootaxa.4779.1.12
- May 18, 2020
- Zootaxa
Recently, Suárez-Morales Üstün (2018) described two new species of monstrilloid copepods, Cymbasoma turcorum and Monstrillopsis pontoeuxinensis from Turkish coastal waters of the Black Sea. The morphological descriptions, illustrations, and type designations presented in that paper fully characterized both new species; however, the journal issue in which the description appeared was published only online, with no print version (Suárez-Morales Üstün 2018), and the article in which these new names were introduced did not include a ZooBank registration number (LSID) for the article or any other evidence of such registration. This is currently required by Article 8.5 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature for an electronic work to be deemed "published" under the Code (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 2012). Inasmuch as Suárez-Morales Üstün (2018) is an "unpublished work", the specific names turcorum and pontoeuxinensis proposed in it are unavailable. The present note is intended to fully validate these two names by proposing them once again as new while also fulfilling all of the Code's current conditions for nomenclatural availability of this work itself and the two new names. The date and authorship of these two specific names will, accordingly, be those of this note, not Suárez-Morales Üstün (2018).
- Research Article
- 10.11646/zootaxa.4728.1.10
- Jan 21, 2020
- Zootaxa
Ortiz et al. (2018) described a new species of lysianassid amphipod, Shoemakerella fissipro, from Gulf of California, northeastern Pacific Ocean. Although the description and figures presented by Ortiz et al. (2018) fully characterize the new species, the journal issue in which the description appeared was published online only, and the article in which the new name appeared did not include a ZooBank registration number (LSID), required for validation of new names in electronic-only publications (ICZN 2012). As a result, the name Shoemakerella fissipro Ortiz, Capetillo Winfield, 2018, as published in Cahiers de Biologie Marine 59: 599-605, is not available according the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999, 2012). Therefore, the present note serves to validate name Shoemakerella fissipro by fulfilling ICZN conditions for nomenclatural availability.
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