Abstract
Creation and use of the scientific names of animals are ruled by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Until recently, publication of new names in a work produced with ink on paper was required for their availability. A long awaited amendment to the Code issued in September 2012 by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature now allows publication of new names in online-only works, provided that the latter are registered with ZooBank, the Official Register of Animal Names. With this amendment, the rules of zoological nomenclature have been aligned with the opportunities (and needs) of our digital era. However, possible causes for nomenclatural instability remain. These could be completely removed if the Code-compliant publication of new names will be identified with their online registration, under suitable technological and formal (legal) conditions. Future developments of the ZooBank may provide the tool required to make this definitive leap ahead in zoological nomenclature.
Highlights
Publications containing the description of new species, the proposal of names for new supraspecific taxa, or other acts affecting the application of a given name to a given taxon are different, in an important sense, from ordinary scientific books or papers [1]
This is because introducing a new species name, or otherwise intervening on the use of the scientific names of animals, is not a way to translate into words the author’s view on a particular problem of animal taxonomy
The choice of the names by which we refer to the individual species, genera or families in the animal kingdom is ruled by a set of principles known as the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature [2]
Summary
Publications containing the description of new species, the proposal of names for new supraspecific taxa, or other acts affecting the application of a given name to a given taxon are different, in an important sense, from ordinary scientific books or papers [1]. This advantage in respect to former times, when the only publications existing (or the only accepted for the purposes of zoological nomenclature) were issued on paper, is potentially put at risk by a literal application of the new Art. 21.9, unless additional measures are taken either by the journal’s publisher, or by the author of the paper. With printed and online editions published at the same time, there is no ambiguity in fixing the date of publication of a paper Under these circumstances, nothing changes in effect with the new amendment, and a possible future restriction to online only will have no consequence for zoological nomenclature. What can we do today to minimize or fully cancel the risk of similar misconduct?
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