[tdwg-content] [tdwg-tag] Inclusion of authorship in DwC scientificName: good or bad? [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Paul van Rijckevorsel]

From: "Niels Klazenga" <Niels.Klazenga at rbg.vic.gov.au>
Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2010 5:00 AM

[...]
> You are misinterpreting Art. 26.1 though, as that only applies to
> names of infraspecific taxa that include the type of the specific name.
> Garovaglia powellii var. muelleri (Hampe) During doesn't. On the other
> hand, I was wrong as well, as Garovaglia powellii var. muelleri is not
> strictly an autonym, as infraspecific names that include the type of a
> subspecies or variety are merely covered by recommendations 
> (26A.1, 26A.3). Can't believe I never saw this before, as I have
> always wondered how to deal with those things.

***
Once upon a time such things as "(var. muelleri was created as an
autonym of Garovaglia powellii subsp. muelleri)" did happen. 
However, this went out with the 1972 Code, and any such autonym 
that was created before that time stopped existing at that moment,
retroactively (unless it had also been published in its own right).
So this has nothing to do with autonyms (as they exist now).

BTW: I do realize it must be killing for 'biodiversity informaticians'
to have to deal with names that are governed by retroactive Codes. 
There you have this perfectly respectable scientific name in this 
perfectly respectable book, but it so happens that there is a change 
in the relevant Code, and then: poof!, the name not only stops 
existing but it never was, in the first place. Dust blowing in the
wind... 
Must be maddening!
* * *

[...]
> At any given time and any given context, Acacia dealbata subsp. 
> dealbata indicates a more narrowly circumscribed taxon than 
> Acacia dealbata. Just because taxon concepts change and 
> not everyone has the same taxon concept doesn't mean the
>  'subsp. dealbata' bit is meaningless.

***
Not sure what this means. A name is a label. A taxon is
circumscribed by a taxonomist who then attaches a name to his
taxon. At a given time and place, it is possible to open two books,
and have one refer to a taxon with a name such as Acacia dealbata 
subsp. dealbata which is wider circumscribed than the taxon in 
the other book with a name such as Acacia dealbata. It all depends
on taxonomic viewpoint.

Paul