parsing taxonomic rank

[Doug Yanega]

Chris Thompson wrote:

>Higher categories have not standard endings.  AND beware, genus-group and
>specie-group names can also have the SAME ENDINGS, for example, Xylotina or
>Ranoidea, are valid generic names; Collocalia terrareginae is a valid
>species gorup name.  Because of this, one CAN NOT write a parsing algorithm
>for zoological names.

One of the most egregious examples is the family Aphelinidae, versus
the *genus* Aphelinoidea (which is in the family Trichogrammatidae!).
Talk about confusing...
Does that mean that one could never create a superfamily Aphelinoidea?

Peace,
--

Doug Yanega        Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
phone: (909) 787-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
            http://entmuseum9.ucr.edu/staff/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82