Categories between Family and Genus: Zoology only

[Ken Kinman]

     Starobogatov is one advocate of numerous standardized endings, but I
don't know that he ever proposed anything for family group names (just
phylum, class, and order group names).
     But extrapolating from his proposed endings in those other groups, I
would guess he might use "-inei" for Infrafamily.  I doubt that he would
approve of "-idi" for supertribe.
     Of course, I obviously think we should use *fewer* intermediate ranks
rather than more.  I prefer alphanumeric coding, but another possibility
would be informal groupings of tribes or subfamilies, like the "W-ini/X-ini"
group and the "Y-ini/Z-ini" group.  You can actually use these kinds of
groupings to give informal names when using coded classifications.  Creative
ways to stem the explosion of "formal" names will go a long way toward
easing future nomenclatural problems and inefficiency.
               ---- Ken Kinman
*****************************************
>From: christian thompson <cthompson at SEL.BARC.USDA.GOV>
>Reply-To: christian thompson <cthompson at SEL.BARC.USDA.GOV>
>To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
>Subject: Categories between Family and Genus: Zoology only
>Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2002 09:42:12 -0500
>
>Zoologists ONLY.
>
>The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature regulates the ending
>(suffixes) of family-group names only for
>         Superfamily -oidea
>         Family          -idae
>         Subfamily     -inae
>         Tribe            -ini
>         Subtribe       -ina
>
>(See Article 29.2)
>
>I would like to know whether people use additional categories for
>family-group names and what ending they used.
>
>For example, my colleague (Ray Gagne) uses Supertribe (-idi).  Does any one
>use Infra-Family? If so, what ending does one use?
>
>Etc.
>
>Thanks
>
>F. Christian Thompson
>Systematic Entomology Lab., ARS, USDA
>Smithsonian Institution
>Washington, D. C. 20560-0169
>(202) 382-1800 voice
>(202) 786-9422 FAX
>cthompso at sel.barc.usda.gov [NB: no terminal "n"]
>visit our Diptera site at www.diptera.org





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