new combination?

[Ron at]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard L. Brown" <moth at RA.MSSTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: new combination?


> Anytime a species is reassigned to a genus, original or not, it is a
> transfer.  An appropriate term that can be used for clarification and
> for calling attention to those who keep up with name changes is
> "Revised Status".

Partially disagree.  The species in question was originally described in
genus Xus 1900 and later transferred or reassigned (or other vernacular
term) to genus Qus in 1905.  Qus already existed and the moving of the
species to Qus was a _New Combination_.   If someone later thinks it
belongs in another genus or another then each of those is a New Combination
also.   But when anyone thinks it still belongs in genus Xus, as occurred
in 1912,  that is not then a new or revised or anything other than its
original combination.  Its _status_ as Xus bus never changed except in the
opinions of a certain percentage of taxonomist's minds.  Just because a
taxonomist (or group of same) considers something as a what ever does not
make it such.  In this case, just a few years after 1905 in 1912 other
taxonomist(s) still held said species to be in genus Xus - nothing ever
changed in their view.

Now to Andy's original question.  Since this species has already been
placed in genus Qus as a New Combination in 1905, his placing this again in
this genus can not be "new" but since it is being moved (again) from Xus to
Qus it is a _Revised Status_.

IF this continues to be yo-yoed back and forth among and between genera
over the next few centuries, its combination with Xus will always be the
Original Combination (which doesn't need to be stated as it is
automatically stated because in the full citation the author's name is not
in parentheses), and each time it is "associated" "transferred" (whatever)
with a totally different genus it will be a New Combination each time, but
when bounced back to anything other than the original placement it is a
Revised Status each time - in the view of that taxonomist.

Ron Gatrelle
TILS president
Charleston, SC - USA
http://www.tils-ttr.org