[Taxacom] melanogaster in the Economist

[Frank.Krell at dmns.org]

... and actually, 'taxonomy' did think twice and did not just change one of the most used names in biology, but applied for a way to maintain 'the few ties that bind it to the outside world' (i.e. maintaining the combination Drosophila melanogaster by declaring it the type species).
Taxonomy did what it could, and could always submit another Case to the ICZN to save Drosophila melanogaster after the paper in question will be published, probably with stronger backing by the dipterists community.

Frank

Dr Frank T. Krell 
Curator of Entomology 
Commissioner, International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Chair, ICZN ZooBank Committee
Department of Zoology 
Denver Museum of Nature & Science 
2001 Colorado Boulevard 
Denver, CO 80205-5798 USA 
Frank.Krell at dmns.org 
Phone: (+1) (303) 370-8244 
Fax: (+1) (303) 331-6492 
http://www.dmns.org/science/curators/frank-krell


________________________________________
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of bckcdb at istar.ca [bckcdb at istar.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 7:08 AM
Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] melanogaster in the Economist

Quoting Donat Agosti <agosti at amnh.org>:

> This in a nutshell the conclusion of The Economist.
>
> "Some commissioners do not agree: "This application assumes the public
> cannot learn new words," said one. Luckily, there is no taxonomic police
> force, so there is no obligation to abide by any revision to the name of the
> famous fly. But if taxonomy wants to retain its relevance to the public it
> might want to think twice before cutting the few ties that bind it to the
> outside world. "

* disciplines (economists) who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?

fred.
===========================


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