[Taxacom] Taxacom Digest, Vol 153, Issue 6

[Richard Wells]

Dear Commissioners,

I am putting the final touches to a paper that deals rather extensively with the classification of the Australian herpetofauna, and naturally I have had to also consider at length the various taxonomic and nomenclatural acts of Ray Hoser. In relation to the Australian fauna most of his erections are, in my assessment not only Code-compliant, but also biologically valid entities in my view, and his taxon names could be likely used at this time without too much disruption to Nomenclature. Additionally, some of his work is in error in my view and is synonymous with already known entities as well. However, given the Application currently before the Commission, are his new nomenclatural and consequently taxonomic actions in herpetology post-2000 able to be used in other systematic publications before a decision on the Case is handed down by the ICZN (whenever that may be)? Can I even list his entities named within the works since the year 2000, including even the bibliographic citation of the articles that form the basis of the Application at this time? Now I require an interpretation strictly by the Book (i.e. the Articles of the 4th Edition)...so what should I do?

Yours Faithfully

Richard Wells
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