Taxacom: species name vs specific epithet

Fri Dec 30 14:38:46 CST 2022

 "The species name" can mean either the binomen or the specific epithet, provided the the context makes it clear which is meant.Taken out of a specific context, the question "what is the species name of humans?" has two possible answers, but that isn't really problematic. It is like "what does the word "right" mean?" It can mean either the opposite of left or the opposite of wrong, or a "right" that we are entitled to, like "free speech". It should be clear from context which is meant. IMHO, it is a mistake to think that letting context determine meaning is somehow "unscientific".
Stephen
    On Saturday, 31 December 2022 at 05:03:25 am NZDT, Yancey, Thomas E via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu> wrote:  

 There is another aspect of using singular species name that emerges when doing taxonomic work. In a study I?m completing thare are instances when a proposed species name has little or no value because of inadequate documentation, but the name is used extensively and indiscriminately in literature. Those instances of using the name need to be mentioned in discussion of valid species descriptions and the most effective way is to simply cite the name without indication of genus, using italics to indicate its original proposed status: e.g. subspatulata. Putting the name in quotes is an alternative, but distracting. Citing it as [species of Author A] is less desirable.

In this case the intent is to discuss a name that is a nomen dubium of little value and indeterminate status, not to communicate about a documented species. A prohibition about using singular species names does not fit. There is a need for some flexibility of this matter in taxonomic literature.

T. Yancey

On Dec 29, 2022, at 5:22 PM, Derek Sikes via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu<mailto:taxacom at lists.ku.edu>> wrote:

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All,

Can we all stop using the term 'species' as a sometimes synonym for
'specific epithet'?

This is a super widespread problem, made all the more common by all the
database search interfaces that have a field called 'species'.

A species name is composed of 2 words. Our species name is not 'sapiens',
it is Homo sapiens.

And yet so often I see things like this -

https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwsc.nmbe.ch%2Fsearch&data%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C61b4d37650aa47f7780708daeaa5dceb%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638080295492640226%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ctrcot6szyDAVE02cmQjZmRw0GI99tvZWsvRd17NJb8%3D&reserved=0

which uses the term 'species' where it should say 'specific epithet'

And also in introductory biology textbooks where they list something like:

Genus - Homo
species - sapiens

Happy New Year!
Derek

--

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*Derek S. Sikes*, Curator of Insects, Professor of Entomology
University of Alaska Museum (UAM), University of Alaska Fairbanks
1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK? 99775-6960
dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 he/him/his
University of Alaska Museum <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uaf.edu%2Fmuseum%2Fcollections%2Fento%2F&data%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C61b4d37650aa47f7780708daeaa5dceb%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638080295492640226%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CQ03pukbf7ihp58LlhG445Yx0P246QmBMp5JG3%2Bhy1c%3D&reserved=0>
-? search 357,704 digitized arthropod records
<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Farctos.database.museum%2Fuam_ento&data%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C61b4d37650aa47f7780708daeaa5dceb%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638080295492640226%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdatauBouP38JWKNMPmj2HGeMK%2BNMbiWSjvQcovMVuRi6w0%3D&reserved=0>
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thomas E Yancey
Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
Texas A&M University
3115-TAMU
College Station, TX 77843
email: tyancey at tamu.edu<mailto:tyancey at tamu.edu>
Voice: 979-845-0643

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