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Taxacom: Formation of family name in zoology, based on genus ending -ops

Francisco Welter-Schultes fwelter at gwdg.de
Mon Feb 6 08:21:08 CST 2023 

Dear colleagues,
Oh, my Latin is certainly way worse than my Modern Greek...

My understanding of Art. 11.7.1.1 is that Gorgonopsidae contains the 
stem, so it would formed in agreement with that regulation. Thanks 
Laurent for pointing this out, we should clarify this in Code-5. Should 
read "was formed in accordance with Art. 29".

My statement was this one:

"Gorgonopidae Lydekker, 1890 would be proporly formed under Art. 29.3.1."

I admit that I was talking like a politician. The statement does not 
mean that the spelling Gorgonopsidae has no standing or could not be used.

We seem to have the same problem as we have for species-group names: 
must an original spelling smithi be used if the name was dedicated to a 
woman, and contrasted Art. 31.1? The Code defines such a formation 
definitely as incorrect in Art. 31.1, but in Art. 32.4 provides no means 
to correct such a spelling if it was formed incorrectly in the original 
publication. So the name is incorrectly formed, but not an incorrect 
original spelling to be corrected.

In Code-5 we will have to provide a solution. In the case of dedicated 
species-group names (honorifics) my recommenation is currently to 
maintain the original spelling regardless of being formed correctly or 
incorrectly, and to maintain the spelling with a changed ending if the 
ending was subsequently corrected and that spelling is in prevailing 
usage (and this means, if more than some 85-90 % of the publications in 
the past 50 years have used the corrected ending; we also will need to 
provide a definition how to determine "prevailing usage", and this would 
probably range around such a frame).

Art. 29.1: The cross-reference to Art. 55.3 seems to be in error, this 
should read 29.6.
Art. 29.6 suggests indirectly that forming a family-group name by adding 
the suffix to the entire name of the type genus would be acceptable 
under the Code.

Like in the case of the honorifics we need to consult Art. 32.4 for the 
correction. Art. 32.4 forwards to Art. 32.5.

Art. 32.5.3 regulates in which cases incorrectly formed family-group 
names are to be identified as incorrect original spellings and have to 
be corrected. Basically this Article touches two cases: an incorrectly 
formed suffix, or something was wrong with the spelling of the type 
genus. There is no statement about the stem.

"32.5.3. A family-group name is an incorrect original spelling and must 
be corrected if it

     32.5.3.1. has an incorrectly formed suffix [Art. 29.2], or

     32.5.3.2. is formed from an unjustified emendation of a generic 
name (unless the unjustified emendation has become a substitute name), or

     32.5.3.3. is formed from an incorrect subsequent spelling of a 
generic name [Art. 35.4.1], or

     32.5.3.4. is formed from one of two or more original spellings of a 
genus-group name which was not that selected by the First Reviser [Art. 
24.2.3]."

And this means, no matter if the Code regards a spelling Gorgonopsidae 
directly or indirectly as correct or incorrect, because the entire 
generic name and not its stem was used, Art. 32.4 provides no means to 
correct a spelling based on an incorrect formation in the original 
publication. So the original spelling must not be corrected.

And so Gorgonopsidae would have to be used. If Gorgonopidae would be in 
prevailing usage, then I would recommend to maintain using that 
spelling, otherwise I would currently recommend to stick to the original 
formation.

Sorry not to have researched that immediately. I took a note that in the 
Code-5 revision we will have to look at this.

Tony: do you have an online link to Lydekker 1890 (if possible, BHL)?

Best wishes
Francisco

Am 06.02.2023 um 13:56 schrieb Evangelos Vlachos:
> Hi everyone!
> 
> Just a minor correction to what FWS wrote: the genitive of -ops is -opos
> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fel.wiktionary.org%2Fwiki%2F%25E1%25BD%2584%25CF%2588&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C9ce29437091841fdf03a08db084d6462%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638112900745362023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=u3TIto82d1VRUY0GqhHbDUW%2FmlQy2ZCyrKJM9I9Tw0Q%3D&reserved=0> (not -opis), but otherwise
> the stem is correctly formed for the purposes of this particular example.
> 
> "opsis" is a synonym of "ops" in Ancient Greek, hence the possible
> confusion, used in Modern Greek as "opsi" (genitive "opsis" or "opseos")
> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fel.wiktionary.org%2Fwiki%2F%25CF%258C%25CF%2588%25CE%25B7&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C9ce29437091841fdf03a08db084d6462%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638112900745362023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x8Dm7DTU31rgeYXk3948WJfmRowfGs3q%2BH%2FKbwgANvQ%3D&reserved=0>.
> 
> In this case the OP should check if Art. 29.5 should be used, and if
> Gorgonopsidae could be considered in prevailing usage and its spelling
> should be maintained (it doesn't seem so).
> 
> Just dropping my two drachmas here,
> 
> Sincerely,
> Evan Vlachos
> 
> On Sun, 5 Feb 2023 at 19:23, Francisco Welter-Schultes via Taxacom <
> taxacom at lists.ku.edu> wrote:
> 
>> Dear Tony,
>> This follows Code Arts. 29.1 and 29.3.
>>
>> 29.1. Formation of family-group names. A family-group name is formed by
>> adding to the stem of the name [Art. 29.3] of the type genus, or to the
>> entire name of the type genus [see Article 29.6], a suffix as specified
>> in Article 29.2.
>>
>> 29.3.1. If a generic name is or ends in a Greek or Latin word, or ends
>> in a Greek or Latin suffix, the stem for the purposes of the Code is
>> found by deleting the case ending of the appropriate genitive singular.
>>
>> Gorgonops Owen, 1876
>> genitive should be Gorgonopis, stem Gorgonop-
>>
>> So Gorgonopidae Lydekker, 1890 would be proporly formed under Art. 29.3.1.
>>
>> Other examples
>> Merops Linnaeus, 1758 - Meropidae
>> Mormoops Leach, 1821 - Mormoopidae
>> Selenops Latreille, 1819 - Selenopidae
>>
>> If this helps
>> Francisco
>>
>>
>>
>> Am 05.02.2023 um 22:44 schrieb Tony Rees via Taxacom:
>>> Thanks Ken... a little further reading suggests that the terminal "s" of
>>> the genus should indeed normally be dropped in these cases when forming a
>>> family name, however may be retained if the longer form has entered
>>> established usage despite being incorrect. However I would welcome more
>>> expert (than myself) confirmation of this.
>>>
>>> On Mon, 6 Feb 2023, 8:40 am Kenneth Kinman, <kinman at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi again,
>>>>          Instead of Tribe Ugyopsini, I should have typed Ugyopini.
>>>> Anyway, I found an example where the final "s" is not only dropped for
>> the
>>>> family name, but for the order and suborder names as well:  Family
>>>> Cyclopidae, Suborder Cyclopida, Order Cyclopoida.
>>>>
>> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marinespecies.org%2Faphia.php%3Fp%3Dtaxdetails%26id%3D106413&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C9ce29437091841fdf03a08db084d6462%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638112900745362023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wOBmDRcnaRGrWQNJnVU%2B%2FOrotsfX%2BIMPFQV1iTAXSwI%3D&reserved=0
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>> *From:* Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at lists.ku.edu> on behalf of Kenneth
>>>> Kinman via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
>>>> *Sent:* Sunday, February 5, 2023 3:06 PM
>>>> *To:* taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>; Tony Rees <
>>>> tonyrees49 at gmail.com>
>>>> *Subject:* Re: Taxacom: Formation of family name in zoology, based on
>>>> genus ending -ops
>>>>
>>>> Hi Tony,
>>>>           I am not completely sure, but I think the Gorgonopsidae would
>> only
>>>> be correct if the type genus was Gorgonopsis.  That would be true for
>> any
>>>> genus ending in -opsis.  However, for genera ending in -ops, I think
>> that
>>>> final "s" is dropped.
>>>>          Here are two examples:  Lophopidae based on Lophops; and Tribe
>>>> Ugyopsini based on Ugyops.
>>>>
>>>>
>> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fanimaldiversity.org%2Faccounts%2FLophopidae%2Fclassification%2F%23Lophopidae&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C9ce29437091841fdf03a08db084d6462%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638112900745362023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FmYz4i56Ws1bYJrVBDjjwM%2F8bcLEjdx4zBHb0WCam9Q%3D&reserved=0
>>>>
>>>>
>> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.udel.edu%2Fplanthoppers%2Fnorth-america%2Fnorth-american-delphacidae%2Ftribe-ugyopini-fennah-1979%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C9ce29437091841fdf03a08db084d6462%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638112900745362023%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XKWfEgoZcqtiXTg0IajaPPmbWtD17eelbh4xIELyKb4%3D&reserved=0
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at lists.ku.edu> on behalf of Tony Rees via
>>>> Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, February 5, 2023 1:04 PM
>>>> To: taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>>>> Subject: Taxacom: Formation of family name in zoology, based on genus
>>>> ending -ops
>>>>
>>>> Apologies if this question has been asked before...
>>>>
>>>> I am seeking advice on the correct formation of a family-group name in
>>>> zoology where the type genus ends in -ops - the example before me
>>>> being Gorgonop[s]idae Lydekker, 1890, a family of fossil reptiles,
>> based on
>>>> the genus Gorgonops Owen, 1876.
>>>>
>>>> Benton, 1992 used the spelling Gorgonopsidae for this family, while
>>>> presently the PBDB uses Gorgonopidae, noting Gorgonopsidae as an
>>>> alternative spelling. PBDB's usage appears to originate from a 1979 work
>>>> by Sigogneau-Russell, in which she uses Gorgonopidae for the family
>> name,
>>>> but (confusingly) Gorgonopsinae for the nominate subfamily (a form of
>> name
>>>> also in use in PBDB at this time).
>>>>
>>>> I had a quick look at the relevant (?) article 29 "Family group names"
>> in
>>>> the ICZN Code Online, but did not find anything directly relevant to
>> this
>>>> situation (although may have missed something of course). Can any better
>>>> qualified Taxacomers advise?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in advance - Tony
>>>>
>>>> Tony Rees, New South Wales, Australia
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>
>> Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity and admiring alliteration for
>> about 36 years, 1987-2023
>>
>

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