Database content changes affecting the taxonomic standing of a scientific name

Database content changes affecting the taxonomic standing of a scientific name

Introduction and definitions

There are caveats regarding the unanimity of scientific names. As a consequence, in some cases taxonomic expertise is needed to decide if names from different sources do really refer to the same currently accepted taxon. Taxonomic aggregator systems should monitor such changes and be able to alert users when relevant changes are detected. An initial step toward such a "Concept Subscription Service" or "Taxonomic Activity Notification Service" is to categorize the changes in the content of a taxonomic database that influence the linkage of a scientific name to a taxonomic concept. A scientific name is understood here as a designation for a group of organisms, structured according to the rules of nomenclature, independent of their nomenclatural or taxonomic standing. The rules of nomenclature are defined in the respective Codes of Nomenclature (for animals; fungi, algae, and plants; also for prokaryotes; and viruses, which are at present left out of consideration here). The taxonomic concept represents the taxon itself, i.e., the circumscription of a group of organisms and the delimitation of that group against other groups. The accepted name is understood here as the name that must be applied to that group according to the rules of nomenclature. The taxonomic status of a name is either accepted as a taxon name or syononymous (synonym or designation) The canonical name is the name string without its authors and year of publication (but including its rank designation, where it has to be applied according to the rules of nomenclature).

Categories of changes WORK IN PROGRESS

The effects of a change in a name and the ensuing user notification depend on its previous status and in some cases on the aggregator's editorial policy. In the following, we include also name changes (different name string) and nomenclatural changes (nomenclatural standing) that may not influence the name-concept relationship but can be of interest for users. Further, we distinguish concept changes (circumscription of the taxon), status change (accepted vs. synonymous) and classification changes (placement of the taxon in the taxonomic hierarchy). Identifier changes refer to the unique name ID on the aggregator’s side.

Changes in the nomenclatural standing of a name or designation

These are changes in the acceptance of the name with regard to conformance with the rules of nomenclature. The consequence depends on its previous standing:
For accepted names: This may imply a change in its taxonomic status, too - it will have to be assigned as a syononymous designation to the now accepted name for its taxon.
Identifier: The identification (unique ID) of the name should not be affected. User notification: Nomenclatural change. Status change (where applicable).

For synonyms or synonymous designations: The change at the aggregator's side is purely nomenclatural. Users may opt to be informed nevertheless: if they follow a different classification, this may have taxonomic consequences on their side.
Identifier: The identification (unique ID) of the name should not be affected.
User notification: Nomenclatural change.
Aggregator policy: Some aggregators discard names that have been proven to be nomenclaturally inacceptable, or at least some types of those (see Orthographical corrections below).

Classification changes that imply name changes

Scientific names below the level of genera are containing name elements that depend on their classification. For example, a species name (bionomial) consists of a generic name and a species epithet (strictly, this is the botanical terminology, but the consequences in zoology are similar). If the concept of the genus changes, e.g. by the addition of a species from another genus, the binomial of the latter species changes, without a direct effect on the circumscription of that species.
This applies only to accepted names. The concept change is related to the generic name.

Identifier: Albeit they refer to exactly the same taxon, the two names must have different unique name IDs.

User notification:” Identifier change. Classification change. Nomenclatural change. (+ Concept change on the genus level.)

Changes in the taxonomic status of a name for nomenclatural reasons

The change may be the result of a change in the nomenclatural standing of the two names involved (i.e. an accepted name becomes unavailable for the naming of the taxon, or an earlier published name is recognised as the name that should be used).

Identifier: The ID of the name is not influenced by its taxonomic status.

User notification: Status change.

Changes in the taxonomic status of a name because of a taxon concept change

Such changes are the consequence of a change in circumscription of one or more taxa. Since according to the rules of nomenclature the accepted name of a taxon is always the oldest name with its type [mostly:] specimen within the taxon’s circumscription, accepted names can become synonyms and vice-versa.

Identifier: The ID of the name is not influenced by its taxonomic status.

User notification: Concept change.

Other changes

Orthographical corrections in the canonical name

Aggregator policy: Several aggregators do not recognise orthographical variants as different names; sometimes even if this refers to a change in the originally published spelling of the name. Difficulties are also arising from transcriptions of word elements used in the formation of a name.

Orthographical corrections in author / year citations.

Aggregator policy: Most aggregators do not consider these to be changes in the name.