Paleonet: Rejection of genus, when synonymy is not possible

[Pierre.Kruse at nt.gov.au]

There is a simpler way to discount a genus with unidentifiable type specimen:
declare it a nomen dubium (preferably giving reasons), and go ahead and erect
your new genera. You will run the risk that one or the other of your new genera
will eventually be found to be a junior synonym of the nomen dubium genus.
This does not negate what Frederick has said. There always remains the
possibility that the poorly defined genus can be properly defined using material
from its type locality, Indeed, it is preferable that this be attempted.
Pierre
_______________________________
Dr PD Kruse
Northern Territory Geological Survey
PO Box 3000, Darwin NT 0801, Australia
Tel: (8) 8999 5451  Fax: (8) 8999 6824
Web: http://www.nt.gov.au/dpifm/Minerals_Energy/Geoscience/


                                                                                
             Frederick Schram                                                   
             <fschram at u.washingt                                                
             on.edu>                                                         To 
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             erre.kruse=nt.gov.a                                                
             u at nhm.ac.uk                                                Subject 
                                         Re: Paleonet: Rejection of genus, when 
                                         synonymy is not possible               
             09/02/2008 01:38 AM                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
              Please respond to                                                 
                  PaleoNet                                                      
             <paleonet at nhm.ac.uk                                                
                      >                                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                




>Hello Everybody,
>
>I also have a question concerning International Code of Zoological
>Nomenclature.
>Suppose a Genus was defined on fragmentary material and the supposed
>congeneric material from another locality (which has yet proven to belong to
>a different genus). A type species was appointed this genus based to  on two
>fragments (which do not necessarily, but could belong to the same specimen).
>The fragmentary material of the type species is too fragmentary to clearly
>determine it's affinity with 2 newly defined genera (not enough criteria to
>rule out it belonging to two different genera), but clearly differs from the
>other species traditionally put in this genus. Can this genus is any way be
>rejected ?

No, once it is created, it is there.  There is always the possibility
that better material may come from the type locality that will allow
better understanding of the taxon.

What can be done, however is that if the material can be allocated to
one of the other newer taxa with better type material, one can
petition the commission to suppress a type in favor of another, which
they can do with their plenary powers.

FRS


--
___________________________________________
Frederick R. Schram
Professor emeritus  of Systematics and Zoogeography,
             University of Amsterdam
Research Associate, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle

Post Box 1567
Langley,  WA 98260
USA

phone +1(360)221.2173
e-mail  fschram at whidbey.com
___________________________________________


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