Open nomenclature
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Open nomenclature is a vocabulary of partly informal terms and signs in which a
taxonomist In biology, taxonomy () is the scientific study of naming, defining ( circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped into taxa (singular: taxon) and these groups are give ...
may express remarks about their own material. This is in contrast to synonymy lists, in which a taxonomist may express remarks on the work of others. Commonly such remarks take the form of abbreviated taxonomic expressions in biological classification.


Usage of open nomenclature

There are no strict conventions in open nomenclature concerning which expressions to use or where to place them in the Latin name of a
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...
or other
taxon In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...
, and this may lead to difficulties of interpretation. However, the most significant unsettled issues concern the way that their meanings are to be interpreted. The
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the I ...
(ICZN) makes no reference to open nomenclature, leaving its use and meaning open for interpretation by taxonomists. The following are examples of commonly used shorthand in open nomenclature: *Sp. (pl. spp.; short for "species") indicates potentially new species without remarking on its possible affinity. This suggests either that identification has not yet been completed or that currently available evidence and material are insufficient to allocate the specimens to relevant known taxa, or alternatively, that as yet the specimen cannot be assigned to a new taxon of its own with sufficient confidence. *Sp. aff. or aff. (short for ) indicates a potentially new and undescribed species has an affinity to, but is not identical to, the named species. *
Cf. The abbreviation ''cf.'' (short for the la, confer/conferatur, both meaning "compare") is used in writing to refer the reader to other material to make a comparison with the topic being discussed. Style guides recommend that ''cf.'' be used onl ...
(short for the la, confer, links=no, "compare with") or a question mark (?, also ''inc.'', ''species incerta'') signify varying degrees or types of uncertainty and may be used differently depending on the author. In more recent usage, "cf." indicates greater uncertainty than a question mark. *V. (short for the la, vidimus, links=no, meaning "we have seen") means that the author inspected the original type specimens and are basing their statements on first-hand experience. Sometimes the opposite is expressed as "non v." ('), meaning that the original has never been observed, as is the case with many kinds of fungal spore, for instance.


See also

* '' Candidatus'', a candidate taxon proposed from metagenomics or other incomplete information * ''
Incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...
'', a taxon of uncertain position in a classification * ''
Nomen dubium In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium'' it may be impossible to determine whether a s ...
'' ('' nomen ambiguum''), a name of unknown or doubtful application * ''
Nomen novum In biological nomenclature, a ''nomen novum'' (Latin for "new name"), new replacement name (or replacement name, new substitute name, substitute name) is a scientific name that is created specifically to replace another scientific name, but only w ...
'' a new name, usually to replace a name that in some way is unacceptable, say because it is a junior synonym * ''
Nomen nudum In taxonomy, a ''nomen nudum'' ('naked name'; plural ''nomina nuda'') is a designation which looks exactly like a scientific name of an organism, and may have originally been intended to be one, but it has not been published with an adequate desc ...
'' an apparent taxon name, usually in the correct binomial form, but invalid, for instance because of not having been published with an adequate description. * ''
Species inquirenda In biological classification, a ''species inquirenda'' is a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigation. The use of the term in English-language biological literature dates back to at least the early nineteenth century. The term t ...
'', a species that in the opinion of the taxonomist requires further investigation * Similar Latin terms in the glossary of scientific naming


References


Further reading

*{{cite journal , last1=Sigovini , first1=Marco , last2=Keppel , first2=Erica , last3=Tagliapietra , first3=Davide , title=Open Nomenclature in the biodiversity era , journal=Methods in Ecology and Evolution , date=2016 , volume=7 , issue=10 , pages=1217–1225 , doi=10.1111/2041-210X.12594 , doi-access=free , ref=none – a formalized guide on the semantics and process in open nomenclature Taxonomy (biology)