In the

scientific name In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

of organisms, basionym or basyonym means the original name on which a new name is based; the author citation of the new name should include the authors of the basionym in parentheses. The term "basionym" is used in both

botany Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

and

zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

. In zoology, alternate terms such as original combination or protonym are sometimes used instead.

Bacteriology Bacteriology is the branch and specialty of biology that studies the Morphology (biology), morphology, ecology, genetics and biochemistry of bacteria as well as many other aspects related to them. This subdivision of microbiology involves the iden ...

uses a similar term, basonym, spelled without an ''i''. Although "basionym" and "protonym" are often used interchangeably, they have slightly different technical definitions. A basionym is the ''correct'' spelling of the original name (according to the applicable nomenclature rules), while a protonym is the ''original'' spelling of the original name. These are typically the same, but in rare cases may differ. When creating new taxonomic names, there are specific rules about how basionyms can be used. A new combination or name at new rank must be based directly on the original basionym rather than on any intermediate combinations. This means that if a species is transferred between multiple genera over time, each new combination must refer back to the original name rather than to more recent combinations. This helps maintain a clear chain of nomenclature and prevents confusion about the ultimate source of the name. For example, when transferring a species that has already been moved to a different genus, taxonomists must cite the original species name as the basionym, not the intermediate combination.

Use in botany

The term "basionym" is used in botany only for the circumstances where a previous name exists with a useful description, and the ''

International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants The ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (ICN or ICNafp) is the set of rules and recommendations dealing with the formal botanical names that are given to plants, fungi and a few other groups of organisms, all tho ...

'' (ICNafp) does not require a full description with the new name. A basionym must therefore be legitimate. Basionyms are regulated by the code's articles 6.10, 7.3, 41, and others. When a current name has a basionym, the author or authors of the basionym are included in parentheses at the start of the author citation. If a basionym is later found to be illegitimate, it becomes a replaced synonym and the current name's author citation must be changed so that the basionym authors do not appear. Historical rules for basionyms have evolved over time. Prior to 1 January 1953, the requirements for referencing basionyms were less stringent: an indirect reference to a basionym or replaced synonym was sufficient for valid publication of a new combination, name at new rank, or replacement name. After this date, more explicit references became required.

Replaced synonyms

In some cases, taxonomists may need to publish a replacement name even when working with a legitimate existing name. This situation arises when it is not possible to publish a legitimate new combination or name at new rank, such as when the new name would create an illegitimate

homonym In linguistics, homonyms are words which are either; '' homographs''—words that mean different things, but have the same spelling (regardless of pronunciation), or '' homophones''—words that mean different things, but have the same pronunciat ...

(duplicate name) or when the name cannot be validly published under the nomenclatural rules (for example, in the case of

tautonym A tautonym is a scientific name of a species in which both parts of the name have the same spelling, such as '' Rattus rattus''. The first part of the name is the name of the genus and the second part is referred to as the ''specific epithet'' i ...

s).

Types and original material

When working with basionyms and new combinations, there are specific rules regarding type specimens. Because a new combination is typified by the type of its basionym, all original material must also come from the basionym. This means that taxonomists cannot designate a

lectotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes ...

(a type specimen selected after the original description) from specimens that were only cited or used in the later new combination but were not part of the original material of the basionym. Such specimens could only be designated as

neotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes ...

s if no original material exists.

''Combinatio nova''

The basionym of the name ''

Picea abies ''Picea abies'', the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, ...

'' (the Norway spruce) is ''Pinus abies''. The species was originally named ''Pinus abies'' by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

and so the author citation of the basionym is simply "L." Later on, botanist

Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten (6 November 1817, in Stralsund – 10 July 1908, in Zoppot) was a German botanist and geologist. Biography Born in Stralsund, he followed the example of Alexander von Humboldt and traveled 1844-56 the norther ...

decided this species should not be grouped in the same genus (''Pinus'') as the

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as cu ...

s, so he transferred it to the genus ''

Picea A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' ( ), a genus of about 40 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Northern hemisphere. ''Picea'' is the sole genus ...

'' (the spruces). The new name ''Picea abies'' is '' combinatio nova'', a new combination (abbreviated ''comb. nov.''). With author citation, the current name is "''Picea abies'' (L.) Karst."

''Status novus''

In 1964, the subfamily name Pomoideae, which had been in use for the group within family

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus '' Rosa''. The family includes herbs, shrubs, and trees. Most species are deciduous, but som ...

that have

pome In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Pome fruits consist of a central "core" containing multiple small seeds, which is enveloped by a tough membrane and surrounded by a ...

fruit like apples, was no longer acceptable under the code of nomenclature because it is not based on a genus name. Claude Weber did not consider the family name Malaceae

Small Small means of insignificant size Size in general is the Magnitude (mathematics), magnitude or dimensions of a thing. More specifically, ''geometrical size'' (or ''spatial size'') can refer to three geometrical measures: length, area, or ...

to be taxonomically appropriate, so he created the name

Maloideae The Maloideae C.Weber was the apple subfamily, a grouping used by some taxonomists within the rose family, Rosaceae. Recent molecular phylogenetic evidence has shown that the traditional Spiraeoideae and Amygdaloideae form part of the same cl ...

at the rank of subfamily, referring to the original description of the family, and using the same

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * ...

. Page 164, footnote 1 This change of rank from family to subfamily is an example of ''status novus'' (abbreviated ''stat. nov.''), also called a "name at new rank".

References