The International Code of Area Nomenclature (ICAN) was proposed by a group of few biogeographers to provide a universal naming system or
nomenclature
Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. (The theoretical field studying nomenclature is sometimes referred to as ''onymology'' or ''taxonymy'' ). The principl ...
for areas of
endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
used in contemporary
biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the species distribution, distribution of species and ecosystems in geography, geographic space and through evolutionary history of life, geological time. Organisms and biological community (ecology), communities o ...
. There are other proposals to palaeobiogeographic areas. The ICAN also serves as the
international standard
An international standard is a technical standard developed by one or more international standards organizations. International standards are available for consideration and use worldwide. The most prominent such organization is the International O ...
rules for proposing and using "area of endemism" names.
The ICAN was ratified by the
Systematic and Evolutionary Biogeographical Association (SEBA) in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
in the only meeting of the group, during July 2007. This community was created and maintained by the same group of biogeographers that proposed the ICAN.
There is little agreement on the use of different methods and systems of nomenclature in Biogeography, and this proposal represents one of the various kinds of study in this science.
References
External links
ICAN Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:International Code Of Area Nomenclature (Ican)
Biogeography
Scientific nomenclature