Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 19:11:05 From: SCHLAUER@chemie.uni-wuerzburg.de To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg298$foo@default> Subject: Re: Question - Protolog
> Easy one. What is a "protolog" please?
>
> Is it the first publication to announce and therefore describe a new taxa (or
> should I be saying taxum?!!!). And if it isn't, what is the generic name for
> such a publication?
Protologue (British and French, "Protolog" in German and American)
(from Greek "proton", the first and "logos" word), the "first word" to
be published about a taxon (plural taxa) which was hitherto unknown
to science. How to accomplish such a publication is explained in very
much detail in the ICBN (International Code of Botanical
Nomenclature). Usually a protologue contains
1. a scientific name for the new taxon, followed by
2. the names of the describing author(s)
3. an explicit statement of its rank (fam., gen., spec., subsp.,
var., f.) and
4. "nov." (nova, novum = new!).
5. a Latin description or diagnosis (the latter is only appropriate
if a closely related taxon can be compared with the new one) of the
new taxon and
6. a type specimen statement (including the herbarium in which this
specimen is located).
An announcement (like "publication in preparation", "in litt.", etc.)
or even a commercial advertisement is not necessary. A text that
lacks one or several of 3./5./6. renders 1. illegitimate
(nomenclatural waste).
For further (incl. exotic) details and (rather numerous) exceptions,
please consult the ICBN.
Kind regards
Jan
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