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Issue: Vol. 45 No. 1: 18 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-18
DOI: 10.11646/bionomina.45.1.1
Page range: 1-11
Abstract views: 28
PDF downloaded: 0

A nomenclatural system for class-series zoological nomina. 1. Introduction

LZC President; Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle; CNRS; Sorbonne Université; EPHE; Université des Antilles; Paris; France
Retired head of the invertebrate collection (except insects); Biology Centre of the Upper Austrian Museum; J.-W.-Klein-Str. 73; 4040 Linz; Austria; Member of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Takehara Station; Setouchi Field Science Center; Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life; Hiroshima University; 5–8–1 Minato-machi; Takehara; Hiroshima; 725–0024; Japan
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG); Campus de Pesquisas; Av. Perimetral 1901; Bairro Terra Firme; 66077-830 Belém; Pará; Brasil; Member of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
División Entomología; Universidad Nacional de la Plata; CONICET; Museo de La Plata; Paseo del Bosque s/n; La Plata; Buenos Aires; Argentina
Association RACINE; 5 allée des Cygnes; 35750 Saint Maugan; France
Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle; Route de Malagnou 1; 1208 Genève; Switzerland
DECOD (Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability); INRAE; Institut Agro; IFREMER; 35042 Rennes; France
National Museum of Natural History; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. 1; 1000 Sofia; Bulgaria
Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle; CNRS; Sorbonne Université; EPHE; Université des Antilles; Paris; France
LZC Secretary; Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship; Villanova University; Villanova; Pennsylvania 19085; USA
Zoodiversity zootaxonomy nomenclature nomenclatural systems zoological Code higher taxa class-series Nomenclatural Process assignment allocation validity correctness

Abstract

International nomenclatural Rules are indispensable for zootaxonomy and the study and management of zoodiversity. However, the current International Code of Zoological Nomenclature does not provide operational Rules for the nomenclature of taxa above the rank superfamily, which hampers unambiguous and universal scientific communication about zootaxonomy and zoodiversity. It is more than time to remedy this situation, and to provide detailed Rules for the three main stages of the Nomenclatural Process of class-series nomina (assignment and availability; nomenclatural and taxonomic allocation; validity and correctness). However, the long delay in incorporating these nomina in the Code complicates this task. This should be done carefully, on the basis of a careful and critical analysis of the needs of taxonomy and of biology as a whole, and of the concepts, criteria and practices of nomenclatural systems. This analysis will be developed in the coming papers of this series.

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  58. Submitted: 1 March 2026. Accepted: 29 April 2026. Published: 18 May 2026.
  59. Corresponding Editor: Alessandro Minelli.