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Issue: Vol. 45 No. 1: 18 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-18
DOI: 10.11646/bionomina.45.1.3
Page range: 43-63
Abstract views: 34
PDF downloaded: 0

A nomenclatural system for class-series zoological nomina. 3. What the current Code says and does not say regarding class-series nomenclature

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
Zootaxonomy nomenclature Code higher taxa class-series Nomenclatural Process availability homonymy

Abstract

Contrary to a widespread belief, the Code does provide some Rules concerning class-series nomenclature (applying to nomina above the rank superfamily). However, except for a few isolated statements concerning homonymy (that are not part of a thorough system of regulations about it) and a few details about their spelling, they only concern the first stage of the Nomenclatural Process, nomenclatural availability. We surveyed the Code to establish which of its Rules apply, or could apply, to class-series nomenclature, and we provide comments about them and recommendations for changes that could be brought to make them more useful—pending our future suggestions about the possible adoption of a complete system for this nomenclature.

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  2. R2 • Not listed in A-1.2.2 as relevant for CS nomenclature, but relevance explicitly stated in the Article itself.
  3. R3 • Not listed in A-1.2.2 as relevant for CS nomenclature, but referred to in at least one Article mentioned in A-1.2.2, or indispensable to understand other Articles relevant for CS nomenclature.
  4. R4 • Not listed in A-1.2.2 as relevant for CS nomenclature, but that should logically apply to CS nomina, sometimes after slight modifications.
  5. I1 • Listed in A-1.2.2 as relevant for CS nomenclature, but relevance denied here.
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  43. Submitted: 1 March 2026. Accepted: 29 April 2026. Published: 18 May 2026.
  44. Corresponding Editor: Alessandro Minelli.