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Re: Hubers Killidata (correction)

In a note yesterday, I said:

> ... The publications are reviewed by a committee, The
> International Committee on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). When they deem
> the new specific name or generic change is merited, they add them to their
> list of approved nomenclature...

My friend Bill Gallagher pointed out that this is not quite the way it
works. I think I knew that, but had my brain a bit out of gear at the time.
The ICZN list is only 9000 (plus updates) of the scientific Latin names of
species of *all* animals whose name has been called into question. Only
those they have been requested to review and/or disputed names mediated are
listed by them. Sort of like court-case law. There are way more *not* on
their list that are to be found only in the zoological literature. *Most* of
our fish aren't in dispute, hence are not listed by ICZN. Sorry about that.

This means that new names (specific or generic) are tentative and subject to
legitimate disagreement among scientists, and such arguments may take years
to resolve, as papers take a while to be published. Prof. Huber has made a
listing of new names in the literature that *he* feels are valid. The AKA
KMI will be in fair, but probably not 100% agreement with that list. There's
a lot of room for disagreement on a valid scientific name, and I also
apologize for my blaming it just on "ego," for it often isn't.

What I *would* argue is to use the ICZN version on those they already have
considered and decided on, sort of like a Supreme Court decision becomes
binding on all lower courts. We must then pick and choose, for others, what
will be the most accurate identifier that is widely accepted and understood
for use in the hobby. Here in AKA it is the KMI, which I feel we should use
as rigorously as possible. Until KMI comes out in new form, Prof. Huber's
killidata is probably as accurate as we can easily put our hands on, so his
listing isn't a bad guide for now. [The location codes are a superior way to
make the ID unequivocal, if used carefully.]

I'm gonna miss *Cynolebias*. I don't think I have *any* of them any more.
;-)

Wright

PS. I join with Bill and others in wishing the scientists would include in
their papers our location codes. It would take little effort for them to add
a phrase like, "...currently distributed among hobby aquarists with the
location code "ZYX 72/7." It could do wonders to clarify things for us, as
to which particular fish they are actually talking about.

-- 
Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679  huntleyone at home dot com

         "DEMOCRACY" is two wolves and a lamb voting on lunch.
     "LIBERTY" is a well-armed lamb denying enforcement of the vote.
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