Homonym (taxonomy)

• The existence of two or more orthographically identical names of taxa based on different nomenclature types is called homonymy .
• Of the two homonyms, the one that was published earlier is called the senior homonym , and the one that was published later is called the younger homonym .
• If there was a transfer of a zoological taxon in the rank of a species or subspecies from one genus to another and as a result of a change in the names of taxa associated with this transfer, homonyms have arisen, that of these homonyms that belonged to this genus prior to the transfer is called the primary homonym , and those homonyms that arose as a result of a name change are called secondary homonyms .

To cite a link to a specific homonym in the text, the Latin unions non (“not”) and nec (“and not”) are used.

For example, the entry Bartlingia Brongn. (1827) non Rchb. (1824) nec F. Muell. (1877) means that the Bartlingia taxon described by Adolf Theodor Broniard in 1827 is considered, and not the taxa to which, in 1824 and 1877, respectively, Ludwig Reichenbach and Ferdinand von Müller were given the same name.

When taxonomic homonyms are discovered, measures are taken to eliminate them, the essence of which is that only the senior homonym is recognized as a valid name, and the younger homonyms are replaced.

A classic example of the elimination of homonymy can be considered the case with the generic name of the platypus . At first, the name Platypus G. Shaw 1799 was proposed for this genus of animals, but by this time the generic name Platypus had already been used by Johann Herbst for one of the genera of bark beetles ( Platypus Herbst 1793 ). Since both of these names refer to animals and are subject to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature , of the two names - Platypus Herbst 1793 and Platypus G. Shaw 1799 - the former should be recognized as the senior homonym , and the latter as the younger homonym to be excluded; instead, the substitute name Ornithorhynchus Blumenbach 1800 is used .

The names of the clans should not be the same only within the jurisdiction of each of the codes of biological nomenclature , therefore the clans belonging to the jurisdiction of different codes are not considered taxonomic homonyms even if their names coincide and the procedure for eliminating homonymy should not be applied to them. In English, the term valid homonyms is used for such names (can be translated as “legal, or real, or valid homonyms”), in Russian there is no corresponding established term.

For example, Pieris , the name of the genus of flowering plants from the Heather family ( Ericaceae ), and Pieris , the name of the genus of butterflies from the Belyanka family ( Pieridae ), are not homonyms.

• Binominal Nomenclature
• Codes of Biological Nomenclature
• Designations used in taxon names
• Synonym (taxonomy)

Valid homonyms : a list of identical taxon names that are not taxonomic homonyms in the Wikipedia project (in four parts):

• species: List of valid homonyms (AD)
• species: List of valid homonyms 2 (EK)
• species: List of valid homonyms 3 (LP)
• species: List of valid homonyms 4 (QZ)

• Jeffrey, Charles . Biological nomenclature / Transl. from English - M .: Mir, 1980. - S. 47–49, 64–65, 100–101.

• List of homonyms on The taxonomicon website . Checked December 2, 2008