Type Localities

[christian thompson]

In preparing catalogs and/or reporting type localities of new species, etc., it is important to remember what is in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.  The type locality is the geographical place that the name-being type (or syntypes) was captured (naturally with one exception*).

So, one should always given the most precise statement of that place possible. This means even if the original author published the type locality as "Nova Hollandia" (as for example, Fabricius did for a number of species collected by Banks in Sydney) and one know from the itinerary of the collector that the type was collected in "Australia, New South Wales, Sydney," then one should report the full type locality. If one wants to be real pedantic, then the type locality statement could read "Australia. New South Wales: Sydney" [as "Nova Hollandia"]

Many confuse the type-locality statement with ICZN Recommendation 72E, which recommends that one should publish "all information that appears on the labels ... " which is to FACILITATE the recognition of the type specimens!

And many incorrectly think that the type locality is restricted to what is "published," that is, if the original description did not include a statement as to where the type specimen(s) came from, then the type-locality is "unknown," etc.  Again, the ICZN makes no such restriction. Information from the title of the work, knowledge of the author, etc., can all be used to properly restrict the type locality.

So in summary, report geographic information, especially type locality information, as precisely as possible. NOT as on specimen labels. 

As for the "correct" spelling, this is simply a STANDARD issue. Select a standard for spelling such as if you are an American, you might cite Webster's Geographical Dictionary. Again, this is critical.  If you are publishing in "American" English, then the wonderful city in Austria is "Vienna," but if you are Austrian, you would use "Wien"  (or most precisely, the city at 48 13N 16 22E!)

Cheers


*the one exception is the situation of capture of a type specimen "after transport by artifical means ..." then the type locality is where the "unnatural journey" began!  Now that gets into ALIEN species another issue!

F. Christian Thompson
Systematic Entomology Lab., ARS, USDA
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D. C. 20560-0169
(202) 382-1800 voice
(202) 786-9422 FAX
cthompso at sel.barc.usda.gov [NB: no terminal "n"]
visit our Diptera site at www.diptera.org


>>> "Vr. Richard Bejsak-Colloredo-Mansfeld" <ricardo at ANS.COM.AU> 03/16 11:21 PM >>>
When I compiling database of Tenebrionidae I cross some small problem...
In few years ago published paper I get localities from Somalia like Garoe,
Eil, Nogal valley, Gardo, Karim... , etc I have been able to locate only few
town like Gardo (in Reader's Digest Atlas) alias Quardho (Encarta Atlas) ,
Karin, Garoowe... ,
.. and something cross my mind....
I would like to know, when You publish the papers do you check localities
and give them proper name like Garoe (=Garoowe), or you just transcript what
is on the label?
How to find correct spelling of the place and What is a correct spelling
anyway... (like how many names has Peking/Beijing or Praha/Prag/Prague)


Keep care and be of good cheer

Regards

(name) Vratislav Richard Eugene Maria John Baptist
(surname) of Bejsak (Bayshark)-Colloredo-Mansfeld
(title) 84 duke of Siebenlügner

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