Paleonet: Expressing uncertainty

[Bruno Granier]

=)
There are no reference to question marks in the ICZN but there are in the
ICBN

Here are some excerpts:

"ARTICLE 36

36.1. A name is not validly published when it is not accepted by its author
in the original publication, for example (a) when it is merely proposed in
anticipation of the future acceptance of the taxon concerned, or of a
particular circumscription, position, or rank of the taxon (so-called
provisional name) or (b) when it is merely cited as a synonym. These
provisions do not apply to names published with a question mark or other
indication of taxonomic doubt, yet accepted by their author.

Ex. 1. “Sebertia”, proposed by Pierre (ms.) for a unispecific genus,
was not validly published by Baillon (in Bull. Mens. Soc. Linn. Paris 2:
945. 1891) because he did not accept the genus. Although he gave a
description of it, he referred its only species “Sebertia acuminata
Pierre (ms.)” to the genus Sersalisia R. Br., as “Sersalisia ?
acuminata”, which he thereby validly published under the provision of
Art. 36.1 last sentence. The name Sebertia was validly published by Engler
(in Engler & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam., Nachtr. 1: 280. 1897).

(...)

Ex. 8. Besenna A. Rich. and B. anthelmintica A. Rich. (Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1:
253. 1847) were simultaneously published by Richard, both with a question
mark (“Besenna ?” and “Besenna anthelmintica ? Nob.”). Richard’s
uncertainty was due to the absence of flowers or fruits for examination,
but the names were nonetheless accepted by him, with Besenna listed as such
(i.e. not italicized) in the index (p. [469])."

"ARTICLE 52

(...)

Note 1. The inclusion, with an expression of doubt, of an element in a new
taxon, e.g. the citation of a name with a question mark, or in a sense that
excludes one or more of its potential type elements, does not make the name
of the new taxon nomenclaturally superfluous."
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