Re: what's a "nomen vanum"?

["T. Mike Keesey" <tkeese1@gl.umbc.edu>]

On Fri, 15 Oct 1999 Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 10/15/99 3:19:58 PM EST, bettyc@flyinggoat.com writes:
> 
> << what's a "nomen vanum"?  I think this came across on the vert paleo list
>  recently >>
> 
> Literally the phrase means "empty name," and it denotes taxonomic names whose 
> definitions are inadequate. It's no longer used (that is, it's not supposed 
> to be used anymore); the preferred terms are now "nomen nudum," which denotes 
> a name that has no scientific description, and "nomen dubium," which denotes 
> a scientific name based on nondiagnostic material, or simply a scientific 
> name of doubtful validity.

I thought a _nomen vanum_ was a name that had no designated type material
(hence "empty"), and that _nomina vana_ were leftovers from the ICZN's
more lenient days.

--T. Michael Keesey
tkeese1@gl.umbc.edu | THE DINOSAURICON: http://dinosaur.umbc.edu/
AOL IM:   RicBlayze | WORLDS:    http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~tkeese1/