Re: Labrosaurus (was RE: birds and dinosaurs)

[Ken Carpenter <KCarpenter@dmns.org>]

>>> John Hunt <john.bass@ntlworld.com> 08/Jul/04 
Could someone explain all of these different types so this thread makes
sense.

+++++++++++++++++++

allotype A specimen of the opposite sex to the holotype, designated from among 
paratypes (not regulated by ICBN or ICZN)

binomen or binomial name The combination of two names, the first the generic 
and the second the species or trivial, that constitute the scientific name of a 
species (pl. binomina)

CAI Colour Alteration Index (conodonts); plural, Colour Alteration Index values 
(i.e. not indices)

description A statement of the attributes of a specimen or taxon

diagnosis A statement of those attributes of a specimen or taxon that separate 
it from others

emendation

(ICZN) any intentional change in the original spelling of an available name 


(ICBN) an alteration of the diagnostic characters or circumscription of a 
taxon, without the exclusion of the type 
epitype (ICBN) a specimen selected as an interpretive type when the type 
material is demonstrably ambiguous

extant Of a taxon: having living representatives

extinct Of a taxon: having no living representatives

figured specimen

(Zoological) an illustrated specimen that has been assigned with some degree of 
uncertainty to a formal species, e.g. Atrypa sp., A. reticularis? A. sp. cf. A. 
reticularis (therefore, there are no type specimens) 


(Botanical) any illustrated specimen that is not a type specimen 
holotype

(ICZN) the single specimen that was designated by the author as the name-bearer 
of a species or subspecies when it was established, or the single specimen on 
which the taxon was based when no type was specified 


(ICBN) the one specimen or illustration used by, or designated by, the author 
of a species or infraspecific taxon as the nomenclatural type 
homonyms Names that have the same spelling, but that refer to two or more 
different taxa; 'senior homonym' and 'junior homonym' apply, respectively, to 
the first, and all later published homonyms

hypotype a subsequently described, listed, or figured specimen of a taxon, 
other than the holotype or paratypes

invalid A name that is not acceptable (valid) under the codes

isotype (ICBN) a duplicate of the holotype (i.e. part of a single gathering 
made by a collector at one time)

lectotype

(ICZN) a syntype that is designated as the single name-bearing type specimen 
after the establishment of a species or subspecies 


(ICBN) a specimen or illustration selected from the original material to be the 
nomenclatural type when the holotype is missing or was not designated at the 
time of publication 
name-bearing type The type genus, type species, holotype, or other type 
specimen(s), or type slide, that determines the application of a particular name

neotype

(ICZN) a specimen subsequently designated as the name-bearing type of a species 
or subspecies for which, it is believed, there no longer exists a holotype, 
lectotype, syntype(s), or prior neotype (i.e. type lost or destroyed) 


(ICBN) a specimen or illustration designated as the name-bearing type as long 
as all of the material on which the taxon is based is missing 
paralectotype (ICZN) each specimen of a former syntype series that remains 
after the lectotype has been designated

paratype

(ICZN) a specimen of the type series as originally designated, apart from the 
holotype 


(ICBN) a specimen or illustration cited at the time of original publication, 
that is neither the holotype nor isotype, nor one of the syntypes 
plesiotype A specimen used in the redescription of an existing species

rank The level at which a taxon lies in the zoological or botanical hierarchy 
(e.g. all families are at the same rank, which lies between subfamily and 
superfamily)

synonym One of two or more scientific names applied to the same taxon; 'senior 
synonym' and 'junior synonym' apply, respectively, to the first, and all later 
published synonyms

syntype

(ICZN) a specimen of a type series from which neither a holotype nor a 
lectotype has been designated 


(ICBN) any one of two or more specimens cited by the author when no holotype 
was designated 
TAI Thermal Alteration Index (palynomorphs, etc.); plural (for each kind of 
palynomorphs, e.g. spores), Thermal Alteration Index values (i.e. not indices)

taxon A taxonomic group of any rank (pl. taxa)

topotype A term, not regulated by the ICBN or ICZN, for a specimen that was 
found at the type locality of species or subspecies to which it is thought to 
belong, whether or not the specimen belongs to the type series

trinomen or trinomial name The combination of three names, the first two being 
the binomen, the third being the scientific name of the infraspecific taxon, 
e.g. subspecies (pl. trinomina)

type A term used on its own, denoting a kind of type specimen

type genus (ICZN) the genus that is the name-bearing type of a family-group 
taxon

type horizon The stratigraphic horizon from which the name-bearing type of a 
taxon was collected

type locality The geographic and stratigraphic place where the name-bearing 
type of a species or subspecies was collected

type series The series of specimens that either constitutes the name-bearing 
type (syntypes) of a taxon, or from which the name-bearing type may be 
designated

type species (ICZN) the species that is the name-bearing type of a genus or 
subgenus. (In contrast, according to the ICBN the type of a genus or subgenus 
is a specimen.)

type specimen (ICZN) used generally for any specimen of the type series


Kenneth Carpenter, Ph.D.
Curator of Lower Vertebrate Paleontology &
Chief Preparator
Dept. of Earth Sciences
Denver Museum of Natural History 
2001 Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80205

Phone: (303)370-6392
Fax: (303)331-6492
email: KCarpenter@DMNS.org

For fun:
 http://dino.lm.com/artists/display.php?name=Kcarpenter