Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers
Abstract It is common practice in scientific journals to print genus and species names in italics. This is not only historical as species names were traditionally derived from Greek or Latin. Importantly, it also facilitates the rapid recognition of genus and species names when skimming through manu...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-11-01
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| Series: | IMA Fungus |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43008-020-00048-6 |
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| author | Marco Thines Takayuki Aoki Pedro W. Crous Kevin D. Hyde Robert Lücking Elaine Malosso Tom W. May Andrew N. Miller Scott A. Redhead Andrey M. Yurkov David L. Hawksworth |
| author_facet | Marco Thines Takayuki Aoki Pedro W. Crous Kevin D. Hyde Robert Lücking Elaine Malosso Tom W. May Andrew N. Miller Scott A. Redhead Andrey M. Yurkov David L. Hawksworth |
| author_sort | Marco Thines |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract It is common practice in scientific journals to print genus and species names in italics. This is not only historical as species names were traditionally derived from Greek or Latin. Importantly, it also facilitates the rapid recognition of genus and species names when skimming through manuscripts. However, names above the genus level are not always italicized, except in some journals which have adopted this practice for all scientific names. Since scientific names treated under the various Codes of nomenclature are without exception treated as Latin, there is no reason why names above genus level should be handled differently, particularly as higher taxon names are becoming increasingly relevant in systematic and evolutionary studies and their italicization would aid the unambiguous recognition of formal scientific names distinguishing them from colloquial names. Several leading mycological and botanical journals have already adopted italics for names of all taxa regardless of rank over recent decades, as is the practice in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, and we hereby recommend that this practice be taken up broadly in scientific journals and textbooks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f088d87a3c8c439a9dbfb12a034f8aa9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2210-6359 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IMA Fungus |
| spelling | doaj-art-f088d87a3c8c439a9dbfb12a034f8aa92025-02-02T00:52:52ZengBMCIMA Fungus2210-63592020-11-011111510.1186/s43008-020-00048-6Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papersMarco Thines0Takayuki Aoki1Pedro W. Crous2Kevin D. Hyde3Robert Lücking4Elaine Malosso5Tom W. May6Andrew N. Miller7Scott A. Redhead8Andrey M. Yurkov9David L. Hawksworth10Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe University, Institute of Ecology Evolution and DiversityGenetic Resources Center, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationWesterdijk Fungal Biodiversity InstituteCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang UniversityBotanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum, Freie Universität BerlinDepartamento de Micologia. Recife, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de BiociênciasRoyal Botanic Gardens VictoriaIllinois Natural History Survey, University of IllinoisOttawa Research and Development Centre, Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaLeibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell CulturesDepartment of Life Sciences, The Natural History MuseumAbstract It is common practice in scientific journals to print genus and species names in italics. This is not only historical as species names were traditionally derived from Greek or Latin. Importantly, it also facilitates the rapid recognition of genus and species names when skimming through manuscripts. However, names above the genus level are not always italicized, except in some journals which have adopted this practice for all scientific names. Since scientific names treated under the various Codes of nomenclature are without exception treated as Latin, there is no reason why names above genus level should be handled differently, particularly as higher taxon names are becoming increasingly relevant in systematic and evolutionary studies and their italicization would aid the unambiguous recognition of formal scientific names distinguishing them from colloquial names. Several leading mycological and botanical journals have already adopted italics for names of all taxa regardless of rank over recent decades, as is the practice in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, and we hereby recommend that this practice be taken up broadly in scientific journals and textbooks.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43008-020-00048-6Format of names of taxaItalicsPublication standardsScientific namesScientific practice |
| spellingShingle | Marco Thines Takayuki Aoki Pedro W. Crous Kevin D. Hyde Robert Lücking Elaine Malosso Tom W. May Andrew N. Miller Scott A. Redhead Andrey M. Yurkov David L. Hawksworth Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers IMA Fungus Format of names of taxa Italics Publication standards Scientific names Scientific practice |
| title | Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers |
| title_full | Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers |
| title_fullStr | Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers |
| title_short | Setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers |
| title_sort | setting scientific names at all taxonomic ranks in italics facilitates their quick recognition in scientific papers |
| topic | Format of names of taxa Italics Publication standards Scientific names Scientific practice |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43008-020-00048-6 |
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