22 International Code of Nomenclature 



Rule 3. Chapter 3. Sect. 1. Naming of Taxa 



RULE 3. Names of taxonomic groups (taxa) between suborder and genus are 

 formed by the addition of the appropriate suffix to the stem of the name of 

 the type genus. 



ANNOTATIONS 



Rule 3. The Bacteriological and Zoological Codes have equivalent 

 statements. The Botanical Code has no over-all formulation but 

 states the case for families as follows: 



The name of a family is a plural adjective used as a substantive 

 formed by adding the suffix -aceae to the stem of the name of its 

 type genus or of a synonym of this name, even if illegitimate. 

 The Zoological Rules state: 



When the name of the type genus (or its terminal portion) is a 

 word of Greek or Latin origin, its genitive termination is to be re- 

 placed by the appropriate Family-Group temiination (e.g. "-idae" 

 for family, "-inae" for subfamily) . If incorrectly formed when first 

 published, such a group name is to be automatically corrected. \ 

 Schedule to the Rules is to illustrate the correct method of forming 

 such names. 



Where the name of the type genus is not of Greek or Latin origin, 

 or is an arbitrary combination of letters, the name first published 

 for that Family-Group unit with the appropriate termination is to 

 be accepted. 



An author, when forming a Family-Group name based on a word 

 not of Greek or Latin origin, should select such portion of the name 

 of the type genus as, with the appropriate tenuination, will reveal 

 the relation between the generic name and that of the Family- 

 Group unit, and will give the name so formed the simplest and 

 most euphonious form compatible with that relationship. 

 The Bacteriological and Botanical Codes agree that the appropriate 

 suffix of the taxonomic rank is to be added to the stem of the name 

 of the type genus (or, in botany, alternatively to the name of a syno- 

 nym of the type genus) . 



The Zoological Code directs that the suffix is to replace the geni- 

 tive ending of the name of the type genus. Statements of the Zoologi- 

 cal and Bacteriological Codes are intended to be equivalent. 



It will be noted that the Zoological Code is to provide a Schedule 

 to be appended to the Rules to illustrate what changes are to be 

 made in the name of the type genus before adding the suffix indi- 

 cating the rank of the new taxon. 



Such a Schedule was proposed for the Botanical Code by Ponce 

 de Leon and Alvarez (1 axon 5:45. 1954) but was rejected. 



