74 International Code of Nomenclature 



Rules 15a, 15b. Citation of Authors and Names 



One of the most common errors in bacterial nomenclature is the 

 ascription of scientific names to individuals who did not propose 

 them. For example, Lauda (1930) in his section on Bartonella in 

 the Kolle, Kraus and Uhlenhuth "Handbuch der pathogenen Mikro- 

 organismen" uses the ascription "Bartonella bacilliformis Barton 

 1909." What Lauda intended to indicate, was that Barton discovered 

 or described the organism. The correct ascription in this instance is 

 Bartonella bacilliforTuis Strong, Tyzzer, Brues, Sellards and Gastiaburu, 

 1915 or, more briefly, Bartonella bacilliformis Strong et al., 1915. This 

 error of citing the discoverer or describer of an organism, rather than 

 the author of its name, has led to much unnecessary confusion . 

 The Zoological Code includes a helpful definition of "author." 

 The author of a scientific name is that person who first published 

 the name in connection with an indication, a definition, or a de- 

 scription, unless it is clear from the contents of the publication that 

 some other person is responsible for said name and its indication, 

 definition, or description. 



