ISPN

[tmkeesey]

Currently the PhyloCode doesn't explicitly state whether names that differ by casing and the presence of a hyphen would be considered homonyms. As a real-life example, Pan-Arthropoda is a possible name for the arthropod total group, but there is already a clade name in existence, Panarthropoda which is a more inclusive [crown?] group including tardigardes and onychophorans (both of which have extant members).

My understanding is that, currently, these would not be considered homonyms. But perhaps they should be. Do we really want "pan-arthropod" and "panarthropod" to refer to different groups?

If they were considered homonyms, this would potentially cause some rules (10.3, 10.7) to forever prevent the naming of certain clades. (For example, if Panarthropoda were defined as the crown group of arthropods, tardigrades, and onychophorans, then that would prevent the naming of the arthropod total group, unless there is a preexisting name for it which I am unaware of.)

I think the PhyloCode should explicitly make a note that names that differ by casing and/or the use of a hyphen are not considered homonyms, or (perhaps better) explicitly state that they are considered homonyms, and allow rules like 10.3 and 10.7 to be ignored in cases where they would prevent the naming a certain clades.
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T. Michael Keesey
Director of Technology, Exopolis, Inc.