In biology, within the science of
scientific nomenclature, i.e. the naming of
organisms, an orthographical variant (abbreviated orth. var.) in
botany or an orthographic error in
zoology, is a spelling mistake, typing mistake or writing mistake within a scientific publication that resulted in a somewhat different name being accidentally used for an already-named organism. The rules that govern what to do when this happens are laid out in the relevant codes of nomenclature.
In botanical names
In
botanical nomenclature
Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from Alpha taxonomy, taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the ...
, an orthographical variant (abbreviated orth. var.) is a variant spelling of the same name. For example, ''Hieronima'' and ''Hyeronima'' are orthographical variants of ''
Hieronyma
''Hieronyma'' is a genus in the plant family Phyllanthaceae. It was first described as a genus in 1848. This family was formerly united with spurges, crotons, copperleaves, etc. (Euphorbiaceae), but have turned out to be well distinct. The genu ...
''. One of the spellings must be treated as the
correct one.
[ ICBN]
Vienna Code
(2006), Article 61 In this case, the spelling ''Hieronyma'' has been
conserved and is to be used as the correct spelling.
An inadvertent use of one of the other spellings has no consequence: the name is to be treated as if it were correctly spelled. Any subsequent use is to be corrected.
Orthographical variants are treated in Art 61 of the ''
ICBN''.
In zoological names
In
zoology, "orthographical variants" in the formal sense do not exist; a misspelling or orthographic error is treated as a ''
lapsus'', a form of inadvertent error. The
first reviser
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the ...
is allowed to choose one variant for mandatory further use, but in other ways, these errors generally have no further formal standing. Inadvertent misspellings are treated in Art. 32-33 of the ''
ICZN
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the I ...
''.
References
{{reflist
Botanical nomenclature
Zoological nomenclature