taxonomy image:Hierarchical clustering diagram.png, 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme o ...

, a ''nomen nudum'' ('naked name'; plural ''nomina nuda'') is a designation which looks exactly like a

scientific name In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

of an organism, and may have originally been intended to be one, but it has not been published with an adequate description. This makes it a "bare" or "naked" name, which cannot be accepted as it stands. A largely equivalent but much less frequently used term is ''nomen tantum'' ("name only"). Sometimes, "''nomina nuda''" is erroneously considered a synonym for the term "

unavailable name In reliability engineering, the term availability has the following meanings: * The degree to which a system, subsystem or equipment is in a specified operable and committable state at the start of a mission, when the mission is called for at a ...

s". However, not all unavailable names are ''nomina nuda'' which applies to published names, ''i.e.'' any published name that does not fulfill the requirements of Article 12 (if published before 1931) or Article 13 (if published after 1930).

In zoology

According to the rules of zoological nomenclature a ''nomen nudum'' is unavailable; the glossary of the ''

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted Convention (norm), convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific name, scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the I ...

'' gives this definition: And among the rules of that same Zoological Code:

In botany

According to the rules of botanical nomenclature a ''nomen nudum'' is not validly published. The glossary of the ''

International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants The ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (ICN or ICNafp) is the set of rules and recommendations dealing with the formal botanical names that are given to plants, fungi and a few other groups of organisms, all tho ...

'' gives this definition: The requirements for the diagnosis or description are covered by articles 32, 36, 41, 42, and 44. From 1 January 1935 to 31 December 2011, to be validly published it was also required that the description or diagnosis be in Latin as reaffirmed in the Melbourne Code article 39. After 2011 it was only recommended that the authors include or cite a Latin or English description or diagnosis. ''Nomina nuda'' that were published before 1 January 1959 can be used to establish a

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

name. For example, ''Veronica sutherlandii'', a ''nomen nudum'', has been used as the basis for ''

Hebe pinguifolia Hebe may refer to: Mythology * Hebe (mythology), the goddess of youth in Greek mythology Arts and entertainment * Hebe (Marvel Comics), a Marvel Comics character * Cousin Hebe, a character in Gilbert and Sullivan's '' H.M.S. Pinafore'' * '' Hebe ...

'' 'Sutherlandii'. Article 21.6

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nomen Nudum Botanical nomenclature Zoological nomenclature Latin biological phrases

In zoology

In botany

See also

References