What does the ICZN do?

The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) acts as adviser and arbiter for the zoological community by generating and disseminating information on the correct use of the scientific names of animals.

The ICZN is responsible for producing the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature - a set of rules for the naming of animals and the resolution of nomenclatural problems

Image: Cyanea annasethe (Haeckel, 1879). Complete version of image used on the cover of the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature. More details.

Latest News

Title	Post date
Recent unavailability of ICZN website We apologise for any inconvenience due to the problems with ICZN website over the past few days. IT management in our hosting institution encountered unexpected problems that meant that our website and a number of others hosted at the NHM were temporarily unavailable. The problems have now been corrected and measures taken to ensure secure and continuous operation in the future.	23/05/2012
Biological nomenclature terms for facilitating communication in the naming of organisms The Committee on Bionomenclature (ICB), which met recently in Berlin, has published a paper entitled: "Biological nomenclature terms for facilitating communication in the naming of organisms" in Issue 192 of ZooKeys, http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.192.3347.	17/05/2012
List of open cases updated The list of open cases has been updated.	10/04/2012

Why is the ICZN important?

Field of interest
Biodiversity Studies The term ‘biodiversity’ coined, in 1985, as a contraction of ‘biological diversity’ refers to the variety of life in all its forms, levels and combinations: including ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity. With the current international focus on the global crisis in biodiversity, the importance of the Commission’s work to ensure that the correctness of the scientific names of animals is now of the highest priority.
Conservation International conventions and national or regional legislation concerning threatened or endangered animals specify the species or subspecies name of the animals that the law intends to protect. Thereafter, protection goes with the name rather than the endangered species itself. Any subsequent change in name could therefore affect conservation measures. The Commission often acts to protect the names of endangered species.
Medical & Veterinary Research Leucocytozoonosis is a disease caused by protozoan blood parasites of the genus Leucocytozoon that is mainly transmitted by the bite of various species of black fly (Simuliidae). Both wild and domestic bird species are susceptible to infection with Leucocytozoon species, including: chickens (L. caulleryi), ducks & geese (L. simondi), turkeys (L. smithi), pigeons & doves (L. marchouxi) and raptors (L. ziemanni and L. toddi). There has long been confusion in the authorship and date of the generic name, and the name of its type species. This uncertainty has been removed on behalf of the veterinary and pharmaceutical professions by a Commission ruling. [2001]