Declaration 47 – Addition of Examples to Article 13.1.1

DECLARATION 47:

The following Examples are added to read:

Examples. The original description of Aus bus Smith, 2019 was provided in the form of a  DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene, displayed as a nucleotide  sequence spanning 1021 base pairs in which A stands for adenine, C for cytosine, G for guanine and T for thymine, and which supposedly differentiates the species from closely related species. The description of Aus bus complies with Art. 13.1.1.

The original description of Aus cus Miller, 2020 was provided in the form of a statement that this species differs from a closely related species in terms of a DNA sequence divergence of 3.57% in the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene. The description of Aus cus does not comply with Art. 13.1.1, as it does not state in words any character that supposedly differentiate the species from other species.

Explanatory note

The two examples are added to facilitate how to interpret molecular data under Article 13.1.1. Examples are not part of the legislative text and providing these will therefore not count as a major change to the Code. The issue of Code-compliant diagnoses and descriptions will be dealt with in more detail under Code-5, which means that the present Declaration mainly serves the interim period until Code-5 comes into force.

HISTORY OF THE PROPOSAL

1. On 22 February 2024, the ICZN President formed a task force to how to determine the best way to interpret molecular data under Code-4. The Committee was comprised of Commissioners Rheindt (Chair), Ceríaco, Harvey, Lucinda, Pape, and Welter-Schultes. The mandate of the Committee was to determine “(1) How shall the current fourth edition of our Code be interpreted with respect to when molecular sequence data are to be considered ‘a description or definition that states in words characters that are purported to differentiate the taxon’?; (2) Recommendations for the Code-5 Editorial Committee”.
2. Following the recommendations of the Committee and additional input from members of the ICZN, Declaration 47 (see Appendix) was proposed and a vote was held under the Three-Month Rule, commencing 25 October 2024 and concluding 25 January 2025 to determine if the proposed amendment constituted a major change to the Code, and if not, whether the text of the proposed Declaration 47 (Appendix) may be issued in its current form.
3. The Commission voted in favour of Declaration 47 being issued as proposed.
4. Declaration 47 is awaiting ratification by the Executive Committee of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS).