# Synonomic names for genera?



## Eric Muehlbauer (Jan 5, 2012)

Earlier today, while at school, I was doing some googling for a powerpoint lesson on parasites. While looking up Guinea worm, I was surprised to see that its genus name is Dracunculus. There is also an arum with that genus name. When I googled Dracunculus, I found plenty about the arum, and a decent amount about Guinea worm, but nothing about the synonomy, nothing about which genus has priority. Now it is my understanding that there can only be one name for a genus, regardless of whether it's plant, animal, eukaryote, prokaryote, living, fossil. In the case of 2 synonyms, the earliest named gets it. So....how is it that there can be a plant and an animal with the same genus name?


----------



## kentuckiense (Jan 5, 2012)

Eric Muehlbauer said:


> Earlier today, while at school, I was doing some googling for a powerpoint lesson on parasites. While looking up Guinea worm, I was surprised to see that its genus name is Dracunculus. There is also an arum with that genus name. When I googled Dracunculus, I found plenty about the arum, and a decent amount about Guinea worm, but nothing about the synonomy, nothing about which genus has priority. Now it is my understanding that there can only be one name for a genus, regardless of whether it's plant, animal, eukaryote, prokaryote, living, fossil. In the case of 2 synonyms, the earliest named gets it. So....how is it that there can be a plant and an animal with the same genus name?



Plant and animal nomenclature are governed by two completely separate entities (International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, respectively). Thus, you can end up in situation where both an animal and a plant share a generic name (ie Triphora: a of mollusk AND a delightful ephemeral orchid). Both names are valid.


----------



## Eric Muehlbauer (Jan 5, 2012)

Interesting.....so who's in charge of nomenclature for "protists", fungi, bacteria, and archaea?


----------



## kentuckiense (Jan 6, 2012)

Eric Muehlbauer said:


> Interesting.....so who's in charge of nomenclature for "protists", fungi, bacteria, and archaea?



Plants, algae, and fungi are governed by the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (name changed from International Code of Botanical Nomenclature this summer, but it has always covered those groups). This link should answer the rest: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomenclature_codes


----------



## likespaphs (Jan 6, 2012)

Eric Muehlbauer said:


> Interesting.....so who's in charge of nomenclature for "protists", fungi, bacteria, and archaea?



i was gonna say i am, but i bet you wouldn't have believed me....


----------



## Erythrone (Jan 6, 2012)

Very interesting!


----------



## Eric Muehlbauer (Jan 6, 2012)

This was an interesting editorial in today's NY Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/o...-language-of-plants.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper


----------



## paphioboy (Jan 7, 2012)

Another one that I've come across (although not 100% same spelling) is Taenia (tapeworm) and Tainia (terrestrial orchid from South East Asia).


----------

