The Prokaryotic Code: Introduction
The nomenclature of prokaryotes is regulated by the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (The Prokaryotic Code) (1 ), which codifies the rules and recommendations governing how the names of prokaryotes are to be proposed and accepted. The Prokaryotic Code outlines the requirements for valid publication of new names of prokaryotes in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (IJSEM) for priority, legitimacy and standing in nomenclature.
Additional Resources:
- Bousfield IJ. 1993. Bacterial nomenclature and its role in systematics. In: Goodfellow M & O’Donnell AG, Editors. Handbook of New Bacterial Systematics, Academic Press, London, pp. 317-338.
- Kämpfer P. 2010. Certificates of Deposit – a key element of the Bacteriological Code and an indispensable prerequisite for comparative taxonomic research. Report of a case of falsification and a reply to the Letter to the Editor by Tindall (2008). Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 60(3): 475- 477.
- Sneath PHA. 2005. The preparation of the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 55(6): 2247-2249.
- Tindall BJ. 1999. Misunderstanding the Bacteriological Code. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 49:1313-1316.
- Tindall BJ, Kämpfer P, Euzéby JP, Oren A. 2006. Valid publication of names of prokaryotes according to the rules of nomenclature: past history and current practice. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 56(11): 2715-2720.
- Tindall BJ. 2019. Clarifying the definition and role of effective publication in the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes with proposals to make changes. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 69: 2602-2605.
Note:
On January 05, 2020, the Chair of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP)
proposed rules to be adopted to emend The International Code of Prokaryotes (The Code), regarding the
nature of nomenclatural type material acceptable under the Rules of The Code.
In keeping with Article 4 of the ICSP Statutes, the Editorial Board of the International Code of
Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) is conducting an open electronic meeting concerning proposals for
changes in The Code.
The first phase of the meeting will take place from January 05, 2020, until March 01, 2020. It is
intended to allow open discussion of the proposals as an e-mail chain among the members of the ICSP
and other interested parties. Comments may be made by the ‘reply-all’ option on your email server.
The second phase of the meeting will take place from March 01 to March 31, 2020 and will consist
of voting on the proposed rules changes. Only members of the ICSP may vote.
20200229: The open discussion phase will continue until March 31, 2020.
The Comments and Responses of the open discussion are compiled as a pdf file for review.
Other resources related to the proposed rules changes:
Comments_from_subcommittee_by_Brown_2020-02-21.pdf
Pros_and_cons_of_sequences_as_types_MG_2020-02-23.pdf
Comments_by_Tindall_2020-02-23.pdf
Tindall_comments_2020-02-28.pdf
Riojas_and_Hazbon_Response_to_ICNP_Proposed_Changes.pdf