Proposed amendment of Articles 8, 9, 10, 21 and 78 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to expand and refine methods of publication

摘要

Electronic publishing is often suggested as a way to accelerate progress in taxonomy. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, however, does not recognise electronic publication of new scientific names and nomenclatural acts,. Advances in publishing technology, such as print-on-demand and distribution of PDFs of articles instead of traditional reprints, make it increasingly difficult to tell if works are properly published. At the same time, advances in archiving technology make it feasible to consider allowing electronic publication under the Code. The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature therefore proposes to amend the Code to expand and refine methods of publication If accepted by the zoological community, the proposed multi-part amendment would establish an Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) and allow electronic publication after 2009 subject to certain conditions,. To be available, new scientific names published in electronic works would need to be registered and the works in which they appeared deposited in appropriate electronic archives. The amendment would also disallow publication on CD-ROM or DVD, leaving printing on paper as the only allowable method for producing physical copies after 2009.