Combinatio nova
The concept of combinatio nova plays a vital role in maintaining the stability and traceability of scientific names as taxonomic classifications evolve.
Creating a valid combinatio nova requires proper citation of the original name, known as the basionym, and compliance with strict publication standards.
These rules differ between taxonomic groups, such as animals, plants and fungi, and bacteria, and are integral to preventing ambiguities in name usage.
This systematic approach supports the self-correcting nature of taxonomy, where scientific names are continually revised to reflect new discoveries and evidence.
Superseded combinations specifically denote cases where a species' name changes due to its transfer to a different genus or reclassification within the same hierarchical rank.
Studies show that superseded combinations account for two-thirds to three-quarters of all unaccepted species names in some taxonomic groups, such as helminths.
In contrast, names proposed more recently are revised or replaced more quickly, reflecting advances in molecular methods and taxonomic practices.
Superseded combinations, while no longer valid, are an important part of this process, preserving the historical record of taxonomic decisions and facilitating the traceability of name changes.
By ensuring that taxonomic revisions—such as transferring a species to a different genus—are formalized under established rules, combinatio nova prevents ambiguities and maintains a consistent historical record of name changes.
Over time, the self-correcting nature of taxonomy, supported by combinatio nova, helps align nomenclature with evolving scientific understanding.
Before 1 January 1953, a new combination could be established simply by adopting a previously published name or epithet for the same taxon, even without explicit reference to the basionym.
This requirement aimed to prevent confusion and ensure that readers could distinguish newly proposed names from older references.
[1] Across all fields governed by the ICN, ICNP, and ICZN, a new combination involves reassigning a species to a different genus or changing its rank while retaining the type of the original name (basionym).
[7] These shared rules ensure taxonomic stability, allowing revisions to reflect updated classifications while preserving historical and typological continuity.
In fungal taxonomy, including lichen-forming fungi, tools such as MycoBank provide registration systems to ensure valid publication and traceability of names.
Author citations in parentheses track the origin of reused epithets during rank or genus changes, with formatting rules differing between the botanical and zoological codes.
[9] Although the primary goal of combinatio nova is to formalize name changes, the inclusion of ecological, distributional, and morphological data can significantly improve their utility.
[3] Modern taxonomic databases, such as the World Register of Marine Species, incorporate tools to manage combinatio nova by linking new combinations to original names.
in parentheses under Article 49 indicates that Bongard's name is the basionym, and thus determines the type for the new combination—even though Carrière mistakenly applied it to a different species.
