ICZN allows electronic publications

Today, in a paper published in Zootaxa, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature announced that it had amended the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to allow the availability of scientific names published in exclusively online publications. There are a few conditions of publication namely: 1) that the date of publication be contained within the publication and 2) that the publication be registered in ZooBank.

This announcement ends a debate that has been happening over the past several years. The issues at hand have been the tension between the obviously superior form of distribution that electronic works have, versus the known permanence of printed publications. The requirement that the work be registered is, I think, a prudent one, and one that will encourage the use and extend the utility of ZooBank.

Zoological taxonomy has entered a new and exciting era, and it will be interesting to see how the field responds and develops as a result of this decision.

Update
The announcement was published simultaneously in both Zootaxa and ZooKeys.

References:
    International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 2012. Amendment of Articles 8,9,10,21 and 78 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to expand and refine methods of publication. Zootaxa 3450: 1–7.
    International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 2012. Amendment of Articles 8,9,10,21 and 78 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature to expand and refine methods of publication. ZooKeys 219: 1–10.

Old codes

The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is the document that details the rules of how the scientific names of animals are managed. It's a complex document with a rich history, and it is necessary to consult previous editions for correct knowledge as to the reasoning behind some of the provisions of the code. Old editions tend to be fairly hard to come by, but thankfully the Biodiversity Heritage Library has them digitised and on the interweb for all to enjoy. Thus, it holds copies of the first (1961), second (1964), third (1985), and fourth (current, 1999) editions are all available. The current edition is also available from the official website as an indexed html version.

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

I should've done this a long time ago. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (affectionately known by zoologists as "The Code" or the ICZN) is THE document that outlines the rules of how the scientific names of species are named and decided. It attempts to control what one could argue is the largest and longest distributed project in the world---the naming and categorising of all animal life on earth. It does not make for stimulating bed-time reading, but it is (or should be) essential for all zoologists to have some familiarity with it, and particularly those who hope to make a living participating in the project.

It's rules concern only those who deal with animals. Botanists are governed by their own code named (logically enough) the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The two are independent and have some differences. Not many, but enough to mean for botanists and zoologists to both wonder why the other does what they do.

So, if one were to get a copy of this scintillating document, how would they go about it? You could try asking your friendly neighbourhood taxonomist and if they don't have a copy they should hang their head in shame. For those who like to put something on the bedside table, a you can buy a copy for $56 USD (including postage and packaging). If you're too cheap, can't afford it, or just enjoy reading from a computer screen it is available freely online here.

Enjoy the read!