RE: Precision, Ultra-, Super-, Seismo- and the like

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

> > _Supersaurus_ won because although the two names were raised in the
> > same paper (Jensen 1985), it was the first of the two to be named.
>
> No, it won because the first revisor chose it so. Contrary to popular myth, 
> page and line priority do not exist; the two names were published at the 
> very same time.

Page or line priority ("position precedence") does have some foundation in 
fact.  Although the latest ICZN Code (2000) lets the First Revisor decide, I 
understand that the previous Code (1985) recommended position precedence in 
the event of synonymization (Recommendation 24A).  Since 1985-2000 covers 
the period in which _Ultrasaurus_/_Ultrasauros_ was sunk into _Supersaurus_ 
(Curtice et al., 1996), Mike is technically correct.

The latest Code only lists position precedence as a recommended criterion 
for nominating type species when none were designated in the original 
publication (Recommendation 69A.10).  It doesn't apply to subjective 
synonyms.

Cheers

Tim

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