Clarifications needed concerning the new Article 59 dealing with pleomorphic fungi

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Plant Science
• Biodiversity Nomenclature

Background:

• Article 59 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) has been revised, impacting fungal nomenclature.
• The new rules prioritize phylogenetically defined clades, potentially leading to numerous name changes for fungal taxa.
• Current systems face challenges with congruent teleomorph and anamorph generic concepts, causing information loss.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose recommendations for mitigating the negative impacts of the revised Article 59 on fungal nomenclature.
• To ensure the stability and informativeness of fungal names under the new ICN rules.
• To address the challenges posed by naming fungal taxa versus clades.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the implications of the revised Article 59 on fungal nomenclature.
• Formulation of two key recommendations for authors and taxonomic committees.
• Evaluation of the impact of name recombination and dual nomenclature on fungal classification.

Main Results:

• The revised Article 59 necessitates name changes, particularly when only clades are named.
• Recommendation 1: Avoid recombining older epithets from demoted genera into accepted genera if pre-2013 epithets exist.
• Recommendation 2: Retain binomials in genera where they are most informative to preserve information and avoid cryptic dual nomenclature.

Conclusions:

• The proposed recommendations can significantly reduce the upheaval in fungal nomenclature caused by the loss of the former Art. 59.
• Maintaining informative fungal names is crucial for stability and scientific communication.
• A balanced approach is needed to integrate phylogenetic information while preserving established and useful nomenclature.