hear hear!
 
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> Van: Andrew K. Rindsberg <[log in to unmask]>
> Aan: [log in to unmask]
> Onderwerp: Re: Taxonomy question
> Datum: woensdag 3 juni 1998 16:28
>
> Taxonomists are doomed to hear the same questions, the same arguments,
and
> the same answers every generation!
>
> As it stands, the rule (ICZN Arts. 56b, 57f) indicates that a one-letter
> difference is sufficient to distinguish the names of species. There are a
> few exceptions for species names (Art. 58); these derive mostly from
> spelling variations in the Latin language itself, or in the way that
Greek
> letters are transcribed into Latin. The most common instance deals with
> words that historically have varied among spellings with ae, oe, and e:
for
> example, caeruleus, coeruleus, ceruleus are all considered to be
homonyms.
> Likewise with ei, i, y, as in cheiropus, chiropus, chyropus; and with i
and
> j, as in iavanus and javanus, maior and major. Also, names ending in -i
and
> -ii are treated as homonyms. Fourteen exceptions are listed altogether.
> They apply only to words that are apt to be confused because they have
the
> same origin and meaning.
>
> These are the only exceptions that are allowed. If others were allowed,
it
> would destabilize nomenclature, because there are many pairs of words
that
> differ by a single letter but have different meanings, e.g., altus "high,
> tall" and albus "white". A lot of names would have to be changed, and
where
> would it all end?
>
> Andrew K. Rindsberg
> Geological Survey of Alabama