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