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How to … Name a new species

Follow these steps if you believe you have a new species, and want to give it a name:

  1. Check that your species does not already have a name. See How to tell if my new species is already named.

  2. Choose a suitable specific epithet, one that is correctly formed and has not previously been used. See How to correctly form a specific epithet and How to tell if a specific epithet is preoccupied.

  3. Choose a suitable type specimen. See How to choose a type specimen for a name of a new species.

  4. Write the protologue. See How to write a protologue for a new species name.

  5. Publish the protologue. See How to effectively publish a new name.

For more information, see Chapter 5 How to publish a new name in The Code Decoded.

Do you have another general nomenclatural question, and want a how-to guide to help?

You can submit questions here.

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