International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (2016), 66, 4910–4912
Taxonomic Note
DOI 10.1099/ijsem.0.001434
On the synonymy of Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980) and
Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962)
Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists
1980), an old problem in need of a solution
B. J. Tindall
Correspondence
B. J. Tindall
Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH,
Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
[email protected]
Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980) and Edwardsiella
anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists 1980) are known
to be synonyms that share the same nomenclatural type. Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980) is the nomenclatural type of the genus Edwardsiella
Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980). The question of the priority of the epithet
anguillimortifera Hoshina 1962 over the epithet tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 has been
raised in the past, and a Request for an Opinion to conserve the epithet tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 in Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980) was
published but later withdrawn. Close examination of the wording of the International Code of
Nomenclature of Prokayotes indicates that there may be problems associated with the
nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975
(Approved Lists 1980). Additional issues also arise with the recognition of homonyms under
other codes of nomenclature.
Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 was
originally validly published under the 1958 revision of the
International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria and
Viruses (Editorial Board of the International Committee
on Bacteriological Nomenclature, 1958) and was also designated as the nomenclatural type of the genus Edwardsiella Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Ewing et al., 1965).
Other studies had indicated that another organism studied
in Japan and published under the name ‘Paracolobactrum
anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962 shared almost identical
properties. The name was initially validly published under
the 1958 revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria and Viruses. Sakazaki & Tamura (1975)
drew attention to the fact that, based on a comparison of
a large number of strains of Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 with the type strain of Edwardsiella tarda
Ewing and McWhorter 1965 and the data published for
‘Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962, these
two species appeared to be identical in all common properties tested. Sakazaki & Tamura (1975) came to the conclusion that under the then current 1966 revision of the
International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (Editorial
Board, 1966), the names Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 and ‘Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum’
4910
Hoshina 1962 were both validly published, despite the fact
that there did not appear to be an extant type strain of
‘Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962. Sakazaki & Tamura (1975) also came to the conclusion that
both taxa should be included in the genus
Edwardsiella Ewing and McWhorter 1965 and that the epithet anguillimortiferum Hoshina 1962 had priority over the
epithet tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965, resulting in the
creation of the combination Edwardsiella anguillimortifera
(Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975. At the same
time, Sakazaki & Tamura (1975) indicated that the epithet
tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 was illegitimate and
was also to be replaced by the epithet anguillimortiferum
Hoshina 1962. There is no evidence that this latter interpretation was consistent with the wording of the 1966
revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of
Bacteria (Editorial Board, 1966). In addition, Sakazaki &
Tamura (1975) also proposed that ‘the type strain of
Edwardsiella tarda ATCC 15947 is designated as the neotype strain of Edwardsiella anguillimortifera.’ With this
background, Farmer et al. (1976) submitted a Request for
an Opinion to conserve the epithet tarda over the epithet
anguillimortifera. This Request for an Opinion was
reported to the Judicial Commission at the 1978 IAMS
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The synonyms Edwardsiella tarda and Edwardsiella anguillimortifera
Congress in Munich as having been withdrawn (Holt,
1979).
The names Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965
(Approved Lists 1980) and Edwardsiella anguillimortifera
(Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists
1980) were included on the Approved Lists (Skerman et al.,
1980) with the type strain cited for both species as being
ATCC 15947. Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965
(Approved Lists 1980) was also listed as the nomenclatural
type of Edwardsiella Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved
Lists 1980) (Skerman et al., 1980).
Based on the fact that Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980) and Edwardsiella
anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975
(Approved Lists 1980) share the same nomenclatural type, it
has been generally assumed that these two names are homotypic synonyms. While this is true if one considers that both
names are based on the same nomenclatural type on the
Approved Lists (Skerman et al., 1980), examination of the history of valid publication under previous revisions of the Code
indicates that there may be an error in the interpretation of
the Code, both past and present (Editorial Board of the International Committee on Bacteriological Nomenclature, 1958;
Edition Board, 1966; Lapage et al., 1975, 1992; Parker et al.,
2015). Examination of the publications by Ewing et al. (1965)
and Hoshina (1962) indicate that they were working with different strains from different sources. It is not clear whether
Hoshina (1962) was working with more than one strain and
also did not designate a nomenclatural type. In recognizing
that Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 and ‘Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962 belonged to
the same species, Sakazaki & Tamura (1975) chose to designate a neotype for the new combination Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 and
selected the nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella tarda Ewing
and McWhorter 1965, ATCC 15947. The 1966 revision of the
Code (Editorial Board, 1966) in effect at the time and all subsequent revisions of the Code state that ‘the nomenclatural
type is that element of a taxon with which a name is permanently attached.’ In other words, ATCC 15947 is the nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter
1965 (Approved Lists 1980). There would appear to be no justification for also using ATCC 15947 [the nomenclatural type
of Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved
Lists 1980)] as the nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975
(Approved Lists 1980). Interpretation of the original literature
indicates that Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965
(Approved Lists 1980) and Edwardsiella anguillimortifera
(Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists
1980) were based on the study of different strains and the
names are heterotypic synonyms, not homotypic synonyms.
The designation of ATCC 15947 as the neotype of Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura
1975 (Approved Lists 1980) clearly also contravenes Rule 9a
of the 1966 revision of the Code and Rule 15 of the 1975,
1990 and 2008 revisions of the Code (Lapage et al., 1975,
http://ijs.microbiologyresearch.org
1992; Parker et al., 2015). Had Sakazaki & Tamura,
1975 shown Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965
and ‘Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962 to be
synonyms and in the absence of a type strain for ‘Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962 based the nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962)
Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 on the description and illustration
of Hoshina (1962), then it would be obvious that Edwardsiella
tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 and ‘Paracolobactrum
anguillimortiferum’ Hoshina 1962 were heterotypic synonyms.
Ilacing Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965
(Approved Lists 1980) and Edwardsiella anguillimortifera
(Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists
1980) on the Approved Lists (Skerman et al., 1980) based on
the same nomenclatural type contravenes Rule 15 of the
1975, 1990 and 2008 revisions of the Code (Lapage et al.,
1975, 1992; Parker et al., 2015), and Rule 51b (1) indicates
that Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki
and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists 1980) is illegitimate and
may not be used. Illegitimate names or epithets may also not
be taken into consideration for the purpose of determining
priority. The key aspect being that ATCC 15947 is the nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter
1965 (Approved Lists 1980) and may not also serve as the
nomenclatural type of Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina
1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists 1980).
In essence, a closer examination of the wording of the Code
in the 1975, 1990 and 2008 revisions (Lapage et al., 1975,
1992; Parker et al., 2015) clearly demonstrates that because
Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved
Lists 1980) and Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina
1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists 1980)
share the same nomenclatural type, the proposal of Sakazaki
& Tamura (1975)
created an illegitimate combination and the epithet anguillimortifera is also associated with the nomenclatural type of
Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved
Lists 1980). Under these circumstances, the name Edwardsiella anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura
1975 (Approved Lists 1980) is illegitimate, may not be used
and may also not be taken into consideration when determining priority. Consequently, the name of the taxon based
on ATCC 15947 is Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980). This resolves the
issue of the widely accepted opinion that Edwardsiella
anguillimortifera (Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975
(Approved Lists 1980) is an earlier homotypic synonym of
Edwardsiella tarda Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved
Lists 1980) and that the correct name of the taxon based on
ATCC 15947 should be Edwardsiella anguillimortifera
(Hoshina 1962) Sakazaki and Tamura 1975 (Approved Lists
1980).
In examining the literature on the genus name Edwardsiella,
reference to four different authors and dates can be found:
Edwardsiella Ewing and McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists
1980) – prokaryote;
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4911
B. J. Tindall
Edwardsiella Andres 1883 – sea anemone;
Edwardsiella Rukhin 1937 – fossil Anthozoa (substituted
synonym Cylindrostylus Sokolov 1955);
Edwardsiella Versteegh & Zevenboom 1995 – fossil dinoflagellate (substituted synonym Novedwardsiella Özdikmen
2009);
(see Andres, 1883; Rukhin, 1937; Sokolov, 1955; Versteegh
& Zevenboom, 1995; Özdikmen, 2009).
The International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes
(Parker et al., 2015) is not independent of botanical and
zoological nomenclature (Principle 2). Based on this information, Edwardsiella Ewing and McWhorter 1965
(Approved Lists 1980) is a later homonym of Edwardsiella
Andres1883 at the rank of genus (Rule 11 Note), but
according to Rule 51b (4), Edwardsiella Ewing and
McWhorter 1965 (Approved Lists 1980) is not an illegitimate name and no further action is required.
Ewing, W. H., McWhorter, A. C., Escobar, M. R. & Lubin, A. H. (1965).
Edwardsiella, a new genus of Enterobacteriaceae based on a new species, E.
tarda. Int Bull Bacteriol Nomen Taxon 15, 33–38.
Farmer III, J. J., Brenner, D. J. & Clark, W. A. (1976). Proposal to conserve
the specific epithet tarda over the specific pithet anguillimortiferum in the
name of the organism presently known as Edwardsiella tarda: request for an
opinion. Int J Syst Bacteriol 26, 293–294.
Holt, J. G. (1979). International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology
Judicial Commission: minutes of the meeting, 3 September 1978. Int J Syst
Bacteriol 29, 267–269.
Hoshina, T. (1962). On a new bacterium, Paracolobactrum anguillimortiferum n. sp. Bull Soc Scien Fish 28, 162–164.
Lapage, S. P., Sneath, P. H. A., Lessel, E. F., Skerman, V. B. D.,
Seeliger, H. P. R. & Clark, W. A. (1975). International Code of
Nomenclature of Bacteria (1975 Revision). Bacteriological Code. Washington,
DC: American Society for Microbiology.
Lapage, S. P., Sneath, P. H. A., Lessel, E. F., Skerman, V. B. D.,
Seeliger, H. P. R. & Clark, W. A. (1992). International Code of
Nomenclature of Bacteria (1990 Revision). Bacteriological Code. Washington,
DC: American Society for Microbiology.
Özdikmen, H. (2009). Substitute names for some unicellular animal taxa
(Protozoa). Mun en Zool 4, 233–257.
Acknowledgements
The author is employed by an organisation that offers commercially
both taxonomic services as well as biological material to the scientific
community. This may be perceived as a potential conflict of interest.
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