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Revision as of 12:52, 11 January 2006 by Dreg743 (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)This article is not about zoological nomenclature, but it describes some terms used in hobbyists books, and which are nowadays disallowed by ICZN
In zoological nomenclature, especially in insect nomenclature, various subspecific names and abbreviations have been used after a binomial name. If there is a need for a subspecific taxon in animal nomenclature, a trinomen may be described for a subspecies. Many other 'typical specimens' may be described, but these should not be considered as being absolute, unconditional or categorical. These forms have no official status, though they may be useful in describing altitudinal or geographical clines.
- forma geographica - f. geogr. (if used, nowadays usually of a part of a cline) +
- forma alta - f. alt. (altitudinal features are not necessarily inherited, but due to environment, the same applies to temperature or humidity -generated forms) +
- aberratio - ab. (may be used of a single or a small (singly observed) group of atypical individuals, for example of albinos, or of commonly observed form of a species, in this case forma (f.) is more conventional.) +
- forma localis - f. loc. (a redundant term, some variation is normally observed in any local population) +
- forma aestivalis - f. aest. + (spring form)
- forma autumnalis - f. autumn. (autumn form)