The taxon Madurella pseudomycetomatis was recently proposed as a new species in a paper by Yan et al. (2). It was isolated from black granules of the discharging sinuses on the lower jaw of a 27-year-old patient from China. Based on sequence data of the multiloci of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), the ability of the isolate to ferment some carbohydrates, as well as analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and D1/D2 hypervariable region of the 28S ribosomal gene sequences, the isolate was considered by the authors to be sufficiently different to warrant its designation as a new species (2).
However, the proposed binomial is not in accordance with the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) (1) and violates articles 36, 37, 37A, and 9.5. Article 36 states that in order to be validly published, a name of a new taxon published on or after 1 January 1935 must be accompanied by a Latin description or diagnosis. Article 37 requires that publication on or after 1 January 1958 of the name of a new taxon of the rank of family or below is valid only when the nomenclatural type is indicated. In addition, the nomenclatural type should immediately follow the Latin description and should be given by insertion of the Latin word typus immediately before or after the particulars of the type so designated (article 37A). Article 9.5 clearly states that the nomenclatural type cannot be a living culture. Preparing a so-called “type culture” from the original isolate and its deposition in a culture collection(s) (in the present case, in the China General Microbiological Culture Collection [CGMCC 3.124574] and in the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Utrecht, Netherlands [CBS 124574]) does not nullify the requirement for a permanently prepared nomenclatural type.
Consequently, the proposed binomial Madurella pseudomycetomatis constitutes a nomen invalidum and cannot be maintained in the genus.
Footnotes
Ed. Note: The authors of the published article did not respond.
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REFERENCES
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