How to describe a new species in zoology and avoid mistakes Author Braby, Michael F. Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601 and Australian National Insect Collection, National Research Collections Australia, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia michael.braby@anu.edu.au Author Hsu, Yu-Feng Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan 116, Republic of China Author Lamas, Gerardo Departamento de Entomología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Arenales 1256, Apartado 14 - 0434, Lima- 14, Peru text Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2024 2024-05-03 202 4 1 16 https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae043 journal article 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae043 0024-4082 14764103

Table 1. Hypothesis testing and possible taxonomic decisions based on revision of a species complex involving one or two species.

Hypothesis	Number of species	Number of species	Taxonomic decision
	(before revision)	(after revision)
H 0 (1 species)	1	1	none
	1	1	new combination (comb. nov.)
			The investigated species is found to be a member of a genus that is
			different from its original or current combination and is transferred
to that genus.
	2	1	new synonymy (syn. nov.)
			The investigated species is found to be identical to another named
			species, and the binomen of that 2nd species is older. The younger
			species’ name is placed into the synonymy of the older species’
			name as a junior synonym.
H 1 (2 species)	1	2	none The investigation reveals the presence of two species, both with avail-
			able and valid names, but the 2nd species was previously unknown
			from study region.
	1	2	revised status (stat. rev.).
			The investigation reveals the presence of two species, both with
			available names, but the binomen of the 2nd species is currently in
			synonymy with the other species. The 2nd species is removed from
			synonymy and redescribed as a valid species.
	1	2	reinstated status (reinst. stat.)
			The investigation reveals the presence of two species, but the
			binomen of one species was previously valid but is currently in
			synonymy. The previously synonymized name is removed from
			synonymy and made valid again.
	1	2	new species (sp. nov.)
			The investigation reveals the presence of two species, one of which
			does not have a binomen. The unnamed species is named and
			described as new.