[AlexC]

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Glaucidium nanum vs. nana - Clements, S&M, and SACC all use nanum; H&M and IOC both use nana - but no source seems to have changed or "fixed" their gender - so is nanum the proper gender?

From my days of Latin, I believe Glaucidium is neuter - I guess a possible confusion may be that both nanum (singular) and nana (plural) could be neuter.

[Daniel Philippe]

Originally Posted by AlexC

From my days of Latin, I believe Glaucidium is neuter - I guess a possible confusion may be that both nanum (singular) and nana (plural) could be neuter.

The original spelling nana is invariable.

cf H&M corrigenda: http://birds-howardandmoore.org/site...dec%202007.pdf p. 231

[AlexC]

Originally Posted by Daniel Philippe

The original spelling nana is invariable.

cf H&M corrigenda: http://birds-howardandmoore.org/site...dec%202007.pdf p. 231

So nana is correct?

[njlarsen]

Originally Posted by Daniel Philippe

The original spelling nana is invariable.

cf H&M corrigenda: http://birds-howardandmoore.org/site...dec%202007.pdf p. 231

As someone who has not read the whole zoological naming charter and never understood much of my highschool latin (and its so long ago that it may have been a bad dream ), could you explain the "invariable" a little more?

thanks
Niels

[Daniel Philippe]

Originally Posted by njlarsen

could you explain the "invariable" a little more?

Latin grammatical rules do not apply all the time (David & Gosselin 2002 a & b) and in this specific case, after re-reading the original description of Strix nana by King in 1827, N. David concluded that nana should not become nanum to fit the neuter gender of Glaucidium, but instead remain as it is, so ...

Originally Posted by AlexC

So nana is correct?

... yes Glaucidium nana is correct.