Emendation (zoology)

In zoological nomenclature, emendations are intentional alterations made to the spelling of taxon names. In bacteriological nomenclature, emendations are made to the circumscription of a taxon.

All emendations are considered by default to be available names. An emendation may be "justified" (when the original spelling is demonstrably incorrect under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Article 32.5), or it may be "unjustified" (if the change violates the rules of the Code). A justified emendation is different from a "mandatory change" only in that the latter is required by the Code, under Article 34. An unjustified emendation is different from an "incorrect subsequent spelling" in that the latter is an unintentional change, while an emendation is explicitly intentional, and in that an incorrect subsequent spelling is not automatically considered to be an available name.