Background

RegNum is a web application designed to store and manage phylogenetic clade definitions generated under the rules of the International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature (PhyloCode).

The International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclaure (PhyloCode) is a formal set of rules governing phylogenetic nomenclature. It is designed to name the parts of the tree of life by explicit reference to phylogeny. The PhyloCode has been formally published in May 2020 and it is available for purchase here and, together with the Phylonyms Volume, these mark the official beginning of phylogenetic nomenclature.

The PhyloCode grew out of a workshop at Harvard University in August 1998, where basic decisions were made about its scope and content. Many of the workshop participants, together with a few other people who subsequently joined the project, have served as an advisory body (see the PhyloCode preface for the history of development and a list of people involved). In 2004 The International Society for Phylogenetic Nomenclature was founded in Paris at the first society meeting.

The PhyloCode represents several years of work and it is an ongoing development. For example, the current draft governs only the naming of clades (see Dayrat et al., 2008) and rules governing species names may be added in future (see Cellinese et al., 2012).

RegNum database

As a requirement of the PhyloCode, clade names need to be registered in a database and published in peer-reviewed publications. To develop such a registry, Nico Cellinese at University of Florida has led the development of RegNum and a beta version was  launched together with the PhyloCode in June 2020. RegNum is an ongoing open source project and anyone is welcome to contribute. The source code can be found here. For more information please contact Nico Cellinese: ncellinese(at)flmnh.ufl.edu.