title: Proposal to include the rank of phylum in the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes.
abstract: The International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes covers the nomenclature of prokaryotes up to the rank of class. We propose here modifying the Code to include the rank of phylum so that names of phyla that fulfil the rules of the Code will obtain standing in the nomenclature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Aharon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oren
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, BIOCANT Biotechnological Park, 3060-197 Cantanhede, Portugal.
authors.forename: Milton S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Biomedical Physical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-4320, USA.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Garrity
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
authors.forename: Fred A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Rainey
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Marine Resources, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA UIB-CSIC), 07190 Esporles, Spain.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosselló-Móra
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schink
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK.
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Martha E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Trujillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, 527 Biological Sciences Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2605, USA.
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Whitman
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification*; D002965:Classification; D009626:Terminology as Topic