title: Naming no names: Comments on the taxonomy of small piroplasmids in canids.
abstract: Based on phylogenetic analyses, various taxonomic changes have recently been proposed for tick-transmitted small piroplasmids, including descriptions of new species. It is however essential that any such changes comply with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Unfortunately, this has not been the case, and some recently proposed names are therefore invalid. The use of informal clade names is necessary until formal valid descriptions are available.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), Universidade do Porto, InBIO Laboratório Associado. Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Porto, 4485-661, Portugal. james@cibio.up.pt.|Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre s/n, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal. james@cibio.up.pt.
authors.forename: D James
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification*; D005589:Foxes; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: Babesia; Phylogeny; Theileria; Vulpes