ABSTRACT
The tenth edition of Linnaeus’s (1758) monumental Systema Naturae marked the beginning of zoological nomenclature and taxonomy as a modern branch of the natural sciences. In the last 250 years, the binominal nomenclatural system that Linnaeus developed has remained a fundamental principle for biological taxonomy and has guided generation after generation of taxonomists in the description of about 1.5-2.0 million species on earth (Cracraft 2002, May 2002, Mace et al. 2005). As we celebrate 250 years of taxonomy and its achievement, the need for descriptive taxonomy, and its service to the rest of biological science, is greater than ever in this age of elevated rates of extinction and biodiversity crisis. Herein I discuss the revival of descriptive taxonomy with some encouraging data from the phenomenal growth of a mega-journal in taxonomy-Zootaxa-and its impact. In particular, I will discuss factors that have contributed to the success of Zootaxa and its implications for the revival of descriptive taxonomy.
