nomen oblitum

a forgotten name, an unused senior synonym rejected under the provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Formerly a senior synonym not once applied to a particular taxon as its presumably valid name for the immediately preceding 50 years (other than in a synonymy, listing in an abstracting publication or a nomenclator) and to which taxon has been currently been applied a junior synonym by at least 5 different authors in at least 10 publications during the immediately preceding 50 years. Such a name, unless otherwise ruled, is to be rejected for the purposes of the Law of Priority but not for those of the Law of Homonymy. No longer recognised. After 1 January 2000 applied to a name, unused since 1899, which as a result of an action taken under the Code does not take precedence over a younger synonym or homonym in prevailing usage; the younger name which takes precedence over the nomen oblitum may be called a nomen protectum. A nomen oblitum remains an available name. Abbreviated as nom. oblit