Nomen nudum

Nomen nudum (plural: Nomina nuda) is a Latin technical term from the biological nomenclature and literally means "naked name" i.e., bare name.

This term is used in the biological nomenclature for an alleged scientific name that does not meet the availability requirements of the relevant nomenclature code when first described scientifically. This may be due, for example, to incorrect derivation of a name in the case of family names, to the absence of a differential diagnosis or a reference to such a diagnosis, or to the failure to mention a type species in the case of a new animal genus. Due to such formal deficiencies the name is not recognised, is invalid and its use in a new description is therefore possible