In taxonomy, synonyms are not equals, but have a different status. Unlike synonyms in other contexts, in taxonomy a synonym is not interchangeable with the name of which it is a synonym. However, Araschnia levana is not a synonym of Papilio levana in the taxonomic sense employed by the Zoological code. The concept of synonymy in zoology is reserved for two names at the same rank that refers to a taxon at that rank – for example, the name Papilio prorsa Linnaeus, 1758 is a junior synonym of Papilio levana Linnaeus, 1758, being names for different seasonal forms of the species now referred to as Araschnia levana (Linnaeus, 1758), the map butterfly.

In zoology, moving a species from one genus to another results in a different binomen, but the name is considered an alternative combination rather than a synonym.

This name is no longer in use, so it is now a synonym of the current scientific name, Picea abies. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name (under the currently used system of scientific nomenclature) to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies.

In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name.

The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. ( August 2020) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) There might be a discussion about this on the talk page.

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What is a synonym for