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Priority is a fundamental principle of modern botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature. Essentially, it is the principle of recognising the first valid application of a name to a plant or animal. There are two aspects to this:
Note that nomenclature for botany and zoology is independent, and the rules of priority regarding homonyms operate within each discipline but not between them.
There are formal provisions for making exceptions to the principle of priority under each of the Codes. If an archaic or obscure prior name is discovered for an established taxon, the current name can be declared a nomen conservandum or conserved name , and so conserved against the prior name. Conservation may be avoided entirely in Zoology as these names may fall in the formal category of nomen oblitum. Similarly, if the current name for a taxon is found to have an archaic or obscure prior homonym, the current name can be declared a nomen protectum or the older name suppressed.