| Entity | Entity Type | Definition | Parent Class | Core Properties | Relations | Example Instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLS Core | System | The unified categorical language system integrating all codes | Meta-System | Recursive grammar, governance integration, cross-domain mapping | contains Layers; governs Domain Codes | — |
| Language Units Layer | Layer | Structural breakdown from grapheme to etymology | UCLS Core | graphemes, phonemes, morphemes, lexemes, semantics, pragmatics, etymology | applies to all terms | “Binomial” as lexeme |
| Domain Anchoring Layer | Layer | Links tokens to anchors proving identity | UCLS Core | anchor_kind, anchor_source, anchor_id | anchors Domain Codes | “Type specimen” for Quercus robur |
| Rules & Registries Layer | Layer | Houses validity, priority, governance, and registry data | UCLS Core | validity_fn, priority_rule, governance_action, registry_uri | governs token state | “ZooBank” registry |
| Cross-Disciplinary Recursion Layer | Layer | Maps equivalent structures across codes | UCLS Core | equivalence mapping, synonymy graph | links different domain nodes | ICN species ↔ ICZN species |
| Governance Harmonization Layer | Layer | Processes stability and dispute resolution | UCLS Core | conservation, suppression, opinion issuance | resolves conflicts | ICZN Opinion 2023 |
| ICNafp | Domain Code | International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants | Domain Anchoring Layer | type_specimen, typification_rule | requires Registry; governed by IBC | Quercus robur |
| ICZN | Domain Code | International Code of Zoological Nomenclature | Domain Anchoring Layer | name_bearing_type, availability_rule | requires ZooBank; governed by ICZN Commission | Homo sapiens |
| ICNP | Domain Code | International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes | Domain Anchoring Layer | type_strain, deposition_rule | requires Culture Collection; governed by ICSP | Escherichia coli DSM 30083 |
| ICTV | Domain Code | International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses Code | Domain Anchoring Layer | exemplar_sequence, msl_rule | requires ICTV Master Species List; governed by ICTV | Betacoronavirus 1 |
| ICNCP | Domain Code | International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants | Domain Anchoring Layer | cultivar_record, denomination_rule | requires ICRA; governed by ISHS | Rosa ‘Peace’ |
| ICPN | Domain Code | International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature | Domain Anchoring Layer | type_releve, description_rule | requires vegetation_data; governed by IAVS | Fagetum sylvaticae |
| PhyloCode | Domain Code | International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature | Domain Anchoring Layer | phylo_specifiers, definition_rule | requires RegNum; governed by PhyloCode Commission | Aves clade definition |
| Anchor | Ontology Class | The concrete referent that “proves” a name | Domain Anchoring Layer | anchor_kind, anchor_uri | validates Token | Holotype specimen ID |
| Token | Ontology Class | The name string or label governed by a code | Domain Anchoring Layer | term_string, code_domain, language_units | is anchored by Anchor | “Homo sapiens” |
| Registry | Ontology Class | Official ledger recording anchors and acts | Rules & Registries Layer | registry_uri, registry_scope | contains Records | ZooBank, MycoBank |
| Governance Body | Ontology Class | Entity empowered to interpret/enforce code | Governance Harmonization Layer | name, jurisdiction | issues Actions | ICZN Commission |
| Governance Action | Ontology Class | Formal decision affecting names | Governance Harmonization Layer | action_type, effective_date | affects Token | Conservation of Quercus robur |
| Validity Function | Ontology Class | Logical conditions making a name valid | Rules & Registries Layer | publication_req, registration_req | evaluates Token | “Effective publication + typification” |
How to Read This
- Entity Type: what kind of object it is (system, layer, class, code, etc.)
- Parent Class: where it sits in the hierarchy
- Core Properties: minimal metadata needed to describe it
- Relations: key graph edges to other ontology elements
- Example Instance: a real-world example of that entity in use
@prefix ucls: <https://ucls.org/ontology/> .
@prefix rdf: <http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#> .
@prefix rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#> .
@prefix owl: <http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#> .
@prefix xsd: <http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#> .
ucls: a owl:Ontology ;
rdfs:label "UCLS Ontology" ;
rdfs:comment "Unified Categorical Language System — nomenclature integration ontology." .
### Classes ###
ucls:System a owl:Class .
ucls:Layer a owl:Class .
ucls:DomainCode a owl:Class .
ucls:Registry a owl:Class .
ucls:Token a owl:Class .
ucls:Anchor a owl:Class .
ucls:ValidityFunction a owl:Class .
ucls:GovernanceBody a owl:Class .
ucls:GovernanceAction a owl:Class .
### Object Properties ###
ucls:hasLayer a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:System ; rdfs:range ucls:Layer .
ucls:governs a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:System ; rdfs:range ucls:DomainCode .
ucls:appliesTo a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:Layer ; rdfs:range ucls:Token .
ucls:anchors a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:Token ; rdfs:range ucls:Anchor .
ucls:hasRegistry a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:DomainCode ; rdfs:range ucls:Registry .
ucls:hasValidityFunction a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:DomainCode ; rdfs:range ucls:ValidityFunction .
ucls:governedBy a owl:ObjectProperty ; rdfs:domain ucls:Token ; rdfs:range ucls:DomainCode .
### Data Properties ###
ucls:name a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:description a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:codeDomain a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:anchorKind a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:validityFn a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:priorityRule a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:governanceAction a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:string .
ucls:registryURI a owl:DatatypeProperty ; rdfs:range xsd:anyURI .
### Individuals (sample) ###
ucls:Core a ucls:System ;
rdfs:label "UCLS Core" ;
rdfs:comment "Unified Categorical Language System integrating nomenclature codes." ;
ucls:hasLayer ucls:LanguageUnitsLayer, ucls:AnchoringLayer, ucls:RulesRegistriesLayer, ucls:CrossRecursionLayer, ucls:GovernanceLayer .
ucls:LanguageUnitsLayer a ucls:Layer ; rdfs:label "Language Units Layer" .
ucls:AnchoringLayer a ucls:Layer ; rdfs:label "Domain Anchoring Layer" .
ucls:RulesRegistriesLayer a ucls:Layer ; rdfs:label "Rules & Registries Layer" .
ucls:CrossRecursionLayer a ucls:Layer ; rdfs:label "Cross-Disciplinary Recursion Layer" .
ucls:GovernanceLayer a ucls:Layer ; rdfs:label "Governance Harmonization Layer" .
ucls:ICZN a ucls:DomainCode ;
ucls:name "ICZN" ;
ucls:codeDomain "Animals" ;
ucls:anchorKind "Name-bearing type (specimen/series)" ;
ucls:validityFn "Effective publication; ZooBank for e-only; availability criteria" ;
ucls:priorityRule "Principle of Priority; Opinions/Declarations" .
ucls:ZooBank a ucls:Registry ;
ucls:name "ZooBank" ;
ucls:registryURI "https://zoobank.org"^^xsd:anyURI .
ucls:Token_Homo_sapiens a ucls:Token ;
ucls:name "Homo sapiens" ;
ucls:governedBy ucls:ICZN ;
ucls:anchors ucls:Anchor_Hs_Type .
ucls:Anchor_Hs_Type a ucls:Anchor ;
ucls:anchorKind "Name-bearing type (specimen/series)" .
{
"@context": {
"@vocab": "https://ucls.org/ontology/",
"id": "@id",
"type": "@type",
"name": "https://schema.org/name",
"description": "https://schema.org/description",
"hasLayer": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"governs": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"appliesTo": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"anchors": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"requires": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"governedBy": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"hasRegistry": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"hasValidityFunction": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"hasPriorityRule": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"hasGovernanceAction": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"hasAnchorKind": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"hasToken": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"containsRecord": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"affects": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"evaluates": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"parentClass": {
"@type": "@id"
},
"uri": "https://schema.org/url",
"codeDomain": "https://ucls.org/ontology/codeDomain",
"anchorKind": "https://ucls.org/ontology/anchorKind",
"validityFn": "https://ucls.org/ontology/validityFn",
"priorityRule": "https://ucls.org/ontology/priorityRule",
"governanceAction": "https://ucls.org/ontology/governanceAction",
"registryURI": "https://ucls.org/ontology/registryURI"
},
"@graph": [
{
"id": "ucls:Core",
"type": "System",
"name": "UCLS Core",
"description": "Unified Categorical Language System integrating nomenclature codes."
},
{
"id": "ucls:LanguageUnitsLayer",
"type": "Layer",
"name": "Language Units Layer",
"description": "Grapheme → Phoneme → Morpheme → Lexeme → Semantics → Pragmatics → Etymology",
"parentClass": "ucls:Core"
},
{
"id": "ucls:AnchoringLayer",
"type": "Layer",
"name": "Domain Anchoring Layer",
"description": "Links tokens to anchors proving identity (specimen, strain, sequence, cultivar record, relevé, phylo specifiers)",
"parentClass": "ucls:Core"
},
{
"id": "ucls:RulesRegistriesLayer",
"type": "Layer",
"name": "Rules & Registries Layer",
"description": "Validity, priority, governance, and registries",
"parentClass": "ucls:Core"
},
{
"id": "ucls:CrossRecursionLayer",
"type": "Layer",
"name": "Cross-Disciplinary Recursion Layer",
"description": "Structural equivalence across domains",
"parentClass": "ucls:Core"
},
{
"id": "ucls:GovernanceLayer",
"type": "Layer",
"name": "Governance Harmonization Layer",
"description": "Synonym resolution, conservation/rejection, commission opinions",
"parentClass": "ucls:Core"
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICNafp",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "ICNafp",
"codeDomain": "Algae, Fungi, Plants",
"anchorKind": "Type specimen / illustration (fungi: +registration)",
"validityFn": "Effective publication + typification (+registration for fungi)",
"priorityRule": "Principle of Priority; Conservation/Rejection",
"governanceAction": "Nomenclature Section decisions; Chapter F updates",
"hasRegistry": [
{
"id": "ucls:MycoBank"
},
{
"id": "ucls:IndexFungorum"
},
{
"id": "ucls:FungalNames"
}
]
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICZN",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "ICZN",
"codeDomain": "Animals",
"anchorKind": "Name-bearing type (specimen/series)",
"validityFn": "Effective publication; ZooBank for e-only; availability criteria",
"priorityRule": "Principle of Priority; Opinions/Declarations",
"governanceAction": "ICZN Commission Opinions",
"hasRegistry": [
{
"id": "ucls:ZooBank"
}
]
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICNP",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "ICNP",
"codeDomain": "Prokaryotes",
"anchorKind": "Type strain (culture)",
"validityFn": "IJSEM or Validation Lists + type strain deposition",
"priorityRule": "Principle of Priority; Judicial Commission Opinions",
"governanceAction": "ICSP opinions, Validation Lists"
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICTV",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "ICTV / ICVCN",
"codeDomain": "Viruses",
"anchorKind": "Exemplar isolate/sequence",
"validityFn": "Inclusion in ICTV Master Species List",
"priorityRule": "ICTV-governed precedence",
"governanceAction": "ICTV Taxonomy & Code updates",
"hasRegistry": [
{
"id": "ucls:ICTVPortal"
}
]
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICNCP",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "ICNCP",
"codeDomain": "Cultivated Plants",
"anchorKind": "Cultivar record (diagnosis + denomination)",
"validityFn": "Published denomination + ICRA check",
"priorityRule": "Denomination priority within class",
"governanceAction": "ICRA determinations; ICNCP revisions"
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICPN",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "ICPN",
"codeDomain": "Plant Communities",
"anchorKind": "Type relevé (community record)",
"validityFn": "Published description + type relevé",
"priorityRule": "Priority within syntaxon rules",
"governanceAction": "IAVS Working Group decisions"
},
{
"id": "ucls:PhyloCode",
"type": "DomainCode",
"name": "PhyloCode",
"codeDomain": "Clades",
"anchorKind": "Phylogenetic specifiers (definition)",
"validityFn": "Published definition + RegNum registration",
"priorityRule": "Definition-first stability",
"governanceAction": "PhyloCode Commission decisions; RegNum registration",
"hasRegistry": [
{
"id": "ucls:RegNum"
}
]
},
{
"id": "ucls:ZooBank",
"type": "Registry",
"name": "ZooBank",
"registryURI": "https://zoobank.org"
},
{
"id": "ucls:MycoBank",
"type": "Registry",
"name": "MycoBank",
"registryURI": "https://www.mycobank.org"
},
{
"id": "ucls:IndexFungorum",
"type": "Registry",
"name": "Index Fungorum",
"registryURI": "https://www.indexfungorum.org"
},
{
"id": "ucls:FungalNames",
"type": "Registry",
"name": "Fungal Names",
"registryURI": "https://www.fungalinfo.net/fungalnames/"
},
{
"id": "ucls:ICTVPortal",
"type": "Registry",
"name": "ICTV Portal",
"registryURI": "https://ictv.global/"
},
{
"id": "ucls:RegNum",
"type": "Registry",
"name": "RegNum",
"registryURI": "https://www.phylocode.org/regnum/"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_Homo_sapiens",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Homo sapiens",
"codeDomain": "Animals (ICZN)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Hs_Type"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:ICZN"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Hs_Type",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Name-bearing type (specimen/series)",
"uri": "museum:NHMUK-12345"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_Quercus_robur",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Quercus robur",
"codeDomain": "Algae, Fungi, Plants (ICNafp)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Qr_Type"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:ICNafp"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Qr_Type",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Type specimen (botanical)",
"uri": "herbarium:K-00000001"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_E_coli",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Escherichia coli",
"codeDomain": "Prokaryotes (ICNP)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Ec_TypeStrain"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:ICNP"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Ec_TypeStrain",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Type strain (culture)",
"uri": "culture:DSM-30083"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_Betacoronavirus_1",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Betacoronavirus 1",
"codeDomain": "Viruses (ICTV)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_BCoV1_Seq"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:ICTV"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_BCoV1_Seq",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Exemplar isolate/sequence",
"uri": "genbank:NC_009657"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_Rosa_Peace",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Rosa 'Peace'",
"codeDomain": "Cultivated Plants (ICNCP)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Rosa_Peace"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:ICNCP"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Rosa_Peace",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Cultivar record (diagnosis + denomination)",
"uri": "icra:roses/peace"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_Fagetum_sylvaticae",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Fagetum sylvaticae",
"codeDomain": "Plant Communities (ICPN)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Fagetum_Releve"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:ICPN"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Fagetum_Releve",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Type relevé (community record)",
"uri": "vegplot:DE-HE-123456"
},
{
"id": "ucls:Token_Aves",
"type": "Token",
"name": "Aves",
"codeDomain": "Clades (PhyloCode)",
"anchors": {
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Aves_Def"
},
"governedBy": {
"id": "ucls:PhyloCode"
}
},
{
"id": "ucls:Anchor_Aves_Def",
"type": "Anchor",
"anchorKind": "Phylogenetic specifiers",
"uri": "regnum:RN-0000123"
}
]
}Unified Categorical Language System – SolveForce Communications