The Authors tab records details about the author of the scientific name itself, called here the Name Author The author responsible for writing the formal description of a species (i.e. specifying a Taxonomic classification for the species).. Most often, although not always, this is the same as the author of the Primary Citation
The author responsible for writing the formal description of a species (i.e. specifying a Taxonomic classification for the species).. Most often, although not always, this is the same as the author of the Primary Citation In Taxonomy, the paper / article that first proposes (specifies) the scientific name for a species. In Botany this paper is known as the Protologue..
In Taxonomy, the paper / article that first proposes (specifies) the scientific name for a species. In Botany this paper is known as the Protologue..
Here we look at two possibilities:
 Primary Citation author and Name author are the same
Primary Citation author and Name author are the same
                                                        In this example, the author of the Primary Citation (already entered on the Citations tab) is the author of the scientific name:
- Select Yes from the Name authors same as citation authors? drop list: The name of the author of the primary citation entered on the Citations tab is added to the Name Authors table, and the Role is automatically entered as Author.
- Enter the publication year of the primary citation in the Year: (Name Authors) field and save the record.The scientific name is automatically updated with the new details (displayed in the Summary Data field):  Note: The Name Authors fields are read-only when Yes is selected from the drop list. 
 Primary Citation author and Name Author are not the same
Primary Citation author and Name Author are not the same
                                                        If the Name Author is not the same as the author of the primary citation or you simply wish to add Author details (perhaps you don't have Citation details):
- Select No from the Name authors same as citation authors? drop list. The Name Authors fields become available.
			Note: Multiple authors can be added, one per line of the Name Authors table by clicking the Asterisk  in the table. in the table.
- In the row with  , select the cell under  Author: (Name Authors) and then click the Attach , select the cell under  Author: (Name Authors) and then click the Attach button beside the Name Authors fields. button beside the Name Authors fields.The Parties module displays. 
- Search for the Author's Parties record and attach it: 
- Select the cell under Role: (Name Authors) and then click the Lookup List  button. button.The Author Lookup Selection box displays:  Note: This is not a definitive list of author roles. Role Definition AuthorThis is the Name Author who is also the author of the Primary Citation. in AuthorThis role is used when the taxonomic description provided by the author of the name is published in a book or other taxonomic treatment by another author. The second author is referred to as the in Author. MS AuthorEx AuthorEither of these roles is used to identify the author who originally created the name but did not publish a valid description. Note: The author role has implications for how the scientific name is generated. 
- Enter the publication year of the scientific name in the Year: (Name Authors) field and save the record.
The scientific name is automatically updated with the new details:
                                                                 
                                                            
Examples
Both Smith and Brown are Authors. This builds as:
Smith & Brown
                                                            
Smith is an Author and Brown is in Author. This builds as:
Smith in Brown
                                                            
Smith is exAuthor and Brown is Author. For ICBN names this builds as:
Smith ex Brown
                                                            
Note: The Authors tab is also used for How to record a Parenthetic Author (arising when the species name has been combined with a different genus).