1. In taxonomy: The person who first published a name in such a way as to satisfy the criteria of availability in zoological nomenclature. For example: Sphaerocera vaporariorum Haliday, 1836. Haliday is the author of the name vaporariorum in the combination with the genus name Sphaerocera. Haliday remains the author, even though the species by now is transferred to the genus Ischioplepta.
2. In general: The person to whom a published work is attributed