BZN Volume 65, Part 3, 30 September 2008

Abstracts of Cases

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Abstracts of the Applications published on 30 September 2008 in Volume 65, Part 3 of the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature

Comment or advice on any of these Applications is invited for publication (subject to editing) in the Bulletin and should be sent to the Executive Secretary, International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, c/o The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, U.K. (e-mail: iczn@nhm.ac.uk).

 

Case 3456

Nerita helicina Brocchi, 1814 (currently Euspira helicina; Mollusca, Gastropoda, NATICIDAE): proposed conservation of usage of the specific name by the designation of a neotype

Luca Pedriali
Via S. Pertini 29, 44046 San Martino, Ferrara, Italy

Elio Robba
Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche e Geotecnologie, Università degli Studi
di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 4, 20126 Milano, Italy
(e-mail: elio.robba@unimib.it)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Article 75.6, is to conserve the current usage of the name Euspira helicina (Brocchi, 1814) for a species of naticine gastropod from the Pliocene of Piacenza area, Italy. The lectotype of Euspira helicina (Brocchi, 1814) is not in taxonomic accord with the current usage of this name and exhibits all the characters of Tectonatica prietoi (Hidalgo, 1873) leading to considerable confusion. It is proposed that the previous type fixations for the species Euspira helicina (Brocchi, 1814) be set aside and a neotype consistent with the current usage be designated.

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; NATICIDAE; Euspira helicina; Tectonatica prietoi; naticine gastropod; Pliocene; Piacenza area, Italy.

 

Case 3399

Dichochrysa Yang, 1991 (Insecta, Neuroptera): proposed conservation by ruling that Navasius eumorphus Yang & Yang, 1990 is an available name

John Oswald
Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
77843–2475, U.S.A. (e-mail: j-oswald@tamu.edu)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Articles 13, 67.2.1 and 67.8 of the Code, is to conserve the name Dichochrysa Yang, 1991 for a widespread and speciose genus of Old and New World green lacewings. The name Dichochrysa is a replacement name for Navasius Yang & Yang, 1990, which is a junior homonym of Navasius Esben-Petersen, 1936, but Dichochrysa is unavailable from its original publication because it is based on the unavailable specific name Navasius eumorphus Yang & Yang, 1990. It is proposed to conserve the name Dichochrysa by ruling that the name Navasius eumorphus is available from its publication by Yang & Yang (1990).

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Neuroptera; CHRYSOPIDAE; Navasius; Dichochrysa; Pseudomallada; Dichochrysa eumorpha; green lacewings; antlions; Afrotropical; Nearctic; Oriental; Palaearctic.

 

Case 3460

Liburnia Stål, 1866 (Insecta, Hemiptera, DELPHACIDAE): proposed designation of Embolophora monoceros Stål, 1855 as the type species

Charles R. Bartlett
University of Delaware, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, 250 Townsend Hall, 531 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE, 19717, U.S.A.
(e-mail: Bartlett@udel.edu)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Article 69 of the Code, is to fix the type species of the delphacid planthopper genus Liburnia Stål, 1866 as Embolophora monoceros Stål, 1855. Liburnia has had three type species designated, all of which are currently type species of other genera. Fixation of Embolophora monoceros Stål, 1855 as a type species for Liburnia will make Liburnia Stål, 1866 a junior objective synonym of Embolophora Stål, 1853, which is necessary to alleviate past confusion and prevent future reinterpretation of the genus.

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; DELPHACIDAE; Liburnia; Embolophora; Embolophora monoceros; delphacid planthopper; Afrotropical.

 

Case 3458 (see comments BZN 66:3, 66:4)

Balintus D’Abrera, 2001, Gulliveria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Salazaria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Megathecla Robbins, 2002 and Gullicaena Bálint, 2002 (Insecta, Lepidoptera, LYCAENIDAE): proposed establishment of availability

Robert K. Robbins
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013–7012, U.S.A.
(e-mail: RobbinsR@SI.edu)

Gerardo Lamas
Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Apartado 14–0434, Lima-14, Peru
(e-mail: glamasm@unmsm.edu.pe)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Articles 10.1, 13.1 and 81.1 of the Code, is to stabilise the usage of five generic names of Neotropical butterflies by ruling that they are available from their original descriptions. D’Abrera (2001) and D’Abrera & Bálint (2001) proposed eight generic names in the LYCAENIDAE [Leach], [1815] in which they differentiated the type species, not the genus. The availability of some of these names has subsequently been interpreted differently by different authors. One of these generic names, Salazaria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, is widely used on websites. A second, Balintus D’Abrera, 2001, has been treated as a nomenclaturally and taxonomically valid genus. A third, Gulliveria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, is a junior homonym that was replaced with Megathecla Robbins, 2002 and Gullicaena Bálint, 2002. However, differentiating the type species does not satisfy the requirements of Article 13.1 of the Code, so all these names are unavailable. To promote nomenclatural stability, the Commission is requested to rule that the generic names Balintus D’Abrera, 2001, Gullicaena Bálint, 2002, Gulliveria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Megathecla Robbins, 2002 and Salazaria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001 are available and place Balintus D’Abrera, 2001, Salazaria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Megathecla Robbins, 2002 and Gullicaena Bálint, 2002 on the Official List of Generic Names in Zoology, and to place Annamaria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Chopinia D’Abrera, 2001, Gulliveria D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Lucilda D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001, Pedusa D’Abrera, 2001 and Riojana D’Abrera & Bálint, 2001 on the Official Index ofRejected and Invalid Generic Names in Zoology.

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; LYCAENIDAE; Annamaria; Balintus; Chopinia; Eucharia; Gullicaena; Gulliveria; Lamasina; Lucilda; Megathecla; Pedusa; Riojana; Salazaria; hairstreak butterflies; Neotropics.
 

Case 3401

Delognatha Lacordaire, 1859 (Insecta, Coleoptera): proposed conservation

Patrice Bouchard
Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0C6, Canada
(e-mail: bouchardpb@agr.gc.ca)

Ivan Löbl
Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Case Postale 6434, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
(e-mail: ivan.loebl@ville-ge.ch)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Article 23.9.3 of the Code, is to conserve the name Delognatha Lacordaire, 1859 for a tenebrionid genus from the Neotropical Region. This name is a junior homonym of the unused name Delognatha Agassiz, 1846. Delognatha Lacordaire, 1859 has been used as valid since its description, while Delognatha Agassiz, 1846 has not been used as valid after it was established other than by two authors more than 150 years ago. It is proposed to conserve the name Delognatha Lacordaire, 1859 by suppression of the name Delognatha Agassiz, 1846.

Keywords. Nomenclature; Coleoptera; TENEBRIONIDAE; PHRENAPATINAE; PIMELIINAE; Delognatha; Dailognatha; darkling beetles; Neotropical Region; Palaearctic Region.    

Case 3461

ANCYLINI Michener, 1944 (Insecta, Hymenoptera): proposed emendation of spelling to ANCYLAINI, to remove homonymy with ANCYLINI Rafinesque, 1815 (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

Michael S. Engel
Division of Entomology (Paleoentomology), Natural History Museum, and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 1501 Crestline Drive – Suite 140, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66049–2811, U.S.A.
(e-mail: msengel@ku.edu)

John S. Ascher
Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024–5192, U.S.A.
(e-mail: ascher@amnh.org)

Douglas A. Yanega
Department of Entomology, Entomology Research Museum, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314, U.S.A.
(e-mail: dyanega@ucr.edu)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Article 29 of the Code, is to emend the family-group name ANCYLINI Michener, 1944 (Insecta, Hymenoptera), a junior homonym of ANCYLINI Rafinesque, 1815 (Mollusca, Gastropoda), thereby removing the homonymy between the two names. It is proposed that the stem of the generic name Ancyla Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1841, on which the hymenopteran family-group name is based, be emended to give ANCYLAINI, while leaving the molluscan name (based on Ancylus Müller, 1774) unaltered.

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Hymenoptera; Gastropoda; ANCYLINI; ANCYLAINI; Ancyla; Ancylus; Ancyla oraniensis; Ancylus fluviatilis; bees; pond snails; Palaearctic; cosmopolitan.    

Case 3455

Pseudobagrus Bleeker, 1858 (Osteichthyes, Siluriformes, BAGRIDAE): proposed conservation

J. Andrés López
Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, U.S.A.
(e-mail: andresl@ufl.edu)

E Zhang
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei Province, P.R. China
(e-mail: zhange@ihb.ac.cn)

Jian-Li Cheng
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei Province, P.R. China
(e-mail: chengjianli24@ihb.ac.cn)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Articles 23.9 and 81.2 of the Code, is to conserve the generic name Pseudobagrus Bleeker, 1858 for a group of bagrid catfishes (order Siluriformes) by suppressing the senior name Tachysurus La Cepède, 1803. The identity of Tachysurus remained ambiguous until the recent designation of a neotype for Tachysurus sinensis La Cepède, 1803. The designated neotype is a specimen that had until that point been identified as Pseudobagrus fulvidraco (Richardson, 1845). This neotype designation made Tachysurus a senior subjective synonym of Pseudobagrus. The use of the name Tachysurus La Cepède, 1803 in reference to Southeast Asian freshwater bagrid catfishes currently referred to Pseudobagrus would create significant confusion in the literature. It is proposed that the name Tachysurus La Cepède, 1803 be suppressed.

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; BAGRIDAE; Pseudobagrus; Tachysurus; Pseudobagrus aurantiacus; Pseudobagrus fulvidraco; Tachysurus sinensis; catfish; China.    

Case 3446 (see comments BZN 66:1)

Anolis chrysolepis Duméril & Bibron, 1837 (Reptilia, Squamata): proposed precedence over Draconura nitens Wagler, 1830

Charles W. Myers
Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Herpetology), American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, U.S.A.
(e-mail: myers@amnh.org)

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Articles 23.6, 23.12 and 81 of the Code, is to conserve the name Anolis chrysolepis Duméril & Bibron, 1837, for a polytypic species of biogeographic importance. An older, less-used name Anolis nitens (Wagler, 1830), was rejected in a major revision (Vanzolini & Williams, 1970) as a name ‘of uncertain application [and] uncertain geographical provenance’, the first term being equivalent to nomen dubium as defined in the Code. The specific name nitens was published with a 4-line description in the monotypic genus Draconura; the type locality (‘America’) is vague and the holotype is unknown. It is indeed a nomen dubium that cannot unambiguously be assigned to any known lizard, although the possibility that the brief color description might prove diagnostic of a species waiting rediscovery cannot be rejected. Article 23.3.6 of the Code allows authors to use the junior name Anolis chrysolepis as valid. However, although never in prevailing usage historically, Anolis nitens nonetheless remains in competing use because of prior (and arguable) interpretation of Article 23. It is a major source of instability. It is proposed that the name Anolis chrysolepis Duméril & Bibron, 1837, be given precedence over Draconura nitens Wagler, 1830, whenever the two are
considered to be synonyms.

Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Reptilia; Squamata; POLYCHROTIDAE; Anolis; Draconura; Draconura nitens; Anolis chrysolepis; lizards; South America.