Taxacom: nomen nudum and synonymy question

Fri Jan 27 02:07:22 CST 2023

John,

Since Hepialus hecta L. ab ? decorata Krulikowsky was introduced 
(described in one publication, not in the other, it seems) as an 
aberration it is automatically an unavailable name under ICZN Code 
article 45.6.2 and cannot be used as a species-group taxon name.

If a subsequent author treated it as a species/subspecies and included a 
description before 2000 it may have been made available with author/date 
of that subsequent publication even if that author treated Krulikowsky 
as the author of the name. After 2000 the name must expressly be stated 
as new for it to be available.

Adam.

On 27/01/2023 12:35, John Grehan via Taxacom wrote:
> Thanks. I checked Nielsen et al and saw that they cited only the Deutsche
> Entomologische Zeitschrift article which did not include a description of
> the taxon. It was only by pure chance that I saw reference to the  Societas
> Entomologica  article where a description is present.  Would it make any
> difference if the name was first published without the description, even
> though both are in the same year? I'll try to sort that out 'tomorrow'
> (it's just after midnight here).
>
> On Fri, Jan 27, 2023 at 12:19 AM Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
> wrote:
>
>> Yes, that should make it an available name, with priority over any later
>> synonyms
>>
>> Cheers, Stephen
>>
>> On Friday, 27 January 2023 at 05:17:23 pm NZDT, John Grehan <
>> calabar.john at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Thanks Stephen,
>>
>> Following my email, I happened to see another reference to Krulikowsky which
>> gave reference to the 'decorata' name in another article of virtually the
>> same title: "Krulikowsky, L. 1908 Einige neue Variet?ten und Aberrationen
>> der Lepidopteren des ?stlichen Russlands Societas Entomologica 23: 18."
>>
>> In this article he does give a formal (brief) description as follows
>> (original German then my Google translation)
>>
>> 32 Hepialus hecta L. ab ? decorata. Am Saume der Vorderfl?gel steht eine
>> dritte Reihe kleinerer Silberflecken. Auch die Hinterfl?gel sind am Saume
>> unter den Rippen mit l?nglichen Spuren solcher Flecke versehen. Sehr selten.
>>
>> Hepialus hecta L. ab ? decorata. At the edge of the fore wings there is a
>> third row of smaller silver spots. The hind wings also have elongated
>> traces of such spots on the edge under the ribs. Very rare.
>>
>> So is this description (but without reference to a depository) adequate to
>> treat the name as valid (as a subspecies or infrasubspecies name) for the
>> date of publication under the code [yes I could look it up, but sometimes
>> the feedback faster and reliable]? i.e. not a nomen nudum?
>>
>> John Grehan
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2023 at 11:09 PM Stephen Thorpe <
>> stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz> wrote:
>>
>> It depends on the details of the specific case. Often the term "nomen
>> nudum" is used to mean an unavailable name for any reason, so the species
>> may still be recognisable. Also, if the specimens forming the basis of a
>> nomen nudum can be traced and examined, then the species may also be
>> recognisable.
>> Cheers, Stephen
>>
>> On Friday, 27 January 2023 at 04:53:26 pm NZDT, John Grehan via Taxacom <
>> taxacom at lists.ku.edu> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Dear colleagues,
>>
>>    Krulikowsky 1908 (ref below)  listed under the species name Hepialus
>> hectus, a subspecific name as ''ab. [aberration] male decorata Krul. K. 1
>> Ex'
>>
>> Nielsen et al (2000) in their world catalog of Hepialidae, listed decorata
>> under Phymatopus hecta as a junior synonym, but also as a nomen nudum.
>> Would I be correct to understand that if the name 'decorata' is a nomen
>> nudum (having no description or illustration), then it cannot be listed as
>> a synonym since there is no way to know if it were really a form of
>> Phymatopus hecta or even of any other Hepialidae? (and that's assuming the
>> individual were competent at least to recognize whether a moth was a
>> hepialid or not.
>>
>> Feedback, if any, greatly appreciated.
>>
>> John Grehan
>>
>> Krulikowsky, L. 1908 Neues Verzeichnis der Lepidopteren des Gouvernements
>> Kasan (?stl. Russland). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 'Iris' 21:
>> 202-272.
>>
>> --
>> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhepialidsoftheworld.com.au%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7Cbbf5c869ac6c41ff719e08db003d872a%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638104036481669843%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5FpSoTQqZr0T%2BPLyK0t5WiKDnZLAwV4wGVeKM3TbMVM%3D&reserved=0
>> (use the 'visit archived web site'
>> link, then the 'Ghost Moth Research page' link.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Taxacom Mailing List
>>
>> Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to: taxacom at lists.ku.edu
>> For list information; to subscribe or unsubscribe, visit:
>> https://lists.ku.edu/listinfo/taxacom
>> You can reach the person managing the list at: taxacom-owner at lists.ku.edu
>> The Taxacom email archive back to 1992 can be searched at:
>> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftaxacom.markmail.org%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7Cbbf5c869ac6c41ff719e08db003d872a%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638104036481669843%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=TsrLD1%2BuAxg7zAcBD5x7fh1uBK8F9lEPIDr5SS3krUs%3D&reserved=0
>>
>> Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity and admiring alliteration for
>> about 36 years, 1987-2023
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhepialidsoftheworld.com.au%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7Cbbf5c869ac6c41ff719e08db003d872a%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638104036481669843%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5FpSoTQqZr0T%2BPLyK0t5WiKDnZLAwV4wGVeKM3TbMVM%3D&reserved=0 (use the 'visit archived web site'
>> link, then the 'Ghost Moth Research page' link.
>>
>