ZooKeys 1194: On the Nomenclatural Status of Type Genera in Coleoptera (Insecta)

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More than 4700 nominal family-group names (including names for fossils and ichnotaxa) are nomenclaturally available in the order Coleoptera. Since each family-group name is based on the concept of its type genus, the authors argue that the stability of names used for the classification of beetles depends on accurate nomenclatural data for each type genus. Following a review of taxonomic literature, with a focus on works that potentially contain type species designations, they provide a synthesis of nomenclatural data associated with the type genus of each nomenclaturally available family-group name in Coleoptera. For each type genus the author(s), year of publication, and page number are given as well as its current status (i.e., whether treated as valid or not) and current classification.

Information about the type species of each type genus and the type species fixation (i.e., fixed originally or subsequently, and if subsequently, by whom) is also given. The original spelling of the family-group name that is based on each type genus is included, with its author(s), year, and stem. The authors append a list of nomenclaturally available family-group names presented in a classification scheme. Because of the importance of the Principle of Priority in zoological nomenclature, they provide information on the date of publication of the references cited in this work, when known. Several nomenclatural issues emerged during the course of this work. They therefore appeal to the community of coleopterists to submit applications to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature in order to permanently resolve some of the problems outlined here.

The work implements changes of authorship for a number of type genera and changes of type species following the discovery of older type species fixations (these changes do not pose a threat to nomenclatural stability). It also discovered a number of type species fixations that are older than those currently accepted, which pose a threat to nomenclatural stability (an application to the Commission is necessary to address each problem). Furthermore, it fixes type species for a number of nominal genera and proposes some new replacement names, new statuses, and new synonyms. Details regarding additional nomenclatural issues that still need to be resolved are included in the entry for various type genera. It also decides on correct original spellings for a number of groups. Finally, while the correct identification of the type species is assumed, in some cases evidence suggests that species were misidentified when they were fixed as the type of a particular nominal genus. Following the requirements of Article 70.3.2 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature they hereby fix the type species for several problematic cases.

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