Abstract
The maned three-toed sloth, Bradypus torquatus (Mammalia, Pilosa, Bradypodidae), is an endemic species inhabiting the Mata Atlântica in southeastern Brazil (Hayssen 2009) and according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature is classified as vulnerable (Chiarello & Moares-Barros 2011). This species was described in the classic early account of mammalian classification (Illiger 1811) by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger (1775–1813), who mainly is well known rather for his entomological contributions (Heß 1881). However, this was not accepted by all subsequent authors, because it was claimed that the putative description of B. torquatus by Illiger represents a nomen nudum (see discussions in Gardner 2005, 2007). The first one who questioned the validity of this nomenclatural act was Thomas (1917: 352), who in turn rather attributed it to Desmarest (1816) (ex errore as “1817”). The main reason for this conception was that the original publication of this nomen by Illiger apparently was not accompanied by a diagnosis (Figure 1A), which according to Article 12.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (“the Code”, Anonymous 1999) is one of the obligatory criteria for the availability of scientific names. Gardner (2007: 160) on the contrary argued that the “N.” following the potential description of “Br.[adypus] torquatus” in Illiger (1811: p. 109, compare Figure 1A) probably refers to the note (“Nota”) at the end of the same page containing the actual description rather than to something like “novum”. The note, which also extends on page 110, indeed contains a brief diagnosis for this species (Figure 1B), validating it certainly as the formal description.
