Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 34 No. 1: 17 Nov. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-11-17
DOI: 10.11646/bionomina.34.1.3
Page range: 35-44
Abstract views: 304
PDF downloaded: 2

Chironius scurrula, the correct nomen for Chironius scurrulus (Squamata, Serpentes, Colubridae), with a list of the correct spellings of specific epithets currently in use in this genus

Reserva Natural Guadualito; Montenegro; Quindío; Colombia
Institut de Systématique; Évolution; Biodiversité (ISYEB); Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle; CNRS; Sorbonne Université; EPHE; Université des Antilles; Paris; France
Specific epithets generic substantives adjectives participles gender agreement invariable spellings Natrix scurrula case

Abstract

The correct epithet of the snake species so far known as Chironius scurrulus Wagler in Spix, 1824 is shown to be scurrula, as it is not an adjective but a noun in apposition to the generic substantive, therefore invariable. This case prompted us to review the grammatical status of the epithets of the 23 species currently considered valid in the genus Chironius Fitzinger, 1826. Only about 56.5 % of these epithets turned out to be adjectives agreeing in gender with the generic nomina with which they are combined. Although this proportion will be very variable from one zoological genus to another, it is likely that in genera with a high number of species (10‒20 or more), some epithets will not agree in gender with the genus nomina. In order to avoid subsequent corrections in the spellings of epithets (and therefore ‘nomenclatural instability’), taxonomists are therefore encouraged to pay attention to this question. As a consequence of this survey, we also provide new information on a few miscellaneous questions: the author of the type species designation for Chironius; the author, date, type specimen and type locality of the nominal taxon Chironius flavolineatus; and the etymology and status of the epithets of the bionomina Chironius foveatus and Chironius leucometapus.

References

  1. Anonymous [International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature] (1999) International code of zoological nomenclature. ‘Fourth edition’. London (International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature): i–xxix + 1–306.
  2. Anomymous [The Global Biodiversity Information Facility] (2023) GBIF Home Page. <https://www.gbif.org>. [Accessed 10 August 2023].
  3. Amaral, A. do (1930) Estudos sobre ophidios neotropicos. XVIII. Lista remissiva dos ophidios da região neotropica. Memorias do Instituto Butantan, ‘1929’, 4: i‒viii + 129–271.
  4. Bailey, J. R. (1955) The snakes of the genus Chironius in southeastern South America. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 571: 1‒21.
  5. Beolens, B., Watkins, M. & Grayson, M. (2011) The eponym dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore (Johns Hopkins University Press): 1–297. <https://doi.org/10.1353/book.1869>.
  6. Boettger, O. (1885) Liste von Reptilien und Batrachiern aus Paraguay. Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaften, 58 (3): 213–248.
  7. Boie, F. (1827) Bemerkungen über Merrem’s Versuch eines Systems der Amphibien. Marburg, 1820. 1te Lieferung: Ophidier. Isis von Oken, 20 (6): 508–566.
  8. Boulenger, G. A. (1891) On reptiles, batrachians, and fishes from the lesser West Indies. Proceedings of the zoological Society of London, 1891: 351–357. <https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1891.tb01759.x>.
  9. Boulenger, G. A. (1894) Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume 2. Colubridae Agliphae. London (British Museum): 1–382, 20 pl. <https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/45680#page/7/mode/1up>.
  10. Cunha, O. R. & Nascimento, F. P. (1982) Ofídios da Amazônia. XV. As espécies de Chironius da Amazônia oriental (Pará, Amapá, Maranhão) (Ophidia: Colubridae). Memorias do Instituto Butantan, 46: 139–172. <https://bibliotecadigital.butantan.gov.br/edicao/memorias-do-instituto-butantan-vol-46-1982/139>.
  11. Dixon, J. R. & Soini, P. (1977) The reptiles of the Upper Amazon Basin, Iquitos region, Peru. Crocodilians, turtles and snakes. Contributions in Biology and Geology, Milwaukee Public Museum, 2: 1–91. <https://www.mpm.edu/sites/default/files/files%20and%20dox/C%26R/library/bio-geo/%23012%20MPM%20-Contributions%20to%20Biology%20and%20Geology%20Number%2012.pdf>.
  12. Dixon, J. R., Wiest, J. A., Jr. & Cei, J. M. (1993) Revision of the neotropical snake genus Chironius Fitzinger (Serpentes, Colubridae). Monografie, Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino, 13: 1‒279, pl.
  13. Donoso-Barros, R. (1969) Contribución al conocimiento del género Chironius (Serpentes, Colubridae). Boletín de la Sociedad de Biología de Concepción, 41: 189–197.
  14. Dubois, A. (2018) The correct spelling of the nomen Nyctimystes cheesmani Tyler, 1964 (Amphibia, Anura), with some comments on Latin grammar and the Rules of the Code. Alytes, 35 (1‒4): 75‒84.
  15. Duellman, W. E. & Salas, A. W. (1991) Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Cuzco Amazonico, Peru. Occasional Papers, Museum of natural History, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 143: 1–13. <https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/31706>.
  16. Entiauspe-Neto, O. M. & Loebmann, D. (2019) Taxonomic status of Chironius laurenti Dixon, Wiest & Cei, 1993 and of the long-forgotten Chironius dixoni Wiest, 1978 (Squamata, Serpentes). Bionomina, 16: 83–87. <https://doi.org/10.11646/bionomina.16.1.4>.
  17. Entiauspe-Neto, O. M., Lúcio Lyra, M., Koch, C., Marques Quintela, F., Diesel Abegg, A. & Loebmann, D. (2020) Taxonomic revision of Chironius bicarinatus (Wied 1820) (Serpentes: Colubridae), with description of a new species. Herpetological Monographs, 34 (1): 98–115. <https://doi.org/10.1655/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-19-00013.1>.
  18. Fernandes, D. S. & Hamdan, B. (2014) A new species of Chironius Fitzinger, 1826 from the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil (Serpentes: Colubridae). Zootaxa, 3881 (6): 563–575. <https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3881.6.5>.
  19. Fitzinger, L. I. (1826) Neue Classification der Reptilien. Wien (Heubner): i–viii + 1–66, 1 tab.
  20. Fraga, R. de, Lima, A. P., Prudente, A. L. C. & Magnusson, W. E. (2013) Guia de cobras da região de Manaus, Amazônia central. Manaos (INPA): 1–303.
  21. Hallowell, E. (1845) Descriptions of reptiles from South America, supposed to be new. Proceedings of the Academy of natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 2: 241–247.
  22. Hamdan, B. & Fernandes, D. S. (2015) Taxonomic revision of Chironius flavolineatus (Jan, 1863) with description of a new species (Serpentes: Colubridae). Zootaxa, 4012 (1): 97‒119. <https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4012.1.5>.
  23. Hoge, A. R. & Nina, A. C. M. (1964) Serpentes coletadas pelo Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia. Memorias do Instituto Butantan, ‘1960‒1962’, 30: 71–96. <https://bibliotecadigital.butantan.gov.br/edicao/memorias-do-instituto-butantan-1960-1961-1962-tomo-xxx/72>.
  24. Hoge, A. R., Romano, S. A. R. W. L. & Cordeiro, C. L. (1978) Contribuicão ao conhecimento das serpentes do Maranhao, Brasil. [Serpentes, Boidae, Colubridae e Viperidae]. Memorias do Instituto Butantan, ‘1976‒1977’, 40‒41: 37–52.
  25. Hollis, J. L. (2006) Phylogenetics of the genus Chironius Fitzinger 1826 (Serpenes, Colubridae) based on morphology. Herpetologica, 62 (4): 435–452. <https://doi.org/10.1655/0018-0831(2006)62[435:POTGCF]2.0.CO;2>.
  26. Jan, G. (1863) Elenco sistematico degli ofidi descritti e disegnati per l’Iconografia generale. Milano (A. Lombardi): i‒viii + 9‒143. <https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.106683>.
  27. Jan, [G.] & Sordelli, F. (1869) Iconographie des Ophidiens. Trente-et-unième livraison. Paris (Baillière): pl. 1‒6.
  28. Kok, P. J. R. (2010) A new species of Chironius Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae) from the Pantepui region, northeastern South America. Zootaxa, 2611: 31–44. <https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2611.1.3>.
  29. Ksas, R. (2015) L’étymologie des noms latins des serpents. Saint Thibault des Vignes (Venom World): 1–290.
  30. Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Tomus 1. Holmiae (Laurentii Salvii): [i–iv] + 1–824. <https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.542>.
  31. Marques, O. A. V. & Sazima, I. (2003) Ontogenetic color changes may strengthen suggestion about systematic affinities between two species of Chironius (Serpentes, Colubridae). Phyllomedusa, 2 (1): 65–68. <https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v2i1p65-67>.
  32. Nogueira, C. C., Argôlo, A. J. S., Arzamendia, V., Azevedo, J. A., Barbo, F. E., Bérnils, R. S., Bolochio, B. E., Borges-Martins, M., Brasil-Godinho, M., Braz, H., Buononato, M. A., Cisneros-Heredia, D. F., Colli, G. R., Costa, H. C., Franco, F. L., Giraudo, A., Gonzalez, R. C., Guedes, T., Hoogmoed, M. S., Marques, O. A. V., Montingelli, G. G., Passos, P., Prudente, A. L. C., Rivas, G. A., Sanchez, P. M., Serrano, F. C., Silva, N. J., Strüssmann, C., Vieira-Alencar, J. P. S., Zaher, H., Sawaya, R. J. & Martins, M. (2019) Atlas of Brazilian snakes: verified point-locality maps to mitigate the Wallacean shortfall in a megadiverse snake fauna. South American Journal of Herpetology, 14 (1): 1–274. <https://doi.org/10.2994/SAJH-D-19-00120.1>.
  33. Pallas, P. S. (1773) Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs. Vol. 2. St. Petersburg (Kayserlichen Academie der Wissenschaften): 1‒744, 41 pl.
  34. Pérez-Santos, C. & Moreno, A. G. (1988) Ofidios de Colombia. Monografie, Museo regionale di Scienze naturali, Torino, 6: 1–517.
  35. Peters, J. A. (1960) The snakes of Ecuador; check list and key. Bulletin of the Museum of comparative Zoology, 122 (9): 489–541.
  36. Peters, J. A. & Orejas-Miranda, B. R. (1970) Catalogue of the Neotropical Squamata. Part I. Snakes. Bulletin of the United States national Museum, 297: 1–347. <https://doi.org/10.5479/si.03629236.297.1>.
  37. Peters, W. C. H. (1869) Über eine neue Nagergattung, Chiropodomys penicullatus, sowie über einige neue oder weniger bekannte Amphibien und Fische. Monatsberichte der königlich Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1868 (7): 448–461.
  38. Ritter, C. (1823) Vorläusiger Bericht einer naturhistorischen Reise nach St. Domingo (Hayti). Archiv für Geschichte, Statistik, Literatur und Kunst, Wien, 14 (84–85): 437–441.
  39. Roze, J. A. (1952) Colección de reptiles del Profesor Scorza, de Venezuela. Acta biologica venezuelica, 1 (5): 93–114.
  40. Ruthven, A. G. (1922) The amphibians and reptiles of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Miscellaneous Publications, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 8: [i‒iii] + 1‒69, pl. 1‒12, 1 map.
  41. Schlegel, [H.] (1826) Notice sur l’erpétologie de l’île de Java; par M. Boïé. (Ouvrage manuscrit). Bulletin des Sciences naturelles et de Géologie, 9 (2): 233–240
  42. Schmidt, K. P. & Walker, W. F., Jr. (1943) Peruvian snakes from the University of Arequipa. Zoological Series of Field Museum of Zoology, 24 (26): 279–296.
  43. Schwartz, A. & Thomas, R. (1975) A check-list of West Indian amphibians and reptiles. Carnegie Museum of natural History special Publication, 1: 1‒216. <https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.123681>.
  44. Spix, J. de (1824) Serpentum Brasiliensium species novae, ou histoire naturelle des espèces nouvelles de serpens recueillies et observées pendant le voyage dans l’interieur du Brésil dans les annees 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, exécuté par ordre de sa Majesté le Roi de Bavière, écrite d’après les notes du voyageur par Jean Wagler. Monachii (Typis Franc. Seraph. Hübschmanni): i‒viii + 1–75 + [i], pl. 1‒26 + 2a + 2b <https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.4269>.
  45. Uetz, P., Freed, P.,Aguilar, R., Reyes, F. & Hošek, J. (ed.) (2023) The Reptile Database. <http://www.reptile-database.org>. [Accessed 10 August 2023].
  46. Wallach, V., Williams, K. L. & Boundy, J. (2014) Snakes of the world. A catalogue of living and extinct species. Boca Raton, London & New York (CRC Press): 1–1227. <https://doi.org/10.1201/b16901>.
  47. Wettstein, O. (1934) Ergebnisse der österreichischen biologischen Costa Rica Expedition 1930. Die Amphibien und Reptilien. Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, 143 (1–2): 1–39.
  48. Wied-Neuwied, M. Prinz zu (1820) Reise nach Brasilien in den Jahren 1815 bis 1817. Erster Band. Frankfurt-am-Main (Heinrich Ludwig Brönner): [i‒ii] + 1‒380, 11 pl. <https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.85967>.
  49. Wied-Neuwied, A. P. M. zu. (1824) Verzeichniss der Amphibien, welche im zweyten Bande der Naturgeschichte Brasiliens vom Prinz Max von Neuwied werden beschrieben werden. (Nach Merrem’s Versuch eines Systems der Amphibien). Isis von Oken, 14 (6): 661–674.
  50. Wiest, J. A., Jr. (1978) Revision of the Neotropical snake genus Chironius Fitzinger (Serpentes, Colubridae). Ph.D. dissertation, Texas A&M University: i–xv + 1–370.