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Type: Correspondence
Published: 2024-10-21
Page range: 251-257
Abstract views: 90
PDF downloaded: 46

Revision of the nomenclature status and taxonomic implications of two Lepidion species (Gadiformes: Moridae)

Grupo de Estudo do Medio Mariño (GEMM), Edif. Club Naútico bajo, 15960 Ribeira, Spain
Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
Centro Oceanográfico de Santander (COST-IEO), CSIC, Severiano Ballesteros 16, 39004 Santander, Spain
Centro Oceanográfico de Cádiz (COCAD-IEO), CSIC, Puerto Pesquero, Muelle de Levante s/n, 11006 Cádiz, Spain
Departamento de Bioquímica, Xenética e Inmunoloxía, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Vigo, Rúa Fonte das Abelleiras s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain, Centro de Investigación Mariña da Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), 36310 Vigo, Spain
taxonomy synonymy nomenclature biodiversity databases Pisces

Abstract

Lepidion lepidion and Lepidion eques are two nominal species of the genus Lepidion (Moridae) from the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, respectively. Following the publication of the latter species, several authors highlighted the morphological similarities between them, questioning their taxonomic relationship. Despite these reasonable doubts, the two species have long been considered as valid and separate species. Since the 2010s, a series of integrative studies, combining morphological and molecular analyses, have demonstrated that L. eques is a junior synonym of L. lepidion. However, the former has continued to be used inconsistently in biodiversity databases and ichthyological literature. Thus, while the “Catalog of fishes” immediately incorporated this new status, the databases “FishBase” and “WoRMS” did not, maintaining the validity of both species. Consequently, in the scientific literature, only a few authors adhere to the synonymy relationship, naming the Atlantic species as L. lepidion, while most maintain the older nomenclature of L. eques. These two nominal species represent an interesting case study on the application of taxonomic nomenclature and how the different criteria for incorporating new species affect the scientific community.

References

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