Abstract
Dickinson et al. (2009) argued that the in-use name brachypterus Gould, 1841 for the western Australian subspecies of the Tawny Frogmouth (Aves: Podargus strigoides) must be replaced by macrorhynchus Gould, 1841. The latter was an alternative but unused name published for the frogmouth in the same paper (Gould 1841). In justifying their action, Dickinson et al. (2009) pointed out that brachypterus had been “erased” in a corrigendum to the paper. Then, resting their case on Art. 32.5.1.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999), hereafter the Code, they went on to assume that such a correction was “clear evidence” that brachypterus was “an inadvertent error” in spelling. Therefore, they concluded, macrorhynchus was the “correct original spelling”.
References
Condon, H.T. (1975) Checklist of the birds of Australia. Pt. 1. Non-passerines. Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, Melbourne, i–xx + 1–311.
Dubois, A. (2006) Proposed Rules for the incorporation of nomina of higher-ranked zoological taxa in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. 2. The proposed Rules and their rationale. Zoosystema, 28, 165–268.
Dickinson, E.C. (Ed.) (2003) The Howard & Moore complete checklist of the birds of the world. 3rd Edition. Christopher Helm, London, 1–1039.
Dickinson, E.C., David, N. & Gregory, S.M.S. (2009) Correspondence. A potentially contentious case of correction under Article 32.5.1.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Zootaxa, 2217, 67–68.
Gould, J. (1841) Mr. Gould resumed the exhibition of his new species of Australian birds. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, “1840”, [vol. 8], 159-165.
Gould, J. (1848) An introduction to the birds of Australia. J. Gould, London, i–viii + 1–134.
Gould, J. (1865) Handbook of the birds of Australia. Vol. 1. J. Gould, London, i–viii + 1–636.
Higgins, P.J. (Ed.) (1999) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Vol. 4, Parrots to Dollarbird. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1–1248.
Holyoak, D.T. (1999) Family Podargidae (frogmouths). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. (Eds), Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 5. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, 266–287.
ICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature) (1999) International code of zoological nomenclature. 4th Edition. International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, London, i–xxix + 1–306.
Mathews, G.M. (1912) A reference-list to the birds of Australia. Novitates Zoologicae, 18, 171–446.
Mathews, G.M. (1927) Systema Avium Australasianarum. A systematic list of the birds of the Australasian region. Pt. 1. British Ornithologists’ Union, London, i–iv + 1–426.
Mathews, G.M. (1946) A working list of Australian birds including the Australian quadrant and New Zealand. G.M. Mathews, Sydney, 1–184.
Peters, J.L. (1940) Check-list of birds of the world. Vol. 4. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., i–xii + 1–291.
Schodde, R. (1997) Podargidae. In: Houston, W.W.K. & Wells, A. (Eds), Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 37, Pt. 2, Aves (Columbidae to Coraciidae). CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, 299–312.
Schodde, R. & Mason, I.J. (1999) The directory of Australian birds Passerines. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, i–ix + 1–851.
Sclater, P.L. (1893) List of the dates of delivery of the sheets of the “Proceedings” of the Zoological Society of London, from the commencement in 1830 to 1859 inclusive. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1893, 435–440.
Wolters, H.E. (1976) Die Vogelarten der Erde. Eine systematische Liste mit Verbreitungsangaben sowie deutschen und englischen Namen. Lief 2. Paul Parey, Hamburg und Berlin, 81–160.