Case 3563PachylemurLamberton, 1948 (Primates, lemuridae): proposed conservation of the generic name

Abstract

The purpose of this application, under Articles 23.9.3, 81.1 and 81.2.3 of the Code, is to conserve the name Pachylemur Lamberton, 1948 (Primates, lemuridae), a genus of subfossil Malagasy lemurs, by suppressing the senior subjective synonym Palaeochirogalus Grandidier, 1899 and by designating a type species for the genus Pachylemur Lamberton. Palaeochirogalus Grandidier has never seen any substantial usage whereas Pachylemur Lamberton, 1948 is in universal use; however, Pachylemur Lamberton, 1948 is unavailable because no type species was designated in the original publication. Filhol (1874) previously used the name Pachylemur for a ‘groupe’ of Paleogene primates; we conclude that this name, under either Filhol's or Palmer's (1904) authorship and, in either case, ambiguous as regards availability should be formally suppressed at the genus-group level to prevent confusion.