<p><strong>An often overlooked Rule of the <em>Code</em>, and its bearing on the authorship and date of the nomen Proteidae (Amphibia, Urodela)</strong></p>

Abstract

Article 11.7.1.1 of the Code states that, to be available, a new zoological family-series (‘family-group’) nomen must be based, not only on an available generic nomen, but also on one used as valid in the newly erected family-series taxon. This Rule is ignored by many practising taxonomists, which may have deleterious consequences in zoological nomenclature. This is stressed here by the analysis of five cases where it applies in the group of recent amphibians, for the nomina or spellings Calamitae, Systomata, Pelodryadidae, Dicroglossini, and particularly that of the salamander family Proteidae: it is shown that the nomen that has been considered as valid for this family for almost two centuries is not nomenclaturally available and should be replaced by a much more obscure one. Fortunately, Article 23.9 on reversal of precedence allows to validate this nomen, but credited to a subsequent author and date. It is suggested that a similar survey and analysis of the family-series nomenclature of other zoological groups might disclose similar nomenclatural problems that have been overlooked until now.