Abstract
In his recent self-published book "Reptiles en Chile", Diego Demangel Miranda presented 13 taxonomic changes for liolaemid and tropidurid lizards. While these could be considered validly published according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, we show that these taxonomic propositions lack the necessary scientific rigor in terms of replicability, specimen work, lack of peer review and that they do not follow best practices accepted by the herpetological community. Therefore, we hereby invalidate all 13 taxonomic changes proposed in this book, leaving the taxonomy unaffected. Finally, we call attention to the potentially negative consequences of using these taxonomic changes in conservation and environmental impact studies as incorrect decisions might be taken in relation to the species involved.
Highlights
Field guides are a common source of information for the general public interested in the identification of plants and animals in a region
One general problem is that Demangel Miranda (2016a) did not refer to material examined for the junior or senior synonyms proposed, apart from the holotype of L. lopezi
In contrast to the procedure used to propose the other synonymies in his book, in the case of L. lopezi Demangel Miranda examined the holotype of this species (Museo Regional de Concepción, CHMHNC 1099); he did not review vouchers of L. ornatus
Summary
Without a body of evidence and peer review, taxonomic changes in Liolaemidae and Tropiduridae (Squamata) must be rejected. Penner | Received 17 August 2018 | Accepted 5 December 2018 | Published 7 January 2019 http://zoobank.org/C404C299-10C8-41A9-85C6-31BC36A2009E
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