Schizophrys, White, 1848

Lee, Bee Yan, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Ng, Peter K. L., 2018, A nomenclatural review of the genus Schizophrys White, 1848 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea: Majidae), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 66, pp. 12-22 : 12-14

Nomenclature of Schizophrys and Mithrax asper : authorship, date of publication, and type species designation

The date of publication of Schizophrys was given as “1847” by Ng et al. (2008: 118). The name Schizophrys was first used in White (1847: 9) but as a nomen nudum, and the two included species-group names were also nomina nuda. The first publication to make the genus-group name Schizophrys available was actually White (1848: 222) (see Clark & Presswell, 2001: 161). The authorship and date of publication for the widespread species Mithrax asper is commonly cited as H. Milne Edwards (1834a: 320) (see Davie, 2002: 311; Ng et al., 2008: 118). The name is, however, available from H. Milne Edwards (1831: [10]). Mithrax asper H. Milne Edwards, 1831 , was first transferred to Schizophrys White, 1848 , by Miers (1879: 660), who also designated it as the type species of the genus. While this has been followed by all subsequent workers, his action is invalid. Mithrax asper H. Milne Edwards, 1831 , cannot be the type species of the genus as the species was not originally included within the genus (Article 67.2 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, hereafter the Code, ICZN 1999: 66, 67). Only two species were originally included in Schizophrys by White (1848: 222): Schizophrys serratus White, 1848 (from “Isle of France ” = Mauritius), and Schizophrys spiniger White, 1848 (from the Philippine Islands). Schizophrys serratus White, 1848 , is herein selected as the type species of the genus as it conforms to the current taxonomic concept of the genus (cf. Griffin & Tranter, 1986: 243–245). Although the status of the type specimen of Schizophrys serratus White, 1848 , is unknown and the figure provided (White, 1848: 223, unnumbered fig., reproduced as Fig. 1A ) is a small-sized specimen (probably a juvenile), the figure shows enough characters to leave no doubt about its generic affinities. The second species included by White (1848) in Schizophrys , S. spiniger White, 1848 , is currently considered to be a synonym of Cyclax spinicinctus Heller, 1861 (see Griffin & Tranter, 1986: 244, 246; Ng et al., 2008: 116). Forest & Guinot (1961: 16, 17) considered Schizophrys spiniger to be a valid species of Cyclax Dana, 1851 , but regardless of the validity of the species, it is not currently regarded as congeneric with S. serratus White, 1848 .

1 Systematics and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Block S3 Level 2, 4 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore

2 Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119227, Republic of Singapore; Email: [e-mail] (* corresponding author)

3 Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, 2 Conservatory Drive, 117377, Republic of Singapore

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Alphonse Milne-Edwards (1872: 234) stated that S. serratus is only a more spiny variant of S. aspera , and as such, it has generally been considered by subsequent authors to be a junior subjective synonym of S. aspera (e.g., Ward, 1942: 74; Griffin & Tranter, 1986: 244; Ng & Davie, 2002: 371; Ng et al., 2008: 118). We follow this classification pending a taxonomic revision of the genus.

All species-group names described in or subsequently transferred to the genus Schizophrys White, 1848 , as well as their current identities, are listed in Table 1 .

Figures

Fig. 1. Species of Schizophrys White, 1848. A, Schizophrys serratus White, 1848 syntype (from White, 1848: 223, unnumbered fig.), “Isle of France” (= Mauritius); B, Mithrax asper H. Milne Edwards, 1831, lectotype (herein designated), female (carapace width × carapace length: 25.1 × 29.3 mm) (MNHN-IU-B463), no locality (photographed by N.K. Ng).