Nomenclature of Discoglossus: the status of the nomina Discoglossus hispanicus Lataste, 1879 and Discoglossus algirus Lataste, 1879 (Anura: Discoglossidae)

Abstract

The nomina Discoglossus hispanicus Lataste, 1879 and Discoglossus algirus Lataste, 1879 have been previously treated as nomina oblita by Lanza et al. (1986) and as unavailable nomina by reason of Article 8.3. of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (the Code hereafter) (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999) by Frost (2004). More recently, Lescure (2005) treated them as available and suggested that they are senior subjective synonyms of, and hence the valid nomina for, the taxa currently called Discoglossus galganoi Capula, Nascetti, Lanza, Bullini & Crespo and Discoglossus pictus auritus Héron-Royer (for the systematics of the western Mediterranean painted frogs, see Fromhage et al. 2004; Zangari et al. 2006). As a result, Discoglossus hispanicus appears as the valid nomen of the western Iberian Discoglossus in various documents in the internet, as revealed by a Google search. None of these treatments is correct, however.