The correct authorship and type locality of Melanocorypha leucoptera (Aves: Passeriformes, Alaudidae)

Mlíkovský (2013) proposed replacing the widely-used Melanocorypha leucoptera (Pallas, 1811) with Melanocorypha leucoptera (Hablizl, 1785) as the correct name for the White-winged Lark, with consequent shift in type locality from the Irtyš River-Baraba steppe region in south Siberia to the Crimea. This action breaches Art. 80.9 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999), hereafter "the Code". That article states that "no ruling given by the Commission in relation to a particular work, name, or nomenclatural act is to be set aside without the consent of the Commission". Melanocorypha leucoptera of Pallas (1811), as published in his Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, was conserved explicitly in Opinion 403 of the Commission (ICZN 1956), and no consent to Mlíkovský's findings has been given since

Carolus Linnaeus and the Edible Dormouse

<strong>Abstract</strong> Carolus Linnaeus was totally unacquainted with the Edible Dormouse <em>Myoxus glis</em> (L.), a species not found in Sweden: while describing <em>Mus Rattus</em> in the 10th Edition of the "Systema Naturae" (1758), the Swedish naturalist confessed his ignorance concerning the "<em>Glis</em>" of the ancients and suggested that it might have been the marmot or the hamster. Thanks to written information received from his correspondent in Slovenia, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Linnaeus was able to include the new species <em>Sciurus Glis</em> in his 12th Edition of the "Systema Naturae" (1766), reporting almost <em>verbatim</em> a summary of Scopoli's description of the rodent. Scopoli's letter is still preserved in the Library of the Linnean Society of London. The Linnean type locality "<em>Habitat in Europa australi</em>" for the Edible Dormouse <em>Myoxus glis glis</em> must therefore be restricted to "Southern Carniola, Slovenia", <em>contra</em> "Germany" as stated, for instance, by Miller (1912), Toschi (1965), Corbet (1978) and Storch (1978). A new name is required for the continental European form, for which <em>M. glis germanicus</em> ssp. nov. is here proposed. Some information on the appreciation of <em>Myoxus glis</em> as a delicacy ("<em>carnes avide eduntur</em>" in Linnaeus' words) conclude the paper. <strong>Riassunto</strong> <strong>Carlo Linneo ed il Ghiro</strong> - Dopo aver descritto <em>Mus Rattus</em> nella decima edizione del "Systema Naturae" (1758) il naturalista svedese Carlo Linneo confessava di non essere a conoscenza del "<em>Glis</em>" degli antichi autori e ne suggeriva l'identificazione con la Marmotta o con il Criceto comune; è infatti noto che <em>Myoxus glis</em> non è diffuso in Svezia. In base ad una lettera ricevuta dal suo corrispondente in Slovenia, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Linneo fu in grado di descrivere questa nuova specie come <em>Sciurus Glis</em> nella dodicesima edizione del "Systema Naturae" (1766), riportando quasi parola per parola un sunto della descrizione latina del Ghiro comunicatagli da Scopoli. La lettera di Scopoli si trova ancora oggi nella biblioteca della Linnean Society di Londra. La località tipica per il Ghiro <em>Myoxus glis glis</em> "<em>Habitat in Europa australi</em>" di Linneo deve essere quindi ristretta alla Carniola meridionale, Slovenia; "Germania" indicata da numerosi autori (cfr. Miller, 1912; Toschi, 1965; Corbet, 1978; Storch, 1978) è dunque errata. Per la forma dell'Europa continentale il nome di <em>Myoxus glis germanicus</em> ssp. nov. viene proposto in questa sede. Alcune notizie sulla commestibilità delle carni del Ghiro ("<em>carnes avide eduntur</em>" secondo le parole stesse di Linneo) concludono il lavoro

Extinction of the Andalusian hemipode Turnix s. sylvatica (Desf.) in the Mediterranean region

Volume: 113Start Page: 225End Page: 22

The whereabouts of Salvadori\u27s bird collections

Volume: 51Start Page: 196End Page: 19