Back to the future: The proper name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius and not Myodes Pallas

Boris Kryštufek; Alexey S. Tesakov; Vladimir S. Lebedev; Anna A. Bannikova; Nataliya I. Abramson; Georgy Shenbrot

doi:10.1515/mammalia-2019-0067

Back to the future: The proper name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius and not Myodes Pallas

Boris Kryštufek, Alexey S. Tesakov, Vladimir S. Lebedev, Anna A. Bannikova, Nataliya I. Abramson, Georgy Shenbrot

The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

Two names (Clethrionomys and Myodes) are used interchangeably for red-backed voles, which is contrary to one of the fundamental principles of zoological nomenclature, that each taxon has a single and unique valid name. Fixation of Mus lemmus Linnaeus, 1758, as the type of Myodes Pallas, 1811, meets the requirements stipulated in the Article 69.1.1 of the 4th edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and is therefore valid. Hence, the genus group name Myodes is a junior synonym of Lemmus Link, 1795, and is not available for red-backed voles. The oldest valid name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius, 1850, with the type species (Mus rutilus Pallas, 1779) subsequently designated by Palmer (1928).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	214-217
Number of pages	4
Journal	Mammalia
Volume	84
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2019-0067
State	Published - 1 Mar 2020

Keywords

type concept
type fixation
zoological nomenclature

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Animal Science and Zoology

Access to Document

10.1515/mammalia-2019-0067

Cite this

@article{0986e685ef4e4a0f9b39935b123c4ba4,

title = "Back to the future: The proper name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius and not Myodes Pallas",

abstract = "Two names (Clethrionomys and Myodes) are used interchangeably for red-backed voles, which is contrary to one of the fundamental principles of zoological nomenclature, that each taxon has a single and unique valid name. Fixation of Mus lemmus Linnaeus, 1758, as the type of Myodes Pallas, 1811, meets the requirements stipulated in the Article 69.1.1 of the 4th edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and is therefore valid. Hence, the genus group name Myodes is a junior synonym of Lemmus Link, 1795, and is not available for red-backed voles. The oldest valid name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius, 1850, with the type species (Mus rutilus Pallas, 1779) subsequently designated by Palmer (1928).",

keywords = "type concept, type fixation, zoological nomenclature",

author = "Boris Kry{\v s}tufek and Tesakov, {Alexey S.} and Lebedev, {Vladimir S.} and Bannikova, {Anna A.} and Abramson, {Nataliya I.} and Georgy Shenbrot",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.",

year = "2020",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1515/mammalia-2019-0067",

language = "English",

volume = "84",

pages = "214--217",

journal = "Mammalia",

issn = "0025-1461",

publisher = "Walter de Gruyter GmbH",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Back to the future

T2 - The proper name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius and not Myodes Pallas

AU - Kryštufek, Boris

AU - Tesakov, Alexey S.

AU - Lebedev, Vladimir S.

AU - Bannikova, Anna A.

AU - Abramson, Nataliya I.

AU - Shenbrot, Georgy

PY - 2020/3/1

Y1 - 2020/3/1

N2 - Two names (Clethrionomys and Myodes) are used interchangeably for red-backed voles, which is contrary to one of the fundamental principles of zoological nomenclature, that each taxon has a single and unique valid name. Fixation of Mus lemmus Linnaeus, 1758, as the type of Myodes Pallas, 1811, meets the requirements stipulated in the Article 69.1.1 of the 4th edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and is therefore valid. Hence, the genus group name Myodes is a junior synonym of Lemmus Link, 1795, and is not available for red-backed voles. The oldest valid name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius, 1850, with the type species (Mus rutilus Pallas, 1779) subsequently designated by Palmer (1928).

AB - Two names (Clethrionomys and Myodes) are used interchangeably for red-backed voles, which is contrary to one of the fundamental principles of zoological nomenclature, that each taxon has a single and unique valid name. Fixation of Mus lemmus Linnaeus, 1758, as the type of Myodes Pallas, 1811, meets the requirements stipulated in the Article 69.1.1 of the 4th edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and is therefore valid. Hence, the genus group name Myodes is a junior synonym of Lemmus Link, 1795, and is not available for red-backed voles. The oldest valid name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius, 1850, with the type species (Mus rutilus Pallas, 1779) subsequently designated by Palmer (1928).

KW - type concept

KW - type fixation

KW - zoological nomenclature

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85070570368&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0067

DO - 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0067

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85070570368

SN - 0025-1461

VL - 84

SP - 214

EP - 217

JO - Mammalia

JF - Mammalia

IS - 2

ER -

Back to the future: The proper name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius and not Myodes Pallas

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this