Further comment on the nomenclature of the freshwater stingray Elipesurus spinicauda Schomburgk, 1843 (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)

Rosa, Ricardo S.

doi:10.1590/S0101-81751985000100003

Abstract

The monotypic genus Elipesurus of neotropical freshwater stingrays, and its type species E. spinicauda, are known from a single specimen which lacked a developed tail and caudal sting. No type or similar specimens exist. The original description and illustration are inaccurate, without diagnostic measurements or characters, excepting those mentioned above. Therefore, a precise identification of E. spinicauda remains impòssible, and both names are considered doubtful. Since all other potamotrygonid stingrays have more or less developed tails and stings, the Elipesurus condition is regarded as a mutilation.

Further comment on the nomenclature of the freshwater stingray Elipesurus spinicauda Schomburgk, 1843 (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)

Ricardo S. Rosa

Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, CCEN, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, 58000 João Pessoa, PB

ABSTRACT

The monotypic genus Elipesurus of neotropical freshwater stingrays, and its type species E. spinicauda, are known from a single specimen which lacked a developed tail and caudal sting. No type or similar specimens exist. The original description and illustration are inaccurate, without diagnostic measurements or characters, excepting those mentioned above. Therefore, a precise identification of E. spinicauda remains impòssible, and both names are considered doubtful. Since all other potamotrygonid stingrays have more or less developed tails and stings, the Elipesurus condition is regarded as a mutilation.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank W. L. Fink (formerly at Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, MCZ) and K. Hartel (MCZ) for loaning the syntypes of D. thayeri; Dr. H.-J. Paepke (Zoologisches Museum der Humboldt Universität, Berlin) and H. P. Castello (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia) for sending photographs and a radiograph of the type of T. strogylopterus.

I also thank Drs. R. M. Bailey (University of Michigan Museum of Zoology), R. V. Melville, Secretary of the International Comission on Zoological Nomenclature (British Museum, Natural History), T. B. Thorson (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), S. H. Weitzman (U. S. National Museum of Natural History), John D. McEachran (Texas A & M University), J. A. Musick (Virginia Institute of Marine Science, VIMS), and K. J. Sulak (VIMS) for their comments on the manuscript. This study was supported by a grant from CAPES, Ministério da Educação e Cultura do Brasil.

Castex, M. N., 1969. Comments on the objetions forwarded by R. M. Bailey to the proposed suppression of Elipesurus spinicauda Schomburgk (Pisces) Z. N. (S.) 1825. Ibidem 26 (2):68-69.

Bailey, R. M., 1969. Comment on the proposed suppression of Elipesurus spinicauda Schomburgk (Pisces) Z. N. (S.) 1825. Bull. zool. Nomencl. 25 (4-5):133-134.
Böhlke, J. E., S. H. Weitzman & N. A. Menezes, 1978. Estado atual da sistemática dos peixes de água doce da América do Sul. Acta amaz. 8 (4):657-677.
Castelnau, F. L., 1855. Animaux nouveaux ou rares recueillis pendant l'expédition dans les parties centrales de l'Amérique du Sud, de Rio de Janeiro à Lima, et de Lima au Para. P. Bertrand, Paris 2:112 pp., 50 pls.
Castex, M. N., 1964. Estado actual de los estudios sobre la raya fluvial neotropical. Rev. Mus. Prov. cienc. nat. F. Ameghino, no. cincuentenario: 9-49.
Castex, M. N., 1966. Observaciones en torno al genero Elipesurus Schomburgk 1843 y nueva sinonimia de Potamotrygon brachyurus (Günther, 1880) (Chondrichthyes, Potamotrygonidae). Physis 26 (71):33-38.
Castex, M. N., 1968. Elipesurus Schomburgk 1843 (Pisces): proposed suppression under the plenary powers. Z. N. (S) 1825. Bull. zool. Nomencl. 24 (6):353-355.
Castex, M. N. & H. P. Castello, 1969. Nuevas sinonimias para el genero monotipico Disceus Garman 1877 (Potamotrygonidae) y observaciones sistemáticas a la familia Paratrygonidae Fowler 1948 (dubit.). Acta Scient. latinoam. Fisiol. Reprod. (7):1-43.
Devicenzi, G. J. & G. W. Teague, 1942. Ictiofauna del Uruguay medio. An. Mus. hist. nat. Montevideo, ser. 2, 5 (4):1-103.
Duméril, A., 1865. Histoire naturelle des poissons ou Ichthyologie générale. Élasmobranches plagiostomes et holocéphales ou chimères. Paris.
Eigenmann, C. H., 1912. The freshwater fishes of British Guiana, including a study of the ecological grouping of species and the relation of the fauna of the plateau to that of the lowlands. Mem. Carnegie Mus. 5 (1):1-578.
Eigenmann, C. H. & R. S. Eigenmann, 1891. A catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of South America. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 14:1-81.
Fowler, H. W., 1948. Peixes de água doce do Brasil. Arqos Zool. Est. S Paulo 6:1-204.
Fowler, H. W., 1970. A catalog of world fishes (XII). Quart. J. Taiwan Mus. 23 (1-2):39-126.
Garman, S. W., 1877. On the pelvis and external sexual organs of selachians, with special reference to the new genera Potamotrygon and Disceus. Proc. Bost. Soc. nat. hist. 19:197-215.
Garman, S. W., 1913. The Plagiostomia (sharks, skates and rays). Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. 36:1-515, 75 pls.
Günther, A., 1870. Catalogue of fishes in the British Museum. London, 8:xxv + 549 pp.
Günther, A., 1880. A contribution to the knowledge of the fish-fauna of the Rio de la Plata. Ann. Mag. nat. hist. 5 (6):7-15.
d'Orbigny, A., 1834. Voyage dans l'Amérique Méridionale. Trygon histrix, plate 13 (folio). Paris.
Ribeiro, A. de M., 1907. Fauna brasiliense. Peixes II (Desmobranchios). Archos. Mus. nac. Rio de Janeiro 14:129-217.
Schomburgk, R. H., 1843. Fishes of British Guiana, Part II. In: W. Jardine, Naturalist's Library 40:129-214, 30 pls. Edinburgh, London.
Vaillant, L., 1880. Sur les raies recueillis dans l'Amazone par M. le Dr. Jobert. Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, ser. 7, 4:251-252.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
24 Aug 2009
Date of issue
1985

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] Bailey, R. M., 1969. Comment on the proposed suppression of Elipesurus spinicauda Schomburgk (Pisces) Z. N. (S.) 1825. Bull. zool. Nomencl. 25 (4-5):133-134.

[2] Böhlke, J. E., S. H. Weitzman & N. A. Menezes, 1978. Estado atual da sistemática dos peixes de água doce da América do Sul. Acta amaz. 8 (4):657-677.

[3] Castelnau, F. L., 1855. Animaux nouveaux ou rares recueillis pendant l'expédition dans les parties centrales de l'Amérique du Sud, de Rio de Janeiro à Lima, et de Lima au Para. P. Bertrand, Paris 2:112 pp., 50 pls.

[4] Castex, M. N., 1964. Estado actual de los estudios sobre la raya fluvial neotropical. Rev. Mus. Prov. cienc. nat. F. Ameghino, no. cincuentenario: 9-49.

[5] Castex, M. N., 1966. Observaciones en torno al genero Elipesurus Schomburgk 1843 y nueva sinonimia de Potamotrygon brachyurus (Günther, 1880) (Chondrichthyes, Potamotrygonidae). Physis 26 (71):33-38.

[6] Castex, M. N., 1968. Elipesurus Schomburgk 1843 (Pisces): proposed suppression under the plenary powers. Z. N. (S) 1825. Bull. zool. Nomencl. 24 (6):353-355.

[7] Castex, M. N. & H. P. Castello, 1969. Nuevas sinonimias para el genero monotipico Disceus Garman 1877 (Potamotrygonidae) y observaciones sistemáticas a la familia Paratrygonidae Fowler 1948 (dubit.). Acta Scient. latinoam. Fisiol. Reprod. (7):1-43.

[8] Devicenzi, G. J. & G. W. Teague, 1942. Ictiofauna del Uruguay medio. An. Mus. hist. nat. Montevideo, ser. 2, 5 (4):1-103.

[9] Duméril, A., 1865. Histoire naturelle des poissons ou Ichthyologie générale. Élasmobranches plagiostomes et holocéphales ou chimères. Paris.

[10] Eigenmann, C. H., 1912. The freshwater fishes of British Guiana, including a study of the ecological grouping of species and the relation of the fauna of the plateau to that of the lowlands. Mem. Carnegie Mus. 5 (1):1-578.

[11] Eigenmann, C. H. & R. S. Eigenmann, 1891. A catalogue of the fresh-water fishes of South America. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 14:1-81.

[12] Fowler, H. W., 1948. Peixes de água doce do Brasil. Arqos Zool. Est. S Paulo 6:1-204.

[13] Fowler, H. W., 1970. A catalog of world fishes (XII). Quart. J. Taiwan Mus. 23 (1-2):39-126.

[14] Garman, S. W., 1877. On the pelvis and external sexual organs of selachians, with special reference to the new genera Potamotrygon and Disceus. Proc. Bost. Soc. nat. hist. 19:197-215.

[15] Garman, S. W., 1913. The Plagiostomia (sharks, skates and rays). Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. 36:1-515, 75 pls.

[16] Günther, A., 1870. Catalogue of fishes in the British Museum. London, 8:xxv + 549 pp.

[17] Günther, A., 1880. A contribution to the knowledge of the fish-fauna of the Rio de la Plata. Ann. Mag. nat. hist. 5 (6):7-15.

[18] d'Orbigny, A., 1834. Voyage dans l'Amérique Méridionale. Trygon histrix, plate 13 (folio). Paris.

[19] Ribeiro, A. de M., 1907. Fauna brasiliense. Peixes II (Desmobranchios). Archos. Mus. nac. Rio de Janeiro 14:129-217.

[20] Schomburgk, R. H., 1843. Fishes of British Guiana, Part II. In: W. Jardine, Naturalist's Library 40:129-214, 30 pls. Edinburgh, London.

[21] Vaillant, L., 1880. Sur les raies recueillis dans l'Amazone par M. le Dr. Jobert. Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, ser. 7, 4:251-252.