360 Bull. zool. Norn., vol. 43, pt 4, December 1986 CO Bins LINNAEUS, 1758 (OSTEICHTHYES, CYPRINIFORMES): PROPOSED DESIGNATION OF COBITIS TAENIA LINNAEUS, 1758 AS TYPE SPECIES AND REQUEST FOR A RULING ON THE STEM OF THE FAMILY-GROUP NAME COBITIDIDAE SWAINSON, 1839. Z.N.(S.)2566 By Maurice Kottelat {Laboratoire d'Ichthyologie, Gueret 5, 2800 Delemont, Switzerland) In a study of cobitid fish systematics, I uncovered a nomenclatural problem concerning the type species ofCobitis Linnaeus, 1 758. In accordance with Article 41 of the Code, I am referring this case to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature together with a proposal to preserve nomenclatural stability. 2. Cobitis Linnaeus, 1758 (p. 303) originally contained four nominal species: C. anableps, C. barbatula, C. taenia and C.fossilis. 3. Bleeker (1 863a, pp. 362, 364) designated C. taenia as type species of Cobitis and this has been widely accepted since then. Unfortunately, most workers have overlooked the fact that Blyth (1860, p. 170) designated C. barbatula as type species of Cobitis. Of the remaining originally included species in Cobitis, C. anableps is now placed in the family anablepidae and C. fossilis remains in the family cobitidae Swainson, 1839 (p. 190), (type genus Cobitis Linnaeus, 1758), but is not involved with this problem. 4. Cobitis barbatula is usually considered either a member of Nema-cheilus Bleeker, 1863a (type species Cobitis fasciata Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1 846, by original designation) sensu lato or in Orthrias Jordan & Fowler, 1903 (type species Orthrias oreas Jordan & Fowler, 1903, by monotypy), a generic name whose use presents several taxonomic problems. Nemacheilus sensu lato includes some 300 nominal species and is currently being revised. It is type genus of the sub-family nemacheilinae Regan, 1911. 5. Blyth's 1860 type species designation corresponded to the thinking at that time, when loaches with suborbital spines (now called Cobitis) were called Acanthopsis Agassiz, 1832 and those without spines (now called Nemacheilus sensu lato) were called Cobitis. To compound matters Blyth's designation appeared in a little-known work, while Bleeker's appeared again (1863b) in his Atlas Ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Neerlandgises. Bleeker's designation was subsequently adopted by Gunther (1868) and quickly became widely accepted. 6. Acceptance of Blyth's designation of Cobitis barbatula as type species of Cobitis threatens stability for the following reasons: (a) the name Cobitis would have to be used for a large 'catch-all' genus which will later undergo drastic revision {Nemacheilus s.l.) or for a genus whose taxonomic limits are badly defined (Orthrias); (b) the species currently placed in Cobitis would have to be called
Cobitis Linnaeus, 1758 (Osteichthyes, Cypriniformes): proposed designation of Cobitis taenia Linnaeus, 1758 as type species and request for a ruling on the stem of the family-group name Cobitididae Swainson, 1839. Z. N. (S.) 2566
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