138 Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 60(2) June 2003 Case 3226 Lacepede, B.G.E. de la V., 1788, Histoire Natiirelle des Quadriipedes Ovipares: proposed rejection as a non-binominal work Jay M. Savage Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182^614. U.S.A. (e-mail:
[email protected]) Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Article 1 1.4 of the Code, is to ensure nomenclatural stability by suppression of Lacepede's (1788) work Histoire Naturelle des Quadriipedes Ovipares (and all subsequent editions of this work) as an unavail-able, non-binominal work. Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Lacepede; Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes Ovipares et des Serpens. 1. In 1788-89, Count Bernard Germain Etienne de la Ville Lacepede published a two volume work entitled Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes Ovipares et des Serpens. These two volumes were the last two in Buffon's (1749-67; 1774—89) monumental and best-selling Histoire Naturelle Generate et Particuliere. Lacepede's first volume (1788a) deals with the egg-laying quadrupeds {Quadrupedes Ovipares) and the second volume (1789) deals with the serpents (Serpens). A later, smaller format edition of Lacepede's work appeared as the final volumes (1788b. 1790) of another edition of Buffon's Histoire Naturelle. 2. Buflfon and his associates, including Lacepede, did not accept or use the Linnaean binominal system (see Stresemann, 1975, pp. 56. 94; Roger, 1997, pp. 311-312). although some of Lacepede's Latinized French vernacular names were employed by later authors. In particular, Bonnaterre (1789-90) gave most of Lacepede's taxa binominal names if an older binominal was not already available. In fact, Bonnaterre scooped Buffon and his associates by being the first in France to use binominal (Linnaean) names for many groups of animals. 3. Brongersma (1972; BZN 29: 44-61) in an application to the Commission demonstrated that Lacepede's Histoire Naturelle des Serpens was not consistently binominal and proposed that it be ruled an unavailable work. Subsequently in 1987 (Opinion 1463; BZN 44; 265-267), the Commission suppressed this work and its later editions, while conserving the long-established name Crotalus piscivorous Lacepede, 1789 (currently Agkistrodon piscivorous) notwithstanding that it was published in an unavailable work. However, the status of Lacepede's first volume (Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes Ovipares) was not addressed. 4. The situation with the Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes Ovipares is exactly parallel to that in the Histoire Naturelle des Serpens. All the names used in the text are in the vernacular, although binominal names of other authors (principally Linnaeus) are hsted in the bibliographic footnote accompanying many species descriptions. Latin names are also used in the foldout table, labeled Synopsis Metlwdica Quadrupedum Oviparuni (between pages 618 and 619 near the end of the
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