Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 58(3) September 2001 243 
OPINION 1983 (Case 3134) 
Rana cryptotis Boulenger, 1907 (currently Tomoptevna cryptotis; 
Amphibia, Anura): specific name given precedence over that of 
Chiromantis kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900 
Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Amphibia; Anura; ranidae; Chiromantis 
kachowskii; Tomopterna cryptotis; burrowing frogs; sand frogs; Africa. 
Ruling 
(1) Under the plenary power the name cryptotis Boulenger, 1907, as published in 
the binomen Rana cryptotis, is hereby given precedence over the name 
kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900, as published in the binomen Chiromantis 
kachowskii, whenever the two are considered to be synonyms. 
(2) The following names are hereby placed on the Official List of Specific Names 
in Zoology: 
(a) cryptotis Boulenger, 1907, as published in the binomen Rana cryptotis, with 
the endorsement that it is to be given precedence over the name kachowskii 
Nikolsky, 1900, as published in the binomen Chiromantis kachowskii, 
whenever the two names are considered to be synonyms; 
(b) kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900, as published in the binomen Chiromantis 
kachowskii, with the endorsement that it is not to be given priority over the 
name cryptotis Boulenger, 1907, as published in the binomen Rana 
cryptotis, whenever the two names are considered to be synonyms. 
History of Case 3134 
An application for the conservation of the specific name of Rana cryptotis 
Boulenger, 1907 by giving it precedence over that of Chiromantis kachowskii 
Nikolsky, 1 900 when the two are treated as synonyms was received from Dr Malcolm 
J. Largen {Liverpool Museum, Liverpool, U.K.) and Dr Leo J. Borkin (Zoological 
Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, Russia) on 26 February 1999. 
After correspondence the case was published in BZN 57: 32-35 (March 2000). Notice 
of the case was sent to appropriate journals. 
Decision of the Commission 
On 1 March 2001 the members of the Commission were invited to vote on the 
proposals published in BZN 57: 34. At the close of the voting period on 1 June 2001 
the votes were as follows: 
Affirmative votes — 18: Alonso-Zarazaga, Bock, Brothers, Calder, Cogger, 
Eschmeyer, Kerzhner, Kraus, Macpherson, Mahnert, Martins de Souza, Mawatari, 
Minelli, Nielsen, Papp, Patterson, Rosenberg, Stys 
Negative votes — 3: Bouchet, Lamas and Ng. 
No votes were received from Dupuis and Song. 
Ng commented: 'A change of name from Tomopterna cryptotis (Boulenger, 1907) 
to T. kachowskii (Nikolsky, 1900) would not appear to have a major impact on 
244 Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 58(3) September 2001 
non-taxonomists so I am reluctant to set aside priority in this case. Also, since there 
is every chance that this is a species-group which includes at least one or two cryptic 
species and both names may be needed (para. 6 of the application), a Commission 
ruling seems superfluous'. 
Original references 
The following are the original references to the names placed on an Official List by the ruling 
given in the present Opinion: 
cryptotis, Rana, Boulenger, 1907, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (7)20: 109. 
kachowskii, Chiromantis, Nikolsky, 1900, Annuaire du Musee Zoologique de YAcademie 
Imperiale des Sciences de St Petersbourg, 5(1-2): 246. [In Russian and Latin].