Abstract
Payne, Child and Forrest1 have shown little regard for the rules of zoological nomenclature in proposing the subspecific names “europaeus” and “americanus” for the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. First, the European stock, binominally named by Linnaeus, must become the nominate subspecies and, therefore, should bear the name Salmo salar salar Linnaeus, 17582 rather than S. salar europaeus. Second, a cursory examination of the literature reveals a number of older and available names for the North American stock. These include S. immaculatus Storer 19503, S. sebago Girard 18544, S. gloveri Girard 18565 and S. ouananiche McCarthy 18946, any of which must take precedence over S. salar americanus. Undoubtedly any British ichthyological systematist could advise the authors on correct choice of names for their subspecies. At the same time, they should consider that while designation of type-specimens in the species group is not mandatory, it is a protocol to which systematists almost invariably adhere7.
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References
Payne, R. H., Child, A. R., and Forrest, A., Nature, 231, 250 (1971).
Article 47a, International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (London, 1964).
Storer, J., J. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 6, 364 (1850).
Girard, C., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 6, 380 (1854).
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McCarthy, E., Forest and Stream, 42 (10); 206 (1894).
Mayr, E., Principles of Systematic Zoology (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1969).
Nielson, J., Medd. Gronland, 159 (8); 1–76 (1961).
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GRUCHY, C. Salmon Nomenclature. Nature 234, 360 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234360a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/234360a0
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