Lost in translation – a history of systematic confusion and comments on the type species of Squalodon and Patriocetus (Cetacea,Odontoceti) |
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| Authors: | FELIX G. MARX JOHANNES ALBERS BJÖRN BERNING |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Geology, University of Otago, 360 Leith Walk, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand and Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK;2. e‐mail f.g.marx@bristol.ac.uk;3. Antoniushang 32, 45359 Essen, Germany;4. e‐mail johannes.albers@cetacea.de;5. Geowissenschaftliche Sammlungen, Ober?sterreichische Landesmuseen, Welser Str. 20, 4060 Leonding, Austria;6. e‐mail b.berning@landesmuseum.at |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: The two odontocete taxa Squalodon grateloupii and Patriocetus ehrlichii, both the type species of their respective genera, have been at the centre of a great deal of taxonomic confusion. Originally regarded to be conspecific, these two taxa have been the subject of a bewildering taxonomic debate lasting for more than a century, which recently led to the suggestion to abandon these widely used names and replace S. grateloupii with the similar, yet independently and later proposed name S. gratelupi as the type species of Squalodon. Here, we attempt to summarise the events leading to the current confused situation in the hope of resolving this issue once and for all and argue that the name Squalodon grateloupii, as originally proposed, should be reinstated. |
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| Keywords: | Squalodontidae Cetacea Odontoceti type species Squalodon Patriocetus |
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