synonyms, homonyms, species authors on i-Nat and "The Pond"

r.e. Celypha lacunana

Without a species authors field on species entries, life for i-Naturalists might be confusing.

Take the tortrix moth Celypha lacunana as an example.
Without knowing the authorship, one could be (as I have been) confused as to which species is actually being referred to.

let me explain (I hope not too many words for you!)

1. there are two lacunana species in Tortricidae, one is a North American species (author: Freeman, 1941), the other is European (inferred authorship is Denis & Schiffermuller, 1775).
2. the European lacunana has for a long time been placed in genus Celypa, whereas the North American lacunana is placed in the genus Olethreutes.
3. most North American taxonomists regard Celypha as a synonym of Olethreutes; which in a global context would mean that the European lacunana ought to be the senior homonym of lacunana Freeman. This is the point which confused me a while regarding the entries of lacunana on i-Nat, because without the species authors being visible, I didn't realise two different species were involved....
4. Some European taxonomists place lacunana [D&S] in the genus Syricoris - and this is the combination on the global Tortricidae database on Tortricid.net, which has two lacunana species - Syricoris lacunana [D&S, 1775] and Olethreutes lacunana (Freeman, 1941).
5. Presentation of these two species resulting from the search of lacunana gives a confusing image that the two species might be the same - my fried brain misinterpreted the search output in this manner.... ooops.

6. My thanks to Mick E Talbot for putting me straight . . .
   http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/201355

7. just in case someone doesn't know, the "Pond" is a colloquial name for the Atlantic Ocean....

Posted on 22 de fevereiro de 2013, 03:38 AM by hkmoths