Nomenclatural problems caused by type species designation in Gammaridae (Amphipoda)

Abstract

Recent phylogenetic studies of Gammaridae made evident some nomenclatural issues that should be addressed. We discuss the nomenclatural problems caused by the use of the unavailable name Neogammarus Ruffo, 1937 and the designation of type species for Rhipidogammarus Stock, 1971 and Neogammarus Karaman, 1969. Since the type species of these two last names is the same, Gammarus rhipidiophorus Catta, 1878, the ICZN requires that a new objective synonymy be established: Neogammarus Karaman, 1969 = Rhipidogammarus Stock, 1971, syn. nov. This synonymy changes the current general use of these two names, generating a new nomenclatural combination, Neogammarus karamani (Stock, 1971) n. comb. We provide a synonymic list of Neogammarus to facilitate its general application.