Loch Ness monster

[Jef Veldkamp]

The full refernce for Messiteras rhombopteryx Scott & Rines
is Scott, P. & R. Rines. 1975. Naming the Loch Ness monster.
Mature 258: 466--468, fig. 1--5.

'recent British legilation makes provision for protection to
be given to an endangered species; to be granted protection,
however, an animal should first be given a proper scientific
name' ... 'a name for a species ... is preferable to none if
its protection is to be assured.'

'Nessiteras rhombopteryx Scott & Rines (nov. genus and species;
the only species is automatically the type species)'

'Nessiteras ... is a composite word combining the name of the
Loch with the Greek word teras, genetive teratos, which was used
from Homer onwards to mean a marvel or wonder, and in a concrete
sense for a range of momnsters which aroused awe, amazement and
often fear. The specific name rhombopteryx is a combination
of the greek rhombos, a diamond or lozenge shape, and the greek
pteryx meaning a fin or winbg. This the species is the Ness
monster with diamond fin.'

'It is clearly unsatisfactory, from a zoological point of view,
to base a name on photographs rather than on the remains of an animal
or at least some part of it. This means that, for the time being,
there is no 'holotype' or 'type-specimen'. But description from
an illustration is permitted by the International Code of Zoological
Nomenclature, and the procedure seems justified by the urgency
of comprehensive conservation measures'

In botany, too, a type can be an illustration (Art. 8.1+3, 8A,
9.12+6-7+fn.+14 10.4 37.3+5). Many names, both in zoology and
botany are based on plates by Rumphius, whose collections, as
far as is presently known, are non-existant.

JeF Veldkamp
Rijksherbarium / Hortus Botanicus
POB 9514, NL-2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands
tel. +71.5273549
fax. +71.5273511