[Taxacom] Type of Homo sapiens (was: Are species real? Doesn't matter.)

Fri Jun 1 08:23:05 CDT 2007

> (1) Neither has a holotype been fixed for Homo sapiens, nor does a
> syntype series exist. Thus, a name-bearing type could only be reached
> through neotype designation.

are you sure  a syntype series does not exist? Linnaeus in the XII
edition of Syst Nat. (I do not have the Xth here for vertebrates) DOES
citate actual specimens (Juvenis Ursinus lithuanus 1661, juvenis
lupinus hessensis, 1544, Johannes Leodicensis, Boerhaav, several other
"strange cases" of "wild children"; or maybe saying in the description
"nosce te ipsum" he is presenting anyone able to read it as a
potential syntype?). a syntype series will not exist only if he does
not cite ANY actual specimen in the Xth edition, or if any of the
cited specimens can be traced (then, type lost).

>
> (2) ICZN art. 75.2 states that "a neotype is not to be designated as
> an end in itslef ...", and in art. 75.3 we read that "a neotype is
> validly designated when there is an exceptional need and only when
> that need is stated expressly ...".

agreed, if all those cited above are either lost or not cited in 1758,
no need to (at least by now).

any ideas? do we have an originally designated syntype series? anyone
with Xth edition at hand?

cheers;

F

>
> (3) I am not aware that the above requirements have been met by any
> of the existing suggestions for a name-bearing type of Homo sapiens.
> Consequently, no "type designation" for H.s. is valid up to now, and
> all the discussions which specimen it might be are in vain.
>
> (4) I suspect that it is difficult to claim the necessity of a
> neotype designation for H.s., at least as long as only extant
> specimens (or individuals) are treated. Things might be different for
> paleoanthropology, but even here must be demonstrated that there are
> problems which cannot be solved without a name-bearing type for H.s.
>
> That much for now.
>
>                                          Best regards
>                                             Michael
>
> At 23:22 31.05.2007, Neal Evenhuis wrote:
> >At 4:01 PM -0500 5/31/07, Steve Manning wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >Continuing to use Homo sapiens as an example, what evidence should be
> > >used to test the hypothesis that this species is "real" and what
> > >would constitute evidence sufficient to decide that this hypothesis
> > >must be rejected? (i.e., was mistaken?).  And, if this is a problem
> > >to determine for Homo sapiens, is it not likely to be a greater
> > >problem with less familiar species?
> >
> >However, before we do any "testing", we need to know what Homo
> >sapiens is (i.e., what is the type specimen?) and thus have the
> >proper exemplar used. The following was posted to the iczn-list a few
> >years ago that helps confound the problem for what the type of Homo
> >sapiens really is:
> >
> >***********
> >There is an interesting twist to the Linnaean "subspecies" of Homo
> >sapiens. Linnaeus (1758, p. 20-22) listed five varieties/subspecies
> >under Homo sapiens. However, before these varieties he described wild
> >or savage "ferus" Homo sapiens as "tetrapus, mutus, hirsutus", with
> >several illustrations or examples cited. After each example, added in
> >brackets is information from Seguin (1907, Idiocy: and its Treatment
> >by the Physiological Method) taken from
> >http://www.disabilitymuseum.org/lib/docs/1531.htm?page=3
> >
> >Juvenis Lupinus Hessensis. 1344. [1544, A young man found in Hesse
> >among wolves.]
> >Juvenis Ursinus Lithuanus. 1661. [A young man found among bears in Lithuania.]
> >Juvenis Ovinus Hibernus. Tulp. Obs. IV. [A young man found among wild
> >sheep in Ireland.]
> >Juvenis Hannoverianus. [1724, A young man found in Hanover.]
> >Pueri 2 Pyrenaici. 1719. [Two boys found in the Pyrenees.]
> >Johannes Leodisensis. [Boerhaave. John of Liege.]
> >
> >Article 72.4.1 of the ICZN Code excludes from the type series of a
> >nominal species-group taxon specimens referred to as distinct
> >variants. This means that specimens of Homo sapiens americanus,
> >europaeus, asiaticus, afer, and monstrosus are not part of the type
> >series of Homo sapiens and that Linnaeus is not eligible to be the
> >lectotype (as designated by W. T. Stearn. 1959. Systematic Zoology
> >8:4). We are thus left to select from among village idiots the
> >lectotype for humankind.
> >************
> >
> >Ain't nomenclature fun? Homer Simpson may be the archetype human ....
> >
> >Neal
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Taxacom mailing list
> >Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> >http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
>
> ************************************************************************
> * Prof.Dr. Michael Schmitt (Zoologischer Anzeiger, Editor-in-          *
> * Chief; Bonner zoologische Beitraege, Editor-in-Chief)                *
> * Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig                       *
> * Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Germany                             *
> * Phone: +49 228-9122 286, Fax +49 228-9122 332                        *
> * e-mail: m.schmitt at uni-bonn.de                                        *
> * http://www.zfmk.de/web/ZFMK_Mitarbeiter/SchmittMichael/index.de.html *
> ************************************************************************
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Taxacom mailing list
> Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
>

-- 
Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello
Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
Departamento de Biodiversidad y Ecología Animal
Km 2.5 Carretera Antigua a Coatepec, 351
Congregación El Haya
91070 Xalapa, Veracruz
MEXICO

Tel. (+52) (228) 842 18 00 #4111
Fax (+52) (228) 842 18 00 #4102

http://www-museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/workers/FVazdeMello.htm
publications: http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.jsp?id=K4767878J5#Producaocientifica
vazdemello at gmail.com