Lehrera Koçak & Kemal, 2009

O’Hara, James E., 2011, Cyber nomenclaturalists and the “ CESA itch ”, Zootaxa 2933, pp. 57-64 : 60

Lehrera Koçak & Kemal, 2009 ( Diptera , Sarcophagidae )

Koçak & Kemal (2009b: 7) proposed this new replacement name in the Sarcophagidae (Diptera) in this brief statement: “ Lehrera nom.n. pro Devriesia Lehrer, 1995 (Ent. Ber. Amsterdam 55 (10): 158 14 nec Devriesia Mintz, 1967 (Diss.Abstr. 27B: 2748) (Echinodermata)”. Footnote 14 cites a recent usage of Devriesia Lehrer : “ Devriesia Lehrer , l995 is currently treated as valid generic name (see: Lehrer, A.Z., 2006, Fragm. dipt. 3: 14–22)”.

There are several aspects of this nomenclatural act that are problematic:

1) It is advisable, but not necessary, when proposing a replacement name to cite the type species, to list other affected species (i.e., new combinations), and perhaps to give some indication of where the taxa occur.

2) The first usage of the name Devriesia by Mintz (1967) in Dissertation Abstracts can be interpreted as unpublished by Article 9.7 of the Code (ICZN 1999):

“Article 9. What does not constitute published work. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 8, none of the following constitutes published work within the meaning of the Code: …

9.7. copies obtained on demand of an unpublished work [Art. 8], even if previously deposited in a library or other archive.”

3) Even if Mintz (1967) is considered a published work, the name Devriesia was treated as unavailable by Kier & Lawson (1978: 96):

“ Mintz (1967: 2748) referred Toxaster lafittei to a new genus Devriesia Mintz but included no description of the genus. Devriesia is, therefore, a nomen nudum.”

4) Current usage of Devriesia Lehrer was established by Koçak & Kemal (2009b) by reference to one of Lehrer’s own publications ( Lehrer 2006). However, Lehrer’s classification of the Sarcophagidae is viewed as oversplit by most specialists of the family. The synonymy of Devriesia Lehrer with Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) , as first proposed by Pape (1996), was confirmed recently by Whitmore (2011) who studied the type series of the type species Sarcophaga ferox Villeneuve, 1908 .

The foregoing can be summarized as follows, with Lehrera Koçak & Kemal (2009b) falling into subjective synonymy with S. ( Heteronychia ):

Sarcophaga subg. Heteronychia Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1889 ( Diptera , Sarcophagidae )

Heteronychia Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1889: 124 . Type species: Heteronychia chaetoneura Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1889 (= Sarcophaga dissimilis Meigen, 1826 ), by monotypy.

Devriesia Lehrer, 1995: 158 . Type species: Sarcophaga ferox Villeneuve, 1908 , by original designation. Lehrera Koçak & Kemal, 2009b: 7 (unnecessary nomen novum for Devriesia Lehrer, 1995 ). New synonymy.