Oligotoma valida

Miller, Kelly B., 2009, Genus- and family-group names in the order Embioptera (Insecta), Zootaxa 2055, pp. 1-34 : 22-23

Oligotoma valida attributed to Hagen (1885) by Davis (1939d) and the type species of Parembia Davis 1939 a.

In Hagen’s (1885) monograph of the Embioptera (“Embidina”) he mentions the name “ Oligotoma valida ” in reference to a large female Embioptera specimen. However, he makes it clear that although he had considered naming a new species, he instead regarded the specimen as a member of O. michaeli McLachlan writing, “The female, of which I possess a specimen, seems rather gigantic compared with the described male, so that I had provisionally described is as O. valida . But as McLachlan [1883:259] by the words in brackets, ‘apparently O. Michaeli [sic] McLachl.,’ accepts this determination, I have followed him not to encumber synonymy” ( Hagen 1885:150). Hagen’s statement clearly indicates his intention to regard the specimen as O. michaeli and not a new species, O. valida . Later in the document he states that “…the supposition that the large wingless female belongs to O. Michaeli [sic] needs the support of further careful observation,” ( Hagen 1885:224) clarifying, again, that he regarded the specimen to be O. michaeli and not the basis of a new species, O. valida . This is further reinforced by Hagen’s (1885) own summary of his work when he states that he recognizes 17 species and that “…I have been purposely as careful as possible in making new species. I could have enumerated six species more, against which with our actual knowledge little objection could have been made.” Since O. valida is not one of the 17 he recognizes, it is clear that it is among the six he did not enumerate. According to Article 11.5, a name must be used as valid when proposed unless it was first published as a junior synonym and subsequently made available. Under this scenario, O. valida is a nomen nudum and is (ironically) invalid. Davis (1939d) regarded Oligotoma valida Hagen 1885 as a valid name (with the synonym Embia major Imms 1913 ) and used it as the type species of a new genus Parembia Davis 1939 a. Ross (1950) regarded O. valida Hagen as a valid name and believed it was proposed “inadvertently.” As Hagen (1885) made it clear that he did not intend the name to be valid, each of these interpretations is incorrect.

Davis (1939d) believed Hagen (1885) proposed the name O. valida , but simultaneously used it as a synonym of O. michaeli . According to Article 11.6.1 a name proposed as a junior synonym but treated before 1961 as an available name and adopted as the name of a taxon is thereby made available and dates from the first publication as a synonym (i.e. Hagen (1885)). Under this scenario, O. valida Hagen 1885 may have been made available by the actions of Davis (1939d). However, this still requires the original name to be explicitly proposed as the name of a taxon, whereas Hagen (1885) explicitly stated just the opposite, that his name did not apply to a taxon. Under this scenario, in my opinion, O. valida Hagen 1885 remains a nomen nudum.

It is also possible that one could regard O. valida as a name published conditionally. According to Article 15.1, a new name proposed conditionally before 1961 may be available. There is little reason to believe, however, that Hagen (1885) even proposed his name conditionally or with doubt or reservation. Instead, it seems clear that he had no intention of publishing the name as applied to any taxon at all. Under each of these scenarios it seems clear that Oligotoma valida Hagen 1885 is a nomen nudum.

This still leaves the problem of what the type species is of Parembia Davis 1939 a and the status and authorship of Parembia valida . Given that Davis (1939d) recognized the combination Parembia valida and referred to descriptions by Imms (1913) (for Embia major Imms ) and Hagen (1885), this name in this combination is an available name for the species attributable to Davis (1939d). However, it is also a synonym of Embia major Imms according to Davis (1939d) and Ross (1950). Therefore, the valid name of the species is Parembia major ( Imms 1913) with the invalid subjective synonym Parembia valida Davis 1939 a. The type species of Parembia is P. valida Davis 1939 a (= Parembia major Imms 1913 ).