Raia sloani, Stephan, 1779

Kottelat, Maurice, 2010, The nominal species of rays (Chondrichthyes) described by Stephan (1779), Zootaxa 2646 (1), pp. 63-68 : 65-66

Raia sloani vs. Raja ajereba

Raia sloani presents an additional problem because it is not a synonym of an earlier name, but a senior synonym of the name of another species. Contrary to the other species named by Stephan, the description of R. sloani includes no reference to Artedi. It is based on "aiereba brasiliensibus" of Marcgrave (1648: 175), the "aiereba brasiliensibus" of Willughby (1686: pl. C1 fig. 2), the "pastinaca marina, ferruginea, etc." of Sloane (1725: 277, pl. 246 fig. 1) and the "10. Leiobatus, cauda extrema pinnata, etc." of Klein (1742: 34). Willughby's figure is copied from Marcgrave. Sloane's account is based on material and various literature records, including the "aiereba brasiliensibus" of Marcgrave. Klein's account is based on Sloane's account, with a comment that maybe it could be close or similar to "aiereba brasiliensibus". This means that the type series of R. sloani includes at least two species, the aiereba of Marcgrave from freshwaters of Brazil and a stingray from Jamaica of Sloane. In order to fix the identity of the name R. sloani I designate as lectotype the specimen on which is based the figure of "aiereba brasiliensibus" in Marcgrave (1648: 175).

The "aiereba brasiliensibus" is called Paratrygon ajereba ( Walbaum, 1792) in current literature. Raja ajereba Walbaum, 1792 (p. 535) is also a composite nominal species. It is based on the "aiereba brasiliensibus" of Marcgrave and the "wip-ray" of Pennant (1769: 88). Pennant's "wip-ray" itself is based on the "aiereba brasiliensibus" of Marcgrave and two specimens (two tails) from England and Sicily. This means that the type series of R. ajereba includes at least two species, the aiereba of Marcgrave and one or two Eastern Atlantic–Mediterranean stingrays of Pennant, whose identity cannot even be guessed. No lectotype or neotype has yet been designated for R. ajereba . In order to fix the identity of the name R. ajereba I designate as lectotype the specimen on which is based the figure of "aiereba brasiliensibus" in Marcgrave (1648: 175).

As they have the same lectotype, R. ajereba is a junior objective synonym of R. sloani . That the lectotype is lost, is not a problem in itself. If needed, a neotype can always be designated; the conditions to designate a neotype are not met presently as the species seems unambiguously identifiable (see, e.g., Rosa, 1991).

The problem with this synonymy is that R. sloani is the name that should be used because it is the senior synonym. Reversal of precedence is possible under article 23.9.1 of the Code if (1) R. sloani has not been used as the valid name of a taxon after 1899, which, to the best of my knowledge, is the case; and (2) R. ajereba has been used in at least 25 works, published by at least 10 authors, in the preceeding 50 years and encompassing a span of not less than 10 years. A list of 31 works by about 60 authors published between 1973 and 2010 is given hereunder and R. ajereba is declared nomen protectum and R. sloani is declared nomen oblitum. The list includes works on taxonomy, evolution, ecology, conservation, parasitology and fisheries: Almeida et al., 2010; Araújo et al., 2004; Barbarino & Lasso, 2009; Camargo et al., 2004; Carvalho et al., 2003, 2004; Carvalho & Rosa, 2009; Charvet-Almeida et al., 2002, 2005; de Almeida et al. 2009; Griffith et al., 1973; Lasso et al., 1997, 2004; Lovejoy, 1996; Lovejoy et al., 1998; Maldonado-Ocampo et al., 2006, 2008; Marques & Brooks, 2003; Marques et al., 2001; Montag et al., 2008; Oldfield, 2005; Ortega & Vari, 1986; Ortega et al., 2006; Reyda & Olson, 2003; Rosa, 1991; Rosa & Carvalho, 2007; Schaefer & Summers, 2005; Shibuya et al., 2009; Taniuchi & Ishihara, 1990; Torre et al., 2008; Valentim et al., 2006.