Comments |
Lectotypification by monotypification (by synonymy of the three original species) Comments: Although Christian provided the original description and illustration, and the name was not ascribed to Smith in the original publication, the authorship is cited as “Smith ex Christian” because H.L Smith provided Christian with a name for the genus. The name is first introduced p. 67, the genus is described p. 68, and specimens are illustrated p. 66, 67, 68. Three species are originally included: R. marylandica, R. christianii and R. febigeri, and no type is designated. See genera Humbugodiscus Deby 1890 and Melonavicula Christian 1886 (invalid synonyms of Rhaphidodiscus Christian 1887). Vorce 1889 (ref. 001912), p. 136, redescribed the genus. He showed that "Marylandica is Christianii lodged in a Melosira" and that "Febigeri [is..] Christianii with its rim broken all around the valve". Vorce argued that the three described species must be reduced to a single species, R. Christianii. Hanna (1932), p. 208 (ref. 000014), also considered the three original species to be synonymous but chose R. marylandicus to represent the species. R. marylandicus is the only one of these 3 names to be of current usage. |