ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



PHILADELPHIA, PA., APRIL, 1918. 



As to Types. 



Perhaps since the following list of kinds of types has gone 

 to the printer it has been increased to at least 57 varieties : 

 Type, Holotype, Allotype, Cotype, Paratype, Syntype, Mor- 

 photype, Lectotype, Plesiotype, Neotype, Heautotype, Plasto- 

 type. Monotype, Chirotype, Apotype, Hypotype, Autotype, 

 Ideotype, Androtype. Gynetype, Topotype, Orthotype, Haplo- 

 type, Logotype and Pseudotype. 



The invention of new names for kinds of types has followed 

 the discovery that the word type in the past had no very exact 

 meaning and now the pendulum, has swung to an absurd degree 

 and has gotten perilously near to perpetual motion. The sensi- 

 ble thing to do would be for some one to grasp the pendulum 

 and swing it back to the word type and give the word its exact 

 present meaning. 



The International Entomological Congress has accepted the 

 principle of the single type. The Entomological Society of 

 America has thus far not accepted the single type idea. 



It is foolish to expect anyone of ordinary mind to remember 

 the meanings of such an aggregation of verbiage as the above 

 list shows. We would advocate the use -of very few of these 

 terms, probably three are quite sufficient for ordinary mortals- 

 type, paratype and lectotype. Very learned individuals may 

 wish to go the whole gamut and unfortunately there is no law 

 to prevent people from being foolish. Lectotypes should be 

 established with the greatest care. 



Our remarks, of course, do not apply to minute insects like 

 the Coccidae. In such cases a single slide should be considered 

 the type. The establishment of a single type is absolutely 

 essential for systematic work, as the fixing of a name, in con- 

 junction with a specimen of the insect it represents, is necessary 

 for the founding of a sound and enduring nomenclature. Even 

 the persons who use all the varieties appear to be a bit 



as to what they all mean. H. S. 



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