INTRODUCTION. 11 



CoTYPE ( = associate type, or synType")- — Cotype was apparently 

 first introduced by Waterhouse, and is redefined by Oldfiekl Thomas as 

 follows: "A cotype is one of two or more specimens, together forming 

 the basis of a species, no t)pe [holotype] having been selected. No 

 species would have both type [holotype] and cotypes, but either the 

 former [or holotype and paratype] , or two or more of the latter. ' ' In 

 cases where the cotypes are unmarked and can not be distinguished 

 from the balance of the original series, the only safe plan will be to 

 regard all the original material of a new species as cotypes. If .such 

 specimens are sub.sequently .sent out to collectors and museums they 

 should be marked as cotypes. 



Cossmann* states " as for ' cotype' and ' paratype ' , one questions if it 

 is really worth while to name them, especially where the t>-pe has been 

 designated; and if that has been lost, it is necessary then to substitute a 

 ' neotype.' " To the writer this conclusion appears faulty for the fol- 

 lowing reasons: When a holotype is selected, or because it is the only 

 specimen on which the .species rest, then Cossmann's conclusion of 

 course follows. However, in all those cases where an author has more 

 than one specimen of his new species, why are not these of far more 

 value in understanding the intention of the original describes than any 

 neotypes? For instance, when an author selects a holotype out of 

 .several specimens, and it is lost, are we not obliged to consider first the 

 remaining specimens, the paratypes, rather than other material selected 

 by another and later author (neotypes)? In the case of cotypes, so long 

 as one remains to us we are similarly obliged to consider it first, in con- 

 nection with the original description and figures. The terms cotype 

 and paratype are automatic in application, for if an author .selects no 

 type out of several .specimens all become cotypes, and if he .selects a 

 holotype the remainder are paratypes. These terms, it is true, have as 

 a rule no special value in the original descriptions of species, but to sub- 

 .sequent workers and above all to keepers of public collections they have 

 considerable worth in that they indicate the exact nature of their type 

 material. 



See synthetograph and heautotype. 



Paratype ( para = heside) . — Thomas .states: "A paratype is a speci- 

 men belonging to the original series, but not the type [holotype] , in 

 ca.ses where the author has himself selected a type [holotype] . It 

 should, however, be one of the specimens mentioned or enumerated in 

 the original description." 



A paratype may be subsequently selected as a holotype when it proves 

 to 1)e a new species and is not the species to which it was originally- 

 referred. 



a [p. A. Bather. 1 Scientific Volupuk, Natural Science, IV, Jan., 1894, p. 57. 

 6 Revue Critique de Pal^ozoologie, April, 1904, p. 74. 



