NO. 2 OPINIONS 78 TO 81 I9 



OPINION 81 



The Genotype of Cimex, Acanthia, Clinocoris, and 

 Klinophilos 



Summary, — On basis of the premises before the Commission, the common 

 bedbug of Europe, Cimex lectularius, is the genotype for Cimex 1758, Acanthia 

 1775, Clinocoris 1829, and Klinophilos 1899 (Clinophilus 1903), and its proper 

 technical designation under the Rules is Cimex lectularius. Cimex Linn., 1758, 

 type C. lectularius is hereby placed in the Official List of generic names. 



Presentation of case. — Dr. W. Dwight Pierce has submitted 

 the following case for opinion. (Additions by the Secretary are 

 marked *) : 



The scientific name of the bedbug has proved one of the most confusing 

 problems in entomological nomenclature. It appears to the writer that the 

 proper name should be Clinocoris lectularius Linnaeus, as accepted by Girault, 

 Kirkaldy, and Renter, and used in some medical text books (Castellani and 

 Chalmers). 



In American literature it also passes under the generic names Cimex and 

 Acanthia. 



In 1758 Linnaeus (Syst. Nat, lOth edit, p. 441) described Cimex with 85 

 species, of which lectularius was iirst and stockerus second. The genus was 

 described as having four wings, but lectularius is wingless and does not agree 

 with the generic description. No type is designated by Linnaeus. 



Dr. C. W. Stiles in 1907 (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 8, p. 67, 68) considers 

 that lectularius must be considered type because of Linnaeus' rule to select the 

 commonest and most medicinal species as type of his genera. Such a method 

 of selection, it seems to me, would be valid if there were no definite designa- 

 tions of type preceding Dr. Stiles' paper. The evidence presented below is 

 against the acceptance of Dr. Stiles' designation. 



In 1775, Fabricius (Syst. Ent. p. 696) discusses Cimex, and includes 167 

 species with "stockerus" Linnaeus as the first species, and he describes (p. 693) 

 Acanthia with 15 species, of which {Cimex) lectularius Linnaeus (:= Acanthia 

 lectularia) is first This action by Fabricius definitely removes lectularius 

 from Cimex. (* No type was designated. — C. W. S.) 



In 1789, Oliver (Encycl. Meth., vol. 4, Intr., p. 25) reversed Fabricius' divi- 

 sion of genera, and called Acanthia Fabricius "Cimex" (Punaise), and 

 called Cimex Fabricius " Pentatoma." From this date begins the confusion. 



In 1797, Latreille ((* 1796a,) Precis des Caracteres, p. 85) in discussing 

 Acanthia says, "Je ne rapporte a ce genre que les especes de Fab. que Ton 

 trouve ordinairement aux bords des eaux. Les autres appartiennent aux Gen- 

 res Core et Lyge." (* Latreille (1796a, 83) cites "Cimex Linn Punaise 



. . . . s. Pentatoma, Oliv." No type is selected, no species mentioned. — C. W. S.) 



Kirkaldy in 1899 (The Entomologist, vol. 32, p. 219) considers Latreille's 

 remarks to definitely limit the genus Acanthia to littoralu and its allies. 

 Accepting this interpretation of Latreille's action, we must concede that lectu- 

 laria was definitely eliminated from Acanthia in 1797. 



