XU. 8 OPINIONS 124 TO 133 43 



genus must be the type genus of the family, the family name would he 

 constantly subject to possible change according to the subjective ideas 

 of authors from year to year ; accordingly, even relatively stable 

 nomenclature for family names would be hopeless, and synonymy in 

 family names would be potentially indefinite and chaotic. 



Accordingly, if Urothoe, type rosfrofus, is classified in IMioxo- 

 cephalidae Sars it is not necessary to change this earlier family name 

 to the later Urothoidae 1932. 



In formulating this Opinion, the Commission has considered only 

 the question of the formal application of the Rules and has not con- 

 sidered the question whether it would be wise to " Suspend the Rules " 

 in this case. The data on which this latter question .should be judged 

 have not yet been placed before the Commission in sufficient detail. 



In view of the foregoing premises the Secretary recommends the 

 adoption of the following as the Opinion of the Commission : 



Under the Rules, the type of Urothoe is U. rostratns. The original 

 author of a family name is free to select any contained genus as the 

 nomenclatorial type of that family. It is not necessary to select 

 the oldest included genus as type genus for the family. Under the 

 present premises it is unnecessary to substitute the newer name 

 Urothoidae 1932 for the earlier Phoxocephalidae. 



One of the points involved in this Opinion was voted upon by the 

 Commission in the meeting at Lisbon, when the following inter])reta- 

 tion was adopted : 



Article 4 of the Code, which relates to the naming of families and subfamilies, 

 does not require that the oldest generic name in the family or subfamih' concerned 

 must be taken as the type genus of the family or subfamily. 



This point was concurred in by Commissioners Caiman, Hemming. 

 Jordan, Pellegrin, Peters, and Stejneger, and by the following alter- 

 nates : Amaral vice Cabrera, Oshima vice Esaki, Chester Bradley vice 

 Stone. Beier vice Handlirsch, Arndt vice Richter, Alortensen vice 

 Apstein. 



Opinion prepared by Stiles. 



Opinion concurred in by seventeen (17) Commissioners (or alter- 

 nates) : Apstein (in part), Beier (in part), Cabrera, Caiman, Chap- 

 man, Esaki, Fantham, Heinming (in part), Jordan, Oshima (in part). 

 Pellegrin (in part), Peters. Richter, Silvestri, Stejneger, Stiles, Stone. 



Opinion dissented from by no Commissioner. 



Not voting, two (2) Commissioners: Bolivar and Horvath. 



