348 NOTE ON THE ASPREDINIDJi. 



(1756, 6).* The only reference under the genus was to Gronovius, 

 viz: "Aspredo. Gr. M. Ichth. n. 26. 5. 8. 6. 55. 9.t 



IV. 



Aspredo was abandoned as a generic term by Linnceus in the latter 

 editions of his Systema Katurie, wherein the well-known arrangemeut 

 of his own invention was applied and the species referred to the genus 

 Sihirus, the fish originally figured in the "Amoenitates Academicse" 

 and the Gronovian species being both referred to the " Silurus aspredo.'''' 



V. 



^sjorefZo having been previously only published in non-binomial works, 

 and having been repudiated as a generic name by Linnaeus, was thus 

 left in abeyance, and in accordance with the rules of nomenclature 

 adopted, if not previously reenforced, would be superseded by any other 

 name later given. Bloch long afterward gave the name Platysfacics to 

 a compound of Aspredinidcv and Plotosidw, and that name has been log- 

 ically adopted for the chief Aspredinoid genus by Dr. and Mrs. Eigen- 

 mann, who were unacquainted with any use of the name Aspredo be- 

 tween the tenth edition of Linnaeus and the work of Bloch. But the 

 generic name Aspredo was actually reiiuforced. 



VI. 



In 1777, J. A. Scopoli published an "Introductio ad Historiam Natur- 

 alem," in which he adopted most of the Gronovian as well as Linntean 

 genera, and among them was Aspredo. The genus was defined in the 

 following terms: 



271. Aspredo, Grouov. Membrana branch, oss. 4. Radius pinuie pectoralis anterior 

 validissimus, deutato-serratus. 



The name is thus validated as a binomial generic term, whatever 

 may be considered to be the typical species. But some difl'erence of 

 opinion is possible on account of certain complications resulting from 

 the publication of Swainson's unscientific work. 



VII. 



Platysfacus was a name introduced by Bloch in 1794 for the species 

 of Aspredo of Gronovius and consequently Scopoli, but he also con- 

 founded, under the same name, species of the genus later called 

 Plotosus. 



Practically, however, Platystacus Bloch is a synonym of Aspredo 

 (Gron.) Scopoli. 



*Charactere8 in singulis partibus eosdem agnovi, quos in priori editione recitavi ; 



scilicet ; Ichthyolof/iam vero secuudum Membranas Brauchiostegas et pinnariim 



radios compendiose tali ordine proposui, qnali exstat iu Gronovii Museo Ichtbyol- 

 ogico, cujus nova detecta Genera hue introduxi. Linnwus, o. c, Lectori, .3d leaf. 



tThe numbers indicate the radial formula, viz: D. 5, P. 8, V. 6, A. 55, C. 9.— A 

 diagnosis of the genus was given. 



