the nomenclature of the myliobatid.e or aeto- 



batid.f:. 



By Theodore Gill, m. d., ph. d. 



In 1888, Presideut Jordan proposed, for very plausible reasons, to 

 revive Blainville's name Aetobatus (used in the form Aetobatis) for the 

 genus long known as Myliobatis. * I hastily followed him and have 

 repented at leisure. My reasons for now dissenting are as follows: 



AETOBATUS. 



Blainville, in 1816, published a new scheme for the classification of 

 the '' Selaca" or Plagiostonies (which he had studied with Mr. Prevost) 

 and divided them into three genera or families: "I. Gen. aut Earn. 

 Raia;" "II. Genus aut Fam. Squatina," and "III. Genus aut Fam. 

 Squalus." The rays were subdivided into 7 groups bearing generic 

 names: Dasybaius \=Raiidce\^ Trygonobatus \=Dasybatid(c without 

 Urolophus], Artobatus \=Myliobatid(c], Dicerobatus \=Mantid(v\, Leio- 

 batuH\ \= Urolophus], Narcobatus \ = Torpedinid(c\, Rhinobatus [ = Rhino- 

 batid(v\, and Pristobatus [ = Pnstid(je+Pristiophorid()e\. 



Blainville gave a full and excellent diagnosis of Aetobatus, and 

 included " 11 nominal species of Myliobatids in the genus. They were 

 as follows: I Vulgaris {M. aquila%); Obtusus ( ?); Flagellum {Ae. Jiagel- 

 lum) ; Lobatus {Rhinoptera ?) ; Sinensis ( ?) ; Nichofii [M. Nieuhofii) ; Fili- 



* President Jordan was perfectly logical in his conclusions. Aetobatus was prior 

 to Myliohatis and covered exactly the same group. Remembering this, but not having 

 Blainville's memoir on hand at the time, temporarily forgetting the entire course 

 of reasoning which had previously inHuenced me (herewith outlined), and fearing 

 that prejudice in favor of accepted usage might have unduly prevailed in my mind, 

 I noted the change, intending to consult Blainville's papers before publication, but 

 the work could not then be found. The only reason why Aetobatus had not been 

 revived before was because it was supposed to be subsequent to Myliohatis. (See 

 Gray's List, p. 128, and synonymy, where Myliobatis is erroneously attributed to 

 "Dum. Zool. Anal., 1806.") 



iLeiobatns Bl. was anticipated by Leiobattis Raf. (Car., p. 16, 1810) =^ Rhinobatus. 



JThe iuitial capitals are repeated from Blainville's memoir. 



Proceedings National Museum, Vol. XVIl — Xo. 99U. 



Ill 



