SPECIFIC NAME OF NECTURUS MACULOSUS 



Y. C. WAITE 



In view of the fact that this animal is now extensively used in 

 research and teaching, and since the majority of teachers and 

 writers follow Cope ('89) and erroneously use the name Necturus 

 mcwulatus, it seems worth while to call attention to the correct ter- 

 minology. 



There has been considerable confusion in the nomenclature of 

 this form since it was first described. ^Nlinor variations have in 

 several cases received specific names, and in the earlier literature 

 it was frequently confused with Cryptobranchm allegheniensis of 

 which it was for a time considered the larva. 



The first scientific description of this animal was by Schneider 

 in 1799 from a single specimen in the museum at Brunswick. This 

 specimen came from Lake Champlain. Schneider did not consider 

 it a new genus but put it under the European genus Salamandra 

 without appending any specific name.^ 



Lac^pede ('07) described a museum specimen, saying that it had 

 never been before described, evidently not knowing of Schneider s 

 description. He recognized that it differed from Salamandra and 

 therefore referred it to the genus Proteus, naming it Proteus tetra- 

 dactyle with the provision that if it were found to be a larva, it 

 should be called Salamandra tetrad actyle. 



Barton ('07, pp. 196-7), describes "a large species of Salaman- 

 dra" which he proposes to call 5. horrida, or maxima, or gigantea. 

 It is evident from a reading of his paper that he has confused 

 Necturus and Cryptobranchus, and the general inaccuracy of his 

 description makes his contribution of little value. 



Rafinesque ('18, p. 40), gave a brief pivliminary .lex-Hption of 

 this salamander under the name Sirena mnculo.m. He, however, 

 recognized, as the following quotation shows, that it might repre- 

 sent a new genus (p. 40) : " In Zoology my discoveries are par- 



'The original paper is not available. I quote from Holbrook ('42). 



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