Bonn zoological Bulletin 



Volume 59 



pp. 3-27 



Bonn, December 2010 



Type specimens of mammals (Mammalia) in the collections of the 

 Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn 



Rainer Hutterer & Gustav Peters 

 Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Gennany; 

 E-mail: r.hutterer.zfmk@uni-bonn.de, g.peters.zfmk@uni-bonn.de 



Abstract. An annotated catalogue of type specimens of Mammalia in the collections of the Zoologisches Forschungsmu- 

 seum Alexander Koenig in Bonn is given. By the end of 2010, the Bonn collections housed name-bearing types (five 

 syn-, 77 holo-, two lecto- and one neotype) for 85 taxa and para- and paralectotypes for 105 taxa. Casts of rare type spec- 

 imens of 3 extinct taxa are also listed. The collections also include vouchers for karyotypes and GenBank entries. A lec- 

 totype is selected for Microtus savii niethammericus Contoli, 2003, and replacement names are proposed for homonyms 

 of two preoccupied taxa, Apodemus maximus Thaler, 1972 (Muridae) and Sciurus vulgaris hqffntanni Valverde, 1967 (Sci- 

 uridae). 



Key words. Taxonomy, types, vouchers, chromosomes, genetic sequences, mammal diversity. 



INTRODUCTION 



Biological collections of the world preserve the voucher 

 specimens on which our knowledge of the biodiversity on 

 our planet is based. Article 72.10 of the Code (ICZN 1999) 

 states that, "Holotypes, syntypes, lectotypes and neotypes 

 are the bearers of the scientific names of all nominal 

 species-group taxa (and indirectly of all animal taxa). They 

 are the international standards of reference that provide 

 objectivity in zoological nomenclature and must be cared 

 as such. They are to be held in trust for science by the per- 

 sons responsible for their safe keeping." Recommendation 

 72F includes the following formulations "Every institu- 

 tion in which name-bearing types are deposited should .... 

 (2) take all necessary steps for their safe preservation, (3) 

 make them accessible for study, (4) publish lists of name- 

 bearing types in its possession or custody, and (5) so far 

 as possible, communicate information concerning name- 

 bearing types when requested." 



The collections of Mammalia in the Zoologisches 

 Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig house more than 

 90000 specimens representing about 1800 species, i.e. 

 about 33% of the known extant mammalian diversity. 

 These collections form part of the world holdings of mam- 

 malian archives (Genoways & Schlitter 1981) and have 

 contributed, among others, to the production of taxonom- 

 ic standard works such as the current world list of mam- 

 malian species (Wilson & Reeder 2005). 



The first type catalogue of mammals in the Zoologisches 

 Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig was published 

 more than 25 years ago (Hutterer 1984). Here we present 

 an updated annotated list of the name-bearing types (holo- 

 type, syntype, lectotype, neotype), but also of paratypes 

 and paralectotypes, as these form part of the original type 

 series and are available for the selection of neotypes, if 

 required (Article 75, Recommendation 75 A, ICZN 1999). 

 In a few cases we have also listed casts of type specimens 

 from other institutions in order to facilitate access to the 

 types of some extinct species. The collections also include 

 vouchers for chromosome counts and for genetic se- 

 quences. If available, such information has been men- 

 tioned but it was not possible to compile a full list of such 

 voucher specimens. As GenBank entries already play an 

 important role in the study of mammalian phylogeny and 

 taxonomy, cross-references to the vouchers on which the 

 genetic sequences were based will become more and more 

 important in order to ensure scientific objectivity and to 

 enable verification of correctness of specimen identifica- 

 tions when indicated. Figures listed for the respective orig- 

 inal description of a taxon are all figures in that publica- 

 tion which show features of the new taxon. 



The present list is complied in the style of other modern 

 examples such as Lawrence (1993), Tumi et al. (2007) and 

 Turni & Kock (2008). The systematics, sequence of or- 



Bonn zoological Bulletin 59: 3-27 



©ZFMK 



