The status of the fishes described from Sicily by Rafinesque

Abstract

Rafinesque described and named 241 species of fishes from Sicily, Mediterranean Sea. The descriptions are reported in four publications printed in the 1810 and 1814. Among these nominal species 30 represent valid species, 130 are recognized as junior synonyms, and the remnant 81 are unplaced, having no status on the Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes (ECoF). This study reveals that most of these unplaced species can be synonymized with species that are well known from the area. In particular, it has been discovered that four nominal species predate well established fish name and are declared nomina oblita: they are Blennius juloides, Blennius lanceolatus, Blennius lupus and Gadus gardone. The corresponding junior synonym, Parablennius rouxi (Cocco, 1833), Gaidropsarus vulgaris (Cloquet, 1824), and Gadiculus argenteus Guichenot, 1850 are declared nomina protecta. The genus Nemochirus is here regarded as a new synonym of Trachypterus Goüan, 1770. Status of the genus Diepinotus is given in the appendix