History, status, and validity of the Racer Zamenis persicus Jan, 1863, and the scientific name of the Ratsnake Z. persicus (Werner, 1913) (Squamata, Colubridae)

• Published in: Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin. Zoologische Reihe Vol. 86; no. 2; pp. 275 - 281
• Main Authors: Schätti, Beat, Tillack, Frank, Schulz, Klaus-Dieter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.09.2010; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: 'Elenco sistematico' (Jan; 1826; 1863; 1867; 1913; Coluber aesculapii niger Fitzinger; Coluber aesculapii niger Fitzinger, 1826; Elenco sistematico' (Jan, 1863); in Jan & Sordelli; in Jan & Sordelli, 1867; nomen protectum; persicus Werner; persicus Werner, 1913; Zamenis viridiflavus persicus Sordelli
• ISSN: 1435-1935; 1860-0743
• DOI: 10.1002/zoos.201000010

Few herpetological contributions, all published prior to 1875, list Zamenis persicus Jan, 1863 (type material lost) as valid; a couple of contemporary and later references consider this Racer name a junior synonym of Turano‐Sindian taxa of the genus Platyceps Blyth, 1860. Coluber longissimus var. persica Werner, 1913 is a Ratsnake species currently referred to Zamenis Wagler, 1830. For the sake of taxonomic stability, we reject Z. persicus Jan (nomen oblitum) under the provisions of Article 23.9.2 (Reversal of precedence) of the ‘Code’ (ICZN 1999) and declare the secondary homonym Z. persicus (Werner) as the valid name for the Persian Ratsnake. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)