Leptophytum laeve W.H.Adey, nom. illeg. 1966
Publication Details
Leptophytum laeve W.H.Adey, nom. illeg. 1966: 324
Published in: Adey, W.H. (1966). The genera Lithothamnium, Leptophytum (nov. gen.) and Phymatolithon in the Gulf of Maine. Hydrobiologia 28: 321-370, 112 figs, tables I-VI.
Type Species
This is the type species (holotype) of the genus Leptophytum.
Status of Name
The taxonomic or nomenclatural status (or both) of this entity is in some way unresolved and requires further investigation.
Origin of Species Name
Adjective (Latin), smooth, free from uneveness, hairs or roughness (Stearn 1983).
General Environment
This is a marine species.
Created: 16 April 1996 by M.D. Guiry.
Last updated: 25 February 2024
Verification of Data
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Nomenclatural note
Adey (1966: 324) designated Leptophytum laeve (one of two species originally included in the genus) as holotype species, citing Lithophyllum laeve Strömfelt 1886 as the basis for his name. This means that the generic name Leptophytum is typified (ICBN Art 10.1) by the type of Lithophyllum laeve Strömfelt (1886: 21), even though Lithophyllum laeve Strömfelt is an illegitimate later homonym (ICBN Art. 53.1) of Lithophyllum laeve Kützing (1847: 33).
Because the binomial Lithophyllum laeve Strömfelt is illegitimate, it cannot serve as the basionym for the binomial Leptophytum laeve (ICBN Art. 6.4, 6.6), which also would be illegitimate (as in Leptophytum laeve (Strömfelt) Adey, 1966: 324). Recognizing this, Düwel & Wegeberg (1996: 473), on advice from Paul Silva (as a personal communication), treated Leptophytum laeve as a new name (nomen novum) (ICBN Art. 58.1) ascribed solely to W.H. Adey. As a nomen novum, Leptophytum laeve Adey is based (ICBN Art. 7.5, 58.1) on the same type as the illegitimate name, in this case the type of Lithophyllum laeve Strömfelt, cited by Adey (1966: 324) as the basis for his species name. Additional comments legitimate and illegitimate names [including Lithophyllum lenormandii f. laeve], authorities and dating priority are provided in Woelkerling et al. 2002: 616).
Athanasiadis (in Marine Biology Research 12(5): 556. 2016) remarks: "... a comment on the authorship of Leptophytum laeve (Foslie) Adey is required, because the alternative author citation "Leptophytum laeve Adey" entered the literature (Düwel & Wegeberg 1996; Woelkerling et al. 2002; Adey et al. 2015). While the same article (58.1) is invoked to provide a legitimate name for Lithophyllum laeve Strömfelt, 1886 (non Lithophyllum laeve Kützing, 1847), two different choices have been made. Adey et al. (2001) accepted the earliest (legitimate) name (i.e. the trinomial Lithophyllum lenormandii f. laeve Foslie, 1891), while Woelkerling et al. (2002) adopted Leptophytum laeve Adey (1966) as nomen novum "...the latter choice with the motivation that each taxon has priority at its own rank (Art. 11.2). Art. 58.1 does not specify whether the epithet from the earliest (legitimate) name should be adopted (regardless of rank). Yet, this is logical, as it would otherwise create different basionyms (or types) at different ranks for the same nomenclatural entity."
- (27 August 2009)
Taxonomic note
A complicated nomenclatural and taxnomic history is associated with this, the type species of the genus Leptophytum (see Woelkerling et al., 2002). - (11 May 2006)
Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=389
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 25 February 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 25 April 2025
