[Nhcoll-l] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?

[Callomon,Paul]

Not only do neotype selections have to be individual and intentional, there are other stipulations. Among them are that the author must show why the original figure and/or description are inadequate to define a taxon, and also what steps she or he took to locate the original type material. Quite what is an acceptable amount of sleuthing the Code does not say, but "I can't find it" is not enough. There cannot be multiple neotypes for a name, nor "paraneotypes."

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170
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From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Shoobs, Nate
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2026 3:42 PM
To: Natural History Collections Listserv <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?


External.
This one is for all the ICZN buffs out there:

I'm a bit rusty. I'm checking the type status of a specific lot and an author (prior to 1961) refers to a multi-specimen lot by catalog number collectively as "neotypes" for a species with a lost syntype series. The author illustrates an individual specimen in the publication as well, but does not unambiguously state that one specimen from the cited museum lot in particular is the neotype.

Do neotype designations need to be individual and unambiguous in an original publication to be valid?
My gut says yes due to the way ICZN Art. 75.7<https://code.iczn.org/types-in-the-species-group/article-75-neotypes/#art-75-7> is worded, but I wanted to double check.


--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>
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