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Chapter 3
Types of Types
Rahul G.Kumar

What is a type?
In zoological nomenclature, a type is a specimen (or a group of specimens) which serves to
illustrate the defining characters of a species or genus. The purpose of designating a type is to
provide an objective reference which can be used by later scholars to verify the identity of the
species being described. As our understanding of the relationships between species evolves, it is
not unusual for a given species to be shuffled amongst different genera. The presence of type
material allows us to recognise the organism that is being referred to, even if the name is
different.

In order to be valid as a type, a the specimen must meet certain guidelines set forth in the
International Code for Zoological Nomenclature, a compendium of the rules of nomenclature,
laid down by the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). The rules for
designating a type differ, depending on when the description was published. For species
described after 1999, a holotype must be explicitly designated for the description to be
considered valid.

Not all described species have types attached. The practice of explicitly designating types most
likely began with the entomologist Pierre Andre Latreille in the early 1800's(1). Not all early
authors designated or preserved type material, often complicating later identification of
specimens. When a type was not designated in the original description, it often becomes
imperative to designate a type from amongst available material in order to fix the nomenclature
and clarify the identity of the species.

The primary purpose of designating a type is to enable scientists in the future to definitely
identify a described species. When attempting to describe a new species, rather than depending
solely on the published description, it is important to physically examine previously described
species to definitively conclude that a specimen we have on hand is in fact new to science. Thus,
it is critically important for type species to be placed in a well maintained, universally accessible
repository.

The different types of types commonly encountered in taxonomy are briefly discussed below.

Holotype

A single specimen that has been explicitly designated in the original description as the specimen
on which the description is based. If a holotype is not explicitly desginated, but it is clear that
only one specimen was used in describing the species, then that becomes the holotype(2). The

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holotype is, in many ways, the “gold standard” by which the species can be recognised. When
describing a new species, it is important to designate as holotype a specimen that is as complete
as possible and clearly illustrates diagnostic characters by which the species may be
distinguished. E.g. If a species of prawn is described with features of the left cheliped being used
to distinguish it from closely related species, designating a specimen missing that appendage as
the holotype defeats the purpose.

A holotype is usually a preserved specimen or fossil, but in rare cases, it may consist of an
illustration (like the reunion island parakeet, known only from pictures(4)), a live specimen(5) or a
tissue sample.

Allotype

A specimen of the opposite sex as the holotype, which has been used in the description. Often
used to illustrate morphological characters not seen in the holotype(2).

Paratype(s)

Specimen(s) other than the holotype on which the description is based and where these
specimens have been included in the description as type material(2).

Syntypes

When a species description is based on two or more specimens and the author failed to explicitly
designate a holotype, all the specimens are considered syntypes. If the description was published
prior to 1931, any specimens cited via references in the manuscript are also considered
syntypes(3). In modern times, syntypes are rarely used in new descriptions.

Lectotype

A specimen selected after the description was published, from a set of syntypes, as the type of a
species(2).

Paralectotype

When a lectotype is designated, the remaining syntypes are considered paralectotypes(2).

Neotype

When a designated type of a species (holotype, syntypes, neotype or lectotype) has been
previously designated, but is subsequently lost or damaged beyond recognition, a fresh specimen
designated as the type is called a neotype. If paratypes are present, it is desirable to select the
neotype from among the paratypes(2).

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Topotype

A specimen collected at a later date, and not part of the type series, from the same locality as the
holotype of the species(2). When the type series consists of a small number of specimens, data
from topotypes can be used to help diagnose a new species.

Isotype

A specimen collected at the same time, but not from the same place, as the holotype, paratypes or
syntypes, but not included in any of these(2).

Morphotype

A specimen illustrating a morphological variant of a species(2). Nowadays, it is likely a

morphotype may be described as a new species. DNA sequences are useful in determining if a
morphotype is distinct enough to be described as a new species.

Monotype

When the holotype of a species is the only specimen known to science, it is called a monotype(2).

Some technical terms are often used in conjunction with type descriptions, the most common
amongst those are given below.

Type locality

The location from where the holotype or lectotype of a species was collected from. Paratypes can
be from a different locality to the holotype. E.g. Specimens of a new species are collected from
Mumbai, Calicut and Kanyakumari. In the description, the holotype is chosen from amongst the
specimens collected in Mumbai, with the rest of the specimens listed as paratypes. The type
locality thus is Mumbai, where the holotype was collected.

Type localities in early descriptions were often very vague; e.g. “Madras” or “Indian Ocean”.
Nowadays, with the availability of GPS, they are quite precise.

Type series

The group of specimens explicitly (or implicitly) listed as forming the type material used in the
description. Additional specimens used for measurements, but not listed as type material are
considered non-type or collateral types(2).

Name bearing type

A specimen or specimens (holotype, lectotype, neotype, syntypes) which provide an objective

standard by which the species can be identified.

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Points to keep in mind when describing a new species

a) A holotype must be explicitly designated, along with a precise collection locality. This
specimen must clearly illustrate the key features on the basis of which the taxon is distinguished.

b) Additional specimens used in the description must be designated as paratypes or non-type

c) All specimens (or at least the holotype) must be deposited in a museum or recognised
educational institute, where they will be properly maintained and made available to other
scientists or students for study.

d)The description must include, in addition to distinguishing characters and measurements, a

diagnosis listing similarities to and differences from other closely related species. The repository
where the type material is stored must also be listed.

The curious case of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The giant freshwater prawn is a species of great importance to commercial aquaculture world-
wide. Wowor and Ng (2007)(7) caused a stir when they conclusively showed that there were, in
fact, two species, not one. What was considered M. rosenbergii was composed of two sub-
species, Macrobrachium rosenbergii rosenbergii described from east of Huxley's line (a
biogeographical boundary that separates Asian fauna from Australian), and M. r. dacqueti from
west of the line. Wowor and Ng proved that the two were in fact distinct, valid species.

This had the potential to cause a lot of confusion because the species that was commercially
important and widely aquacultured was in fact M. dacqueti, with the true M. rosenbergii being
found only in Australia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea, with no commercial importance.

In order to prevent unecessary confusion, Wowor and Ng petitioned the ICZN to set aside the
name M. dacqueti and retain M. rosenbergii for the commercially important species. In 2010, the
ICZN ruled that the holotype of M. rosenbergii be set aside and the lectotype of M. dacqueti be
designated a neotype(6), thus retaining the name M. rosenbergii for the commercially important
species.

While this made aquaculturists happy, it left the species from east of Huxley's line without a
name. Ng and Wowor (2011)(8) determined that the earliest available name, Macrobrachium
spinipes, took precedence and assigned it to the species found in Australia, the Philippines and
Papua New Guinea.

The above example shows how species can continue to be identified even in the face of changes
in taxonomy thanks to the presence of type material.

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References

1. Claude Dupois, 1974. Pierre Andre Latreille (1762-1833): The foremost entomologist of
his time. Annual review of entomology 19: 1-14

2. Coad, B.W. and McAllister, D.E. 2006. Dictionary of Ichthyology.

Available from: http://www.coad.ca/Dictionary/CompleteDictionary latest version.htm

3. Maggenti, A.R., Maggenti, M.A. and Gardner, S.L. 2005. Online dictionary of
invertebrate zoology: complete work. Available from:
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/onlinedictinvertzoology/2/

4. Hume, Julian Pender (25 June 2007). "Reappraisal of the parrots (Aves: Psittacidae) from
the Mascarene Islands, with comments on their ecology, morphology, and affinities".
Zootaxa (1513): 1–76.

5. Sinha, A.,Datta, A., Madhusudan, M. D. and Mishra, C. (2004). "The Arunachal macaque
Macaca munzala: a new species from western Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India".
International Journal of Primatology volume: 26 issue: 977 pages: 989

6. ICZN, OPINION 2253 (Case 3428) Palaemon rosenbergii De Man, 1879 (currently
Macrobrachium rosenbergii; Crustacea, Decapoda): usage conserved by designation of a
neotype, Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 258-60, 2010

7. Wowor, D.; Ng, P.K.L., 2007. The giant freshwater prawns of the Macrobrachium
rosenbergii species group (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae). The Raffles
Bulletin of Zoology 55(2): 321-336.

8. Ng, P. K. L., D. Wowor (2011) On the nomenclature of the palaemonid names Palaemon
spinipes Desmarest, 1817, Palaemon spinipes Schenkel, 1902 and Macrobrachium
wallacei Wowor & Ng, 2008 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea). Zootaxa, 2904: 66–68.

Taxonomy and Identication of Commercially Important Crustaceans of India