Homalodotheriidae and Homalodotherium: Comments on an Old Nomenclatural Conflict

Abstract

Thomas H. Huxley (1870) mentioned as Homalodotherium some fossils sent to him by Dr. Robert O. Cunningham, and sent these remains to William H. Flower to be described. Flower presented at the same time at the Royal Society of London (reception May 30, and presentation June 19, 1873) a short abstract (Flower, 1873) and a full description (Flower, 1874), which were, however, published with different date, being the abstract previous to the complete work. This fact gave place to subsequent nomenclatural changes because the author used a different generic name in the paper published in 1874, Homalodontotherium instead of Homalodotherium. Besides, Flower’s complete work is often referred to 1873 due to the date of presentation, but it was published in 1874. The abstract included a general comparison of the fossil, and the taxonomic name Homalodotherium cunninghami appears in the title.