Iguana cordylina Laurenti 1768 , p 47

Crochet, Pierre-Andre, Lymberakis, Petros & Werner, Yehudah L., 2006, The type specimens of Laudakia stellio (Linnaeus) (Reptilia: Agamidae) and its subspecies, Journal of Natural History 40 (7 - 8), pp. 461-471 : 464-465

Iguana cordylina Laurenti 1768, p 47

Name bearing type (s)

The description is based on two specimens illustrated in Seba’s thesaurus (1734–65, Volume 1, Plate 107, Figures 1, 2). The specimen in Figure 1 is difficult to identify, but it is clearly not a Laudakia stellio , and probably does not even belong to Agamidae . In contrast, the specimen in Figure 2 is clearly a Laudakia stellio stellio , based on its general habitus and coloration, including a series of pale spots on the back and a yellowish head paler than the body. Since this name is widely cited in the synonymy of Laudakia stellio , and to stabilise its current position in the synonymy, we here designate as lectotype of Iguana cordylina Laurenti, 1768 the specimen illustrated in Seba (1734–65, Volume 1, Plate 107, Figure 2).

Type locality

Originally stated to be ‘‘America’’ (either a mistake or an incomplete type locality). There is no indication in Seba about the origin of the specimen in Plate 107, Figure 2, but the specimen is clearly identifiable as L. stellio stellio , and hence came from either Delos or Mykonos. Type locality thus restricted to Delos or Mykonos by present lectotype designation.

Proposed status

Subjective junior synonym of Laudakia stellio stellio ( Linnaeus, 1758) .

Remarks

The name Cordylus stellio appears in the same work ( Laurenti 1768, p 52) where it is not credited to Linnaeus, but is proposed for the specimen illustrated in Tournefort (1717). This name has not been listed in the synonymy of Laudakia stellio by subsequent authors, which indicates that they considered it as a new combination (chresonym) and not as a new name. This interpretation is certainly correct, as Laurenti clearly knew Linnaeus’ work. Other names (e.g. Rana esculenta ) appear without reference to Linnaeus in the first part of Laurenti’s book, but are credited to Linnaeus later in the book.