The nomenclature and taxonomy of Eriocheir formosa Chan, Hung & Yu, 1995 (Brachyura, Varunidae) from Taiwan: a rebuttal to Tang et al. (2003, 2004)

Abstract

Tang et al. (2003, 2004) recently proposed a “neotype” for the commercially important Taiwanesemitten crab,Eriocheir rectaStimpson, 1858, making it a senior synonym ofE. formosaChan,Hung & Yu, 1995. They also argued that the species was not a Taiwanese endemic on the basisof their discovery of a single specimen from southern China. This action is unnecessary as aneotype had already been validly designated forEriocheir rectaStimpson, 1858, by Chan et al.(1995), which makes this name a junior synonym ofE. japonica(De Haan, 1835). In addition, weprovide arguments and evidence to show that their proposed synonymy ofE. rectaandE. formosaisunjustified; and that their specimen had probably been mislabelled.