 Reference Base  Notes on the type specimen of Rhinoceros lasiotis Sclater... |
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Thomas, O., 1901. Notes on the type specimen of Rhinoceros lasiotis Sclater, with remarks on the generic position of the living species of rhinoceros. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1901 June 4: 154-158
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World |
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Taxonomy |
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All Rhino Species |
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Paper by Prof. Osborn on the 'Phylogeny of the Rhinoceroses of Europe'. [* Bull. Amer. Mus. N. H. xiii. p. 229 (1900).] In this paper no less than six groups of the family are recognized, distinguished mainly by the characters of the skull, those of the teeth being considered to be of less phylogenetic value. Of these six groups, which are treated by the author as subfamilies, three are still existent, the 'Ceratorhinae' (sumatrensis), the 'Atelodinae' (simus and bicornis), and the 'Rhinocerotinae' (unicornis and sondaicus), groups which were also recognized by Flower as genera in his paper of 1876.
Now if there is to be any sort of uniformity in the value of genera as recognized among Mammals, it appears to me impossible to continue to include such essentially different animals in one genus Rhinoceros. Flower came to this conclusion in 1876, athough he did not carry it out in his later works ; and now that Osborn arrives at a like opinion from the palaeontological side, I venture to think the generic groups should be accepted for ordinary use.
But in so doing it would be advisable to start with the names for them which have technical priority, so that no name-changing may hereafter become necessary. Both Atelodus and Ceratorhinus, used by Flower and Osborn, are antedated by earlier names, as the following synonymy will show:
I. Rhinoceros. Type.
Rhinoceros, Linn. Syst. Nat. (10) i. p. 56 (1758). R. unicornis.
Eurhinoceros, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 1009 R. unicornis.
One-horned. Occipital plane much slanted forward. Meatus closed in below by the junction of the post-tympanic and post-glenoid processes. Functional incisors present above, and canines below. 1. Rhinoceros unicornis L.; 2. R. sondaicus Desm. Mamm. 5. p. 399 (1822).
II. Dicerorhinus.
Dicerorhinus, Gloger, Naturg. p. 125 (1841) D. sumatrensis.
Ceratorhinus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 1021 D. sumatrensis
Two-horned. An open groove below the meatus. Incisors and canines as in Rhinoceros. 1. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis G. Cuv.; 1a. D. sumatrensis lasiotis Sclater.
III. Diceros.
Diceros, Gray, Med. Repos. xv. p. 306 (1821) D. bicornis.
Coelodonta, Bronn, Jahrb. Min. Geol. 1831, p. 51 D. antiquitatis.
Opsiceros, Gloger, Naturg. p. 125 (1841) D. bicornis.
Atelodus, Pomel, Ann. Sci. Auvergne, xxvi.p. 114 (1853) D. bicornis.
Rhinaster Gerrard, Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p.282 (1862) D. bicornis.
Keitloa, Gray, t. c. p. 1025 D.bicornis
Ceratotherium, id. T. c. p. 1027 D.simus
Two-horned. Occipital plane slanted backward. Auditory region as in Dicerorhinus. Incisors and canines rudimentary or absent. 1. D. bicornis Linn.; 2.D. simus Burch.
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