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Additional file 2

Nomenclature

(a) Proposed vernacular names for Bufo siculus n.sp.

English: Sicilian green toad, Italian: Rospo smeraldino siciliano, German: Sizilianische

Wechselkröte, French: crapaud vert de Sicile, Spanish: Sapo verde siciliano.

(b) Etymology

The Sicels (or Siculi) was one of the three tribes that originally inhabited Sicily and which gave

Sicily the name it has held since antiquity. The Greek word sikelos ['native of Sicily'] became

sicolos then siculus in Latin. We use siculus as a Latin adjective "siculus, -a, -um" = Sicilian, i.e.

from Sicily.

(c) On synonymy and appropriateness of the new name Bufo siculus

Camerano’s [96] taxonomic philosophy included the categories of species and subspecies (as

exemplified by the name: ”Rana esculenta Linn. subsp. lessonae var. nigro vittata”, p. 190) and

the hierarchical order and definitions of “variation”, “variety”, “subspecies” and “species” (op.

cit., p.191). Camerano (p. 233 [96]) expressly gave his green toad variety names infrasubspecific

rank (Art. 45.6.4. [97]), when he wrote: “In terms of the coloration, I believe one can establish the

following main varieties” [emphasis added] of green toads in Italy, of which he observed some

simultaneously in several regions of Italy (e.g., in Piedmont: var. crucigera and var. F. lessona).

Therefore, these unequivocally intrasubspecific entities maintain this rank (and cannot be deemed

subspecific, although published before 1961, Article 45.6.4. [97]). Camerano [96] not only quoted

but also coined himself two such infrasubspecific entities, concolor for green toads from

Piedmont, and maculata. On the latter he comments (transl. from Italian): “This variety is very

frequent in all Italian localities; sometimes some of the spots on the back join and look like they

give rise to longitudinal stripes (this fits some individuals from Modica - Sicily)”. The stated

occurrence all over Italy along with other such varieties reinforces its infrasubspecific status. In

any case, according to ICZN (Art. 52 [97]) the name maculata is also invalid for this taxon since

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