Based on a review of the data, use of the term 'cypridinid' solves the Cypridina/Vargula dilemma for naming the constituents of the luminescent system of ostracods in the family Cypridinidae.
The luciferin of the ostracod Vargula hilgendorfii (formerly Cypridina hilgendorfii) is often termed Cypridina luciferin in the scientific literature, but, to avoid ambiguity and based on a review of the literature, is best referred to by the more inclusive term cypridinid luciferin. This situation exemplifies how new knowledge in systematics and the resulting nomenclatural changes can result in evolutionary insights. Similar solutions can probably be applied to other taxonomic dilemmas.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. jgm18@cornell.edu
James G
JG
Morin
D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D017691:Caribbean Region; D003445:Crustacea / Q000145:classification*; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000145:classification*; D049449:Luminescence; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013045:Species Specificity; D009626:Terminology as Topic