Bulletin ofZoological Nomenclature 58(3) September 2001 243 OPINION 1983 (Case 3134) Rana cryptotis Boulenger, 1907 (currently Tomoptevna cryptotis; Amphibia, Anura): specific name given precedence over that of Chiromantis kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900 Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Amphibia; Anura; ranidae; Chiromantis kachowskii; Tomopterna cryptotis; burrowing frogs; sand frogs; Africa. Ruling (1) Under the plenary power the name cryptotis Boulenger, 1907, as published in the binomen Rana cryptotis, is hereby given precedence over the name kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900, as published in the binomen Chiromantis kachowskii, whenever the two are considered to be synonyms. (2) The following names are hereby placed on the Official List of Specific Names in Zoology: (a) cryptotisBoulenger, 1907, as publishedin thebinomen Ranacryptotis, with the endorsement that it is to be given precedence over the namekachowskii Nikolsky, 1900, as published in the binomen Chiromantis kachowskii, whenever the two names are considered to be synonyms; (b) kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900, as published in the binomen Chiromantis kachowskii, with the endorsement that itis not to be given priority over the name cryptotis Boulenger, 1907, as published in the binomen Rana cryptotis, whenever the two names are considered to be synonyms. History of Case 3134 An application for the conservation of the specific name of Rana cryptotis Boulenger, 1907 by giving it precedence over that of Chiromantis kachowskii Nikolsky, 1900when thetwo aretreatedas synonymswas receivedfromDr Malcolm J. Largen {Liverpool Museum, Liverpool, U.K.) and Dr Leo J. Borkin (Zoological Institute, Russian Academy ofSciences, St Petersburg, Russia) on 26 February 1999. Aftercorrespondencethecasewas publishedin BZN57: 32-35 (March 2000). Notice ofthe case was sent to appropriatejournals. Decision ofthe Commission On 1 March 2001 the members of the Commission were invited to vote on the proposals published in BZN 57: 34. At the close ofthe voting period on 1 June 2001 the votes were as foll—ows: Affirmative votes 18: Alonso-Zarazaga, Bock, Brothers, Calder, Cogger, Eschmeyer, Kerzhner, Kraus, Macpherson, Mahnert, Martins de Souza, Mawatari, Minelli, Nielsen, P—app, Patterson, Rosenberg, Stys Negative votes 3: Bouchet, Lamas and Ng. No votes were received from Dupuis and Song. Ng commented: 'A change ofname from Tomopterna cryptotis (Boulenger, 1907) to T. kachowskii (Nikolsky, 1900) would not appear to have a major impact on 244 Bulletin ofZoological Nomenclature 58(3) September2001 non-taxonomists so I am reluctant to set aside priority in this case. Also, since there is every chance that this is a species-group which includes at least one or two cryptic species and both names may be needed (para. 6 of the application), a Commission ruling seems superfluous'. Original references ThefollowingaretheoriginalreferencestothenamesplacedonanOfficial Listbytheruling given in the present Opinion: cryptotis, Rana, Boulenger, 1907, Annals andMagazine ofNatural History, (7)20: 109. kachowskii, Chiromantis, Nikolsky, 1900, Annuaire du Musee Zoologique de YAcademie Imperiale des Sciences de St Petersbourg, 5(1-2): 246. [In Russian and Latin].