Sometimes taxonomists create new names for groups that already have a name. They may do this because they are unaware of the original name, or they may think the organism before them belongs to a different group when in fact it does not. If two or more names are found to apply to the same group, they are considered synonyms. In most cases, the first name takes priority and is considered to be the valid or accepted name. However, there can be exceptions, and it's not always easy to determine which of a series of synonyms should be considered valid or accepted. Here we list the synonyms provided to EOL by our classification partners. We also include other versions of the name that most likely refer to the same group, for example, misspellings in the literature or different variations of the authorship associated with the name.

Preferred marks the preferred name from each source.

World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)

Name Relationship
Mesoplodon layardii (Gray, 1865) Preferred
Dolichodon layardii Gray, 1871 Synonym
Mesoplodon floweri Haast, 1876 Synonym
Mesoplodon guentheri Krefft, 1871 Synonym
Mesoplodon layardi Flower, 1878 Synonym
Mesoplodon longirostris Gray, 1873 Synonym
Mesoplodon thomsoni Ogilby, 1892 Synonym
Ziphius layardii Gray, 1865 Basionym

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Name Relationship
Mesoplodon layardii (Gray, 1865) Preferred
Mesoplodon floweri von Haast, 1876 Junior synonym
Mesoplodon longirostris Gray, 1873 Junior synonym
Mesoplodon thomsoni Ogilby, 1892 Other, see comments
Ziphius layardii Gray, 1865 Original name/combination
Mesoplodon guntheri Krefft, 1871 Junior synonym

Paleobiology Database

Name Relationship
Mesoplodon layardii (Gray, 1865) Preferred
Mesoplodon (Dolichodon) layardi (Gray 1865) Valid
Mesoplodon layardi (Gray, 1865) Valid
Dolichodon layardii (Gray, 1865) Valid
Ziphius layardii Gray, 1865 Valid
Mesoplodon longirostris Gray, 1873 Heterotypic synonym
Mesoplodon guntheri Krefft, 1871 Heterotypic synonym

South African Vertebrates

Name Relationship
Mesoplodon layardii (Gray, 1865) Preferred
Phatages hedenborgii Fitzinger, 1872 Synonym
Mesoplodon thomsoni Ogilby, 1892 Synonym
Mesoplodon guntheri Krefft, 1871 Synonym
Mesoplodon floweri von Haast, 1876 Synonym
Ziphius layardii Gray, 1865 Synonym
Mesoplodon longirostris Gray, 1873 Synonym

Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: April 2013

Name Relationship
Mesoplodon layardii (Gray, 1865) Preferred
Mesoplodon floweri von Haast, 1876 Synonym
Mesoplodon longirostris Gray, 1873 Synonym
Mesoplodon thomsoni Ogilby, 1892 Synonym
Ziphius layardii Gray, 1865 Synonym
Mesoplodon guntheri Krefft, 1871 Synonym

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