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.
marks the preferred name from each source.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)
| Name | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Physeter Linnaeus, 1758 | Preferred |
| Catodon Linnaeus, 1761 | Junior synonym |
| Meganeuron Gray 1865 | Junior synonym |
| Megistosaurus Anonymous in Harlan, 1828 | Junior synonym |
Paleobiology Database
| Name | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Physeter Linnaeus, 1758 | Preferred |
| Catodon Linnaeus, 1761 | Heterotypic synonym |
| Meganeuron Gray 1866 | Heterotypic synonym |
| Orthodon Rafinesque 1815 | Heterotypic synonym |
| Megistosaurus Godman 1827 | Heterotypic synonym |
| Cetus Billberg 1828 | Heterotypic synonym |
| Physalus Lacépède 1804 | Heterotypic synonym |
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