Correction of the species name of Tertiary mammal from Motnik in Slovenia

In the paper the erroneous attribution of species name for a Tertiary mammal from Motnik is discussed. Heissig (1990) 15 year ago incorrectly named it after Slavonia Anthracohyus slavonicus, instead of correctly after Slovenia Anthracohyus slovenicus.


Correction of the species name of Tertiary mammal from Motnik in Slovenia Introduction
For a longer time we have been collecting data on vertebrate finds from Tertiary beds in Slovenia with special attention to mammal remains. Within the examined literature we came across a contribution by H e i ss i g (1990) who described a new mammal species from Motnik, and J u r k o v { e k & K o l a r -J u r k o v { e k (1994) work providing a thorough review of fossil tortoise finds in Slovenia. The last authors between the lines also called attention to errors in attributing names to species, and to alienation of natural heritage from our country.

Problem and correction
We read the contribution of honorable colleague prof.  1).
In explanation on origin of the species name H e i s s i g (1990, 58) wrote: »Derivatio nominis: Slawonien = älterer Name für Slo- wenien (Slavonia = older name for Slovenia)«. The name »Slawonien« never was an old name for Slovenia, but an old and still valid name for the historic province of Slavonia which is situated in the eastern part of Croatia. We would expect from a scientist who appoints new specific names, and derives them after certain country or its province, to consult in advance someone from the country of origin of the fossil remains. By acting in this way, such inadmissible errors would not happen.
The mentioned find, the purchase of the fossil specimen from Motnik and incorrect naming of species after Slavonia instead of Slovenia were first considered by J u r k o v -{ e k & K o l a r -J u r k o v { e k (1994, 83).
As since then 11 years passed, and 15 years since the publication of new species from Motnik, and no correction in the Bavarian journal appeared, it is time that this error becomes finally corrected. We therefore correct the misleading specific name and propose for the described fossil teeth from Motnik (figure 1) the new corrected, and appropriate species name »slovenicus«, consequently Ant-Ant-Ant-Ant-Anthracohyus hracohyus hracohyus hracohyus hracohyus slovenicus slovenicus slovenicus slovenicus slovenicus nom. emend. We are very grateful to Dr. Kurt Heissig for determining a new form of fossil mammal in an area of our country. We also appreciate his establishing an other affiliation of the species Meninatherium telleri Abel from Motnik, namely to genus Prohyracodon, that belongs to family Hyracodontidae, and not to family Rhinocerotidae.