Nawaran Esquerré et al., 2020 is an invalid junior synonym of Nyctophilopython Wells & Wellington, 1985 (Squamata, Pythonidae): simple priority without Zoobank pre-registration

In their careful analysis of python phylogeny and evolution, Esquerré et al. (2020) proposed the new genus-series nomen Nawaran for the Oenpelli python, Simalia oenpelliensis (Gow, 1977). However, Nawaran is a junior synonym of Nyctophilopython Wells & Wellington, 1985, a name that was validly, though controversially, published in compliance with the Code. Furthermore, while the nomen Nawaran initially appeared in an “early view” of the article on or about 21 May 2020, it was not registered on Zoobank until 23 September 2020 and did not become available for the purposes of zoological nomenclature until 30 November 2020, the date of the printed publication according to Article 21.3 of the Code. Complications for nomenclature resulting from “pre-publications” and lapses with Zoobank registration are not uncommon, and we urge taxonomists considering the erection of new nomina to give careful attention to the nomenclatural rules of the Code.