Une nouvelle classification provisoire de la superfamille des Ranoidea, et plus particulièrement de la famille des Ranidae et du genre Rana, est proposée. Le genre Rana est ici subdivisé, principalement sur la base de critères phénétiques, en trente-trois groupes, auxquels est ici provisoirement attribué le rang de sous-genres. Le but principal de cette classification provisoire, qui doit être comprise comme un outil de travail et non pas comme une proposition définitive, est de servir de guid e pour de futures études sur la phylogénie de cette famille très vaste et à répartition quasi cosmopolite : cette classification aidera à sélectionner des espèces représentatives de chaque groupe phénétique pou r l'étude des états de caractères, et à choisir les hors-groupes appropriés pour l'établissement de la polarité des morphoclines de caractères. Ce n'est que lorsque la phylogénie de la famille dans son ensembl e sera résolue qu'il sera possible d'élaborer une classification plus stable, qui s'avérera peut-être très différente de celle qui est présentée ci-dessous. Notes on the classification of Ranidae (Amphibia, Anura) Summary-A new provisional classification of the superfamily Ranoidea is proposed, with particular emphasis on the family Ranidae and on the genus Rana. The latter is here subdivided, mostly o n the basis of phenetic criteria, into thirty-three groups, which are here tentatively given the rank of subgenera. The major purpose of this tentative classification, which is to be understood as a working tool , not as a final proposai, is to serve as a guide for future studies on the phylogeny of this widely an d almost cosmopolitan family : it will help selecting representative species of each phenetic group for the study of characters' states and choosing appropriate outgroups for the establishment of the polarity o f characters' morphoclines. Only when the phylogeny of the whole family is resolved it will be possibl e to develop a more robust classification, which may prove very different from the one presented below .

Cross sections for charge transfer, neutralization and excitation in H-H and H- -H+ collisions are presented in the energy range 1-30 keV. The semiclassical close-coupling approach is used with a two-centre two-electron atomic state expansion and frozen total spin. All details of the two-centre atomic state expansion scheme are given. The basis is expanded onto the bound state of H- and the two-centre H(1s)-H(nlm ) states, where n covers the K, L and M shells. A good agreement with experiments is achieved for charge transfer, neutralization and excitation to H(2s) in H-H collisions. Disagreement with previously published close-coupling calculations and experimental data is noted, especially for two-electron charge transfer in H- -H+ .

Several proposals have recently been published regarding the possible incorporation of nomenclature of higher taxa (class-series nomina) into the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Some basic questions related to this problem are discussed here. Introducing standard endings for the nomina of these taxa would probably be a kind of hara-kiri for LinnaeanStricklandian nomenclature of higher taxa: it would upset nomenclatural stability by introducing many new nomina and abandoning most of the nomina that have been in constant use in zoology for a long time to other nomenclatural systems alternative to the Code. Nomina of higher taxa should rather all belong in a single nominal-series, the class-series. They should not be submitted to a Rule of Coordination (except for identical taxa of different ranks), and their allocation to taxa should not be made through extensional or intensional definitions, but through ostension with a special system combining onomatophores (the conucleogenera) and onomatostases (the alienogenera). This system provides clear, unambiguous, stringent and universal Rules for the nomination of higher taxa in the future, compatible with all taxonomic systems including “phylogenetic” ones, while respecting the freedom of taxonomic thought and actions, as well as the tradition long attached to nomina of higher taxa in zoology.

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Rhacophorid treefrogs have different reproductive modes: some go through a tadpole stage and some have direct development, and the adults of some species produce foam nests. Philautus is the only genus characterized by direct development. The production of foam nests has been reported in the genera Polypedates, Rhacophorus, Chiromantis and Chirixalus. Recent molecular studies did not provide a robust hypothesis concerning the origin of these reproductive modes in the Rhacophoridae. In order to better understand the evolution of these reproductive modes, we tried to clarify relationships within this group, using DNA sequencing. Our data set consists in a large number of new sequences (1676 base pairs corresponding to threee genes) for five outgroup ranoids and 48 Rhacophoridae, including 16 undescribed species from Sri Lanka and southern India, and all homologous data available in Genbank. After the inclusion of Philautus from India, our data show that the separation of Philautus into clades does not coincide with their geographic distribution. Our data point to the existence of a clade, including the genera Rhacophorus, Polypedates, Chiromantis and Chirixalus, which confirms the results of Wilkinson et al. (2002) and suggests that the ability to produce foam nests has emerged only once in the Rhacophoridae, as already stated by these authors.

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