Elapsoidea

[Colin McCarthy]

>From: (Colin McCarthy) <cjm at mailserver.nhm.ac.uk>
>Message-Id: <43202.cjm at mailserver.nhm.ac.uk>
>To: BURDET at CJB.UNIGE
>Cc: irb
>Subject: Re: Forwarded message...
>
>Dear Herve
>"Elapsoidea" was coined by Bocage 1866 and you are clearly correct in
>identifying Elaps as the root. However I am not sure that there is
>agreement about the translation of Elaps. For example Gotch, A.F. 1986
>'Reptiles their latin names explained' Blandford p.140 thinks "Elops (Gr)
>mute, the mute one, name of a type of fish also a type of serpent, giving
>rise to elaps (New L) a serpent".
>Incidentally Elaps is no longer a recognised genus of snake but
> -elap(s)- is incorporated within many snake generic names and of course
>the family Elapidae (Cobras, coral snakes, mambas etc.).
>I hope this helps
>Colin McCarthy
>Department of Zoology,
>The Natural History Museum,
>Cromwell Road,
>LONDON SW7 5BD
>
>
>

>>Tue, 26 Sep 1995 10:37:25 +020
>>To: Multiple recipients of list TAXACOM <TAXACOM at CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU>
>Subject: elapsoidea
>>
>>Dear taxacom colleagues,
>>
>>Beeing a botanist, my taxonomic knowledge of snakes is rather shaky at best.
>>But I need to be informed on the exact ethymology of the name "elapsoidea". The
>>name obviously derives from the greek "elaps" or "elaphis" which refers to the
>>mythological snake "elaps", speedy as a deer. Is this ethymology correct or is
>>there another philologic derivation to explain the name? With many thanks,
>>
>>                                                Herve.
>>----- forwarded message ends here -----
>
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