First woman to name taxa

[Gary Rosenberg]

Earle Spamer asked me to post this query to TAXACOM:

Miss Etheldred Benett (1775-1846) of Wiltshire, England, published two catalogues of fossils in 1831 in which she named an ammonite, a gastropod, four bivalves, and 20 sponges, including two new genera.

Does anyone know of an EARLIER woman naturalist who formally published new taxa, fossil OR modern?  And if so, kindly supply the citation.

Benett, E.  1831a.  A catalogue of Wiltshire fossils.  In: R. C. Hoare, The modern history of South Wiltshire, v. 3, pt. 2.  J Bowyer Nichols and John Gough Nichols, London, pp. 117-126.

Benett, E.  1831b.  A catalogue of the organic remains of the County of Wilts.  J. L. Vardy, Warminster, iv, 9 pp., 18 pls.  [Available for taxonomic nomenclature; ICZN Op. 1609.]


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EARLE E. SPAMER
    Collection Manager, Department of Botany
    Collection Manager, Diatom Herbarium
    Managing Editor, Scientific Publications

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Gary Rosenberg, Ph.D.                  rosenberg at acnatsci.org
Academy of Natural Sciences            http://www.acnatsci.org
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Philadelphia, PA 19103-1195 USA        Fax   215-299-1170