ancient hairy tick found in New Jersey

[Thomas Lammers]

At 11:32 PM 4/9/01 -0600, Robin Leech wrote:

>but I question the specific epithet of
>"jerseyi".  This particular form means that it was named after a MAN named
>"Jersey".  In its present form, it is not an noun in aposition, and it is
>not named after the region of New Jersey (jerseyensis).

First, there is precedent at least in botany for using the genitive
(possessive) for a locality (e.g., Clermontia kohalae "of Kohala") instead
of an adjectival form (e.g., Cercis canadensis "Canadian").  Not sure about
the ICZN, but the ICBN allows specific epithets to be coined in most any
fashion, even arbitrarily (Art. 23.2), as long as they are treated as Latin
(Principle V).

On the other hand, "jersey" is not very good Latin.  The Channel Island
from which the American state took its name was known to the Romans as
"Insula Caesarea" or later "Jersea".  A proper epithet would have perhaps
been "novojerseensis" -- which few would recognize as having much to do
wit' Nu Joisey.   At least they didn't call it "newjerseyi".




Thomas G. Lammers, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor and Curator of the Herbarium (OSH)
Department of Biology and Microbiology
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901-8640 USA

e-mail:       lammers at uwosh.edu
phone:      920-424-1002
fax:           920-424-1101

Plant systematics; classification, nomenclature, evolution, and
biogeography of the Campanulaceae s. lat.
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"Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that stood his ground."
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