Speaking of Linnaeus ....number of species described?

[Paul van Rijckevorsel]

I found the likely source for the 7700 plant species and 4400 animal species
on the dustcover of  The_compleat_naturalist.

It is the Linnean Society of London:

http://www.linnean.org/html/history/linnaeus_biography.htm

It seem eminently likely that a publisher should turn to them for the text
on the dust cover of the book describing the life and times of their hero.
Anybody not believing in these numbers had better take it up with the
Linnean Society ...

Paul van Rijckevorsel
Utrecht, NL