[Taxacom] Abbreviations/conventions in L. Agassiz' "Nomenclatoris Zoologici Index Universalis"

[Wolfgang Lorenz]

Dear Tony,
as to the publication date of Agassiz's 'Nomenclator Zoologicus', there is
a publication:

Bowley, D.R. & Smith, H.M. 1968 : The dates of publication of Louis
Agassiz's Nomenclator Zoologicus. - Journal of the Society of Natural
History, 5: 35-36.

I only have access to the first page of it, but what it tells me is that
Agassiz's work was published in 12 fascicles, where only the last
Fasciculus XII (the 'Index Universalis') was published in 1847. The
Coleoptera (Fasciculus XI), for example, were published in 1846.
In BHL you have access to the work with all its fascicles in multiple
pagination, I think:
E.g., Coleoptera start at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33663655
The 'Index Universalis' at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33664315

Emendations, which are available names (!), are in the 'Index Universalis'.
E.g. "Abarys" is proposed as an emendation ("Scr." = should be corrected
to?) for Abaris, but is not mentioned in the Coleoptera fascicle. So I
think this should be dated as: Abarys Agassiz 1847.

Best regards,
Wolfgang

----------------

Wolfgang Lorenz, Tutzing, Germany



2012/7/12 <Tony.Rees at csiro.au>

> Dear Taxacomers,
>
> I am trying to understand the abbreviations/conventions used in L.
> Agassiz' "Nomenclatoris Zoologici Index Universalis" (original 1846 edition
> viewable via
> http://books.google.com.au/books?id=AuIPAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcoveralthough scholars normally now ascribe the date to 1847) as compared with
> (say) equivalent names as reproduced in Neave's Nomenclator Zoologicus
> (online version available at http://uio.mbl.edu/NomenclatorZoologicus/).
> For example on the first page of names in the "Index", the third entry
> reads:
>
>   Abaris Dej. Col. 1831. (Scr. Abarys).
>
> (also quite a few others have variant spellings of this type, prefaced
> "Scr.")
>
> while the eleventh entry reads:
>
>   Abia -- (V. Habia Less.) Aves
>
> A little lower we then have:
>
>   Ablepharis Coct. Rept. 1836 (Scr. Ablepharus).
>   Ablepharus Fitz. Rept. 1824. (V. Ablepharis).
>
> (I have omitted some italicisation present in the original as it will not
> transmit via this list).
>
> I am presuming that the abbreviation "Scr." means "scriptus" i.e. written,
> and "V." means "vide" in other words "see".
>
> Many/most names are also prefixed with either open or closed small circles
> (similar to a degree symbol), the significance of which is explained in
> latin on p. vi of the Preface, but I cannot yet understand.
>
> Now when we check equivalent names in Neave's Nomenclator Zoologicus,
> "Abarys", for example is therein ascribed to Agassiz 1846 Nomen. Zool.
> Index Univ. with the note "(emend. pro Abaris Dejean 1831)", "Abia"
> similarly to Agassiz 1846 as "(emend. pro Ha- Vieillot 1817)", Ablepharis
> Cocteau 1832 as "(err. or emend. pro -rus Fitzinger 1823)", and Ablepharus
> simply as Fitzinger 1823.
>
> The reason for caring (at all) about these is that over 2,100 generic
> names in Neave are credited to Agassiz 1846, Nomen. Zool. Index Univ. as
> the authority, the vast majority as "emend. pro..." although from the above
> it would seem mostly that he was recording alternative spellings under
> "Scr." - or am I perhaps wrong here? In practical terms it does make a
> difference, since emendations (justified or unjustified) are considered
> available names and therefore enter homonymy, while simple errors (i.e.
> incorrect subsequent spellings not intended as new names) do not.
>
> (FYI the version of this work presently in BHL is the 1848 reprint which
> has entirely different pagination, just to confuse, although the text is
> otherwise essentially the same).
>
> Any advice / alternative readings appreciated,
>
> Regards - Tony
>
> Tony Rees
> Manager, Divisional Data Centre,
> CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research,
> GPO Box 1538,
> Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
> Ph: 0362 325318 (Int: +61 362 325318)
> Fax: 0362 325000 (Int: +61 362 325000)
> e-mail: Tony.Rees at csiro.au
> Manager, OBIS Australia regional node, http://www.obis.org.au/
> Biodiversity informatics research activities:
> http://www.cmar.csiro.au/datacentre/biodiversity.htm
> Personal info:
> http://www.fishbase.org/collaborators/collaboratorsummary.cfm?id=1566
> LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tony-rees/18/770/36
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Taxacom Mailing List
> Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
>
> The Taxacom archive going back to 1992 may be searched with either of
> these methods:
>
> (1) by visiting http://taxacom.markmail.org
>
> (2) a Google search specified as:  site:
> mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom  your search terms here
>