Dear Bill,
I don't have the original iconography (Sowerby, George Brettingham II,
!832-1841. The conchological illustrations. London, Sowerby) which
included the "indication for this species (pl. 190, fig. 77). This work
was a bibliographical complexity, but the species in question was "Murex
sauliae Sowerby, 1840" according to Reeve, 1845 (Conchologia Iconica 3
Monograph of the genus Murex pl. 8, species 30, May). I think this is the
earliest citation of Sowerby's species. Whether Reeve EMENDED the trivial
name from "saulii" to "sauliae" or erred in his termination is not clear.
In any event, revisionists have no veto over original orthography unless it
was clear from the ORIGINAL text that the name was to honor Miss Saul vs.
some male with the same surname, which sounds somewhat unlikely, for
reasons which include Dance, (S. P., 1986, A history of shell collecting.
Brill-Backhuys, Leiden, pp. 1-265 + xv.) who described G. B. II as a
"shocking latinist."
We need (as Gijs stated) the original Sowerby passage, but my bets are on
"Chicoreus sauliae (G. B. Sowerby, 1841)."
As far as the interposed "i" - it was customary to take a name (like maiden
Jane Saul's surname) and Latinize it to "Saulia," then decline it in the
genitive - the product of this justifiable process is "sauliae;" and thus
it may stand. We won't know until we see what Sowerby wrote 159 years ago.
Harry
At 11:28 AM 1/27/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Murex saulii was named for Jane Saul (1807-1895), famous for her
>collection of rare cowries and cones; collection in Univ.
>Museum of Cambridge) and thus it should have thusly been sauliae.
>
>Bill Frank
>1865 Debutante Dr.
>Jacksonville, Florida 32246
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Harry G. Lee
Suite 500
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Jacksonville, FL 32204
USA 904-384-6419
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