While compiling a catalog of the Annulariidae, I came upon the name
Cyclostoma honestum Poey, 1861. Because I am trying to give the etymology
for all 1600+ names, this one stumped me. "Honestum" means "modest." ???
Then I translated Poey's description. He named it that because "it demurely
covers its umbilicus." This turned out to be related to another stumper,
his Cyclostoma procax Poey, 1851 - "procax" means "unashamed," and sure
enough he had named it thus because "it openly displays its naked
bellybutton." The times they have a-changed.


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 G Thomas Watters
 Ohio Biological Survey &
 Aquatic Ecology Laboratory
 Ohio State University
 1315 Kinnear Road
 Columbus, OH 43212 USA
 v: 614-292-6170  f: 614-292-0181
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"The world is my oyster except for months with an 'R' in them" - Firesign
Theater

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he
has to buy a license" - GTW