Hi all

I am trying to locate a shell of Pyganodon (= Anodonta) fragilis 
(Lamarck 1819) that was collected in Newfoundland by Bachelot de la 
Pylaie and given to Isaac Lea, in Paris, in 1832, by Baron Férussac 
(see: Lea (1837: 93; Anon 1887) - please find these references at the 
end of this post).

I have already canvassed USNM, MCZ, ANSP, AMNH, INHS, and UIUC, but 
without success.

Lamarck's TYPE series of Anodonta fragilis, consisting of three valves 
(all collected in Newfoundland by Bachelot de la Pylaie in the same 
year), is held in the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva.

Two additional valves, from Bachelot's same original Newfoundland 
collection, are held in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris.

And then, there is the "lost shell" (one valve or two?) given to Isaac 
Lea by Baron Férussac in 1832.

It seems possible that Lea (or some later worker) placed the 
Newfoundland shell in question in a taxon other than "Anodonta fragilis" 
(possibly "marginata")? There is some confusion in the literature on 
this point.

[Thus, the key words employed to look for Lea's Newfoundland Anodonta 
fragilis collection should probably include "Anodonta", "Lea", 
"Férussac", "Bachelot de la Pylaie" [there are several (published) 
spelling variants and combinations of this name], "Newfoundland", and 
"Terre-Neuve" [the French for "Newfoundland".]

If anyone can tell me where the above described "Isaac Lea shell" 
presently resides (if, indeed, it still survives), I would be very 
interested in hearing from you.

References:

Anon. 1887. Sketch of Isaac Lea. Popular Science Monthly. July 1887: 
404-411.

Lea, I. 1837. Observations on the Naïiades; and descriptions of new 
species of that, and other Families. Read before the American 
Philosophical Society, March 16, 1832. Transactions of the American 
Philosophical Society 5 – New Series: 23-119. [specifically, the section 
entitled “Observations on Lamarck’s Naides”, pp. 86-94]

Thanks in advance.

John E. Maunder
Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

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