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How to K?iow American Seashells 87
for many years, and its subsequent discovery will "knock out" one which
has been in use for a long time. Thus about thirty years ago the whelk
genus Fiilgur Lamarck 1799 was abandoned for Busycojt Roding 1798. The
same fate may be met by well-known species. Thus Busy con pyruin Dillwyn
1817 now becomes B. spirata Lamarck 181 6. It is believed that "rock bottom"
will be reached some day, so that few, if any, further changes will
occur. Nevertheless, it is with considerable regret that I change a number
of familiar names in this book.
Occasionally, certain names are conserved or "frozen" by the Commission
if they are well-established and are in danger of being replaced by
an earlier but obscurely known name. The following marine genera of
mollusks are on the conserved list: Aplysia, Area, Argonauta, Buccinum,
Bulla, Calyptraea, Cohnnbella, Dentalhnn, Mactra, Modiolus, Mya, Alytihis,
Neritina, Ostrea, Sepia, Spirula, Teredo. Many others, including very
familiar species names, need to be added to this list. There are many tech-
nical refinements to nomenclature, and those interested in such matters are
referred to Procedure in Taxonomy by Schenk and McMasters (Stanford
University Press).
Pronunciatioji of scientific names. There is no official pronunciation
established for names, and for certain words it may vary from one county
to another. Many pronunciations not based on classical rules have become
established and passed on from generation to generation. A few examples,
classical or not, are given below:
Oliva (all-eeva), EuJima (you-lee-mah), Chiton (kite-on), Chama
(kam-ah), Chione (kigh-own-ee), Cypraea (sip-ree-ah), Cyphoma (sigh-
fo-mah), versicolor (ver-sik-o-lor said quickly). Busy con (boos-eekon),
]anthina (yan-theena), Xenophora (zen-off-fora), gigas (rhymes with "jibe
gas": )i-gas), conch (konk), radula (rad-you-lah), operciihim (oh-perk-
you-lum), smithi (smith-eye), ruthae (rooth-ee). The pronunciations of
some of the authors are: Linne (lin-ay) or sometimes Linnaeus (lin-ee-us),
Gould (goold), Deshayes (desh-ayz), Orbigny (or-bee-nee), Gmelin (mellan),
Bruguiere (broo-gui-air), Kiener (keen-er), Mighels (my-els), Cou-
thouy (koo-thoo-ee).
Cominon abbreviations of names of ivell-known authors. Although
most popular and scientific books spell in full the names of authors of sci-
entific designations, a large number of articles and most museum labels bear
only abbreviations. For this reason, a short list of frequently seen examples
is included:
A. Ads.—A. Adams B. and S.—Broderip and Sowerby
A. and H.—Alder and Hancock Brod.—Broderip
Ag.—Aguayo Brug.—Bruguiere
Btsch.—Bartsch C. B. Ad.—C. B. Adams