Early botanical records from the West Indies, particularly Barbados: Ligon (1657) to Lord Seaforth (1806)

Little-known sea captains and explorers between 1625 and 1700 obtained from Barbados specimens lor the botanical cabinets of Petiver and Plukenet, and plants to be grown at Hampton Court, Chelsea and Eltham, and by W. Sherard. Sir Hans Sloane also visited Barbados in 1687 and later acquired the earlier specimens now included in the Sloane Herbarium at the British Museum (Natural History). For many of the Barbados plants mentioned in the publications of Plukenet and Sloane, identifications are supplied from a study of the polynomials, common names, illustrations, and specimens available. Such records are often needed for the typification of Linnaean binomials and a iurther search is suggested.
A drawing by G. D. Ehret in Hughes' Natural History of Barbados (1750) may represent the first illustration ol the grapefruit ( Citrusparadisi Mad.).
Francis Mackenzie Humberston, Lord Seaforth, was the governor of Barbados 1800–1806, and responsible for the introduction of living plants to the gardens of England. Many are illustrated in early numbers of Curtis' Botanical Magazine and Andrews' The Botanists Repository.     

The species of Hymenoptera described by Linnaeus in the genera Sphex, Chrysis, Vespa, Apis and Mutilla

Data are presented on the type-material representing the species described by Linnaeus in his genera Sphex, Chrysis, Vespa, Apis and Mutilla , The names here considered total 158; six are currently applied in the Hymenoptera Parasitica. Of the balance of 147, three are emendations and five are unavailable homonyms or names proposed in the synonymy of other species. Fifteen Linnaean names are here placed as synonyms. One name is attributed to an author other than Linnaeus, and live names remain species incertae sedis. The remainder, 118, are applied as valid names in die Hymenoptera Aculeata. Holotype specimens in London, Uppsala or Stockholm represent 60 names; 55 names are based on lectotype specimens of which 49 are here designated, two by other authors. One name is represented by a neotype specimen in Lund, and one by a lectotype figure. One non-aculeate species is based on syntypes. Specimens appear to be lost with respect to 25 names; three specimens in Uppsala may be the holotypes of a further three species.
Eight new combinations are made, and twelve new synonyms established; three further new combinations and three further new synonymies are suggested. A systematically arranged summary of species treated and of nomenclatural changes made is given. Nomenclatural changes affecting non-Linnaean names are included where relevant; lectotypes are designated for two non-Linnaean species.     

The Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) described by Linnaeus

Linnaeus described 166 nominal species of Noctuoidea, of which 144 (86.7%) are currently used as valid names, 18 are synonyms, one is a homonym and three taxa remain unknown. Seven taxa were described solely from illustrations in contemporary literature. Lectotypes are designated for 139 (87.4%) of the 159 remaining taxa, 122 of them from the Linnaean collection in London, 13 from the Queen Ludovica Ulrica's collection in Uppsala, Sweden, and four from other contemporary collections. Two Linnaean senior synonyms are introduced: Hada plebeja comb. nov. (Linnaeus, 1761) for the current H. nana (Hufnagel, 1766) and Oeonistis altica (Linnaeus, 1768) comb. nov. for Oe. entella (Cramer, 1779). Erebus occiduus (Linnaeus, 1758) syn. nov. is a junior subjective synonym of E. crepuscularis (Linnaeus, 1758); L. marmorides (Cramer, 1775) Stat. rev. should be reinstated for Letis occidua auct. In two species pairs the Linnaean names have been interpreted incorrectly. The lectotype designation of Phalaena prasinana Linnaeus, 1758, by Lempke (1947) is invalid because the specimen is not syntypic. According to the new lectotype, Pseudoips prasinanus (Linnaeus, 1758) comb. nov. replaces P. faganus (Fabricius, 1781), and Bena bicolorana (Fuessly, 1775) comb. nov. is available for the other species. Abrostola triplasia (Linnaeus, 1758) Stat. rev. replaces A. trigemina (Werneburg, 1864), and for the other species A. triparlila (Hufnagel, 1766) should be reinstated. One neotype designation [Eilema complanum (Linnaeus, 1758)], one lectotype designation [Xylena exsolela (Linnaeus, 1758)], and precedence of a junior synonym [Ophideres fullonia (Clerck, 1764)] over its unused senior synonym are to be referred to the ICZN; until their decision the current usage must be followed. The identity of Mesapamea secalis (Linnaeus, 1758) stat. rev. corresponds to current usage, but, under presence of syntypic material, the recent neotype designation by Lempke (1988) will be referred to the ICZN. The revision is mainly based on the discovery that the insect pins and the way specimens are prepared give evidence of the authenticity of the material. Contrary to the views of earlier authors, Linnaeus had his labels with the specific name pinned against the bottom of the drawers by the specimen pin. Because the labels have been moved twice during subsequent curations, their present position is less indicative of the authenticity than has been previously suggested. The origin of the so-called n-labels is discussed.     

Typification of the Linnean species of Saxifraga

WEBB, D. A., 1987. Typification of the Linnean species of Saxifraga. Types (mainly lectotypes) arc assigned to all the species of Saxifraga described by Linnaeus. There are 38 names in all, of which one is now assigned to Bergenia, one is known to be a hybrid, three have been rejected in the past as nomina ambigua, one was later reduced to synonymy by Linnaeus himself, while 32 are accepted as valid species today. Three have been previously typified by Pugsley, one by Steam and one by the author; for the others the types are newly proposed here. Nineteen names are typified from the Linnean herbarium in London (LINN), three from the Linnean herbarium in Stockholm (S), seven from the Burser herbarium at Uppsala (UPS), one from the Tournefort herbarium in Paris (P), and eight from illustrations cited by Linnaeus in synonymy. Lists are appended of all specimens of the genus in the Linnean herbaria in London and Stockholm and the Burser herbarium at Uppsala, and a determination is given for each specimen, though in some cases these can only be tentative. The specimens include 15 species which Linnaeus did not describe, though in the case of five he probably regarded them as varieties.     

Sir Hans Sloane's ‘Collection of Vegetables and Vegetable Substances’

Summary

The collection of ‘vegetables and vegetable substances’ accumulated by Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753), and now in the Department of Botany, The Natural History Museum, London, is briefly described.     

Type Specimens and identity of the described species of Conus II. The species described by Solander, Chemnitz, Born, and Lightfoot between 1766 and 1786

Twenty-three species of Conus were described by authors other than Linnaeus between 1766 and 1786. Of these, 3 are Eocene species from England described by Solander in Brander (1766), and the remainder are Recent. Chemnitz (1777) described one valid species. Of the 10 species described by Born (1778), 7 are valid, 2 are junior synonyms of Linnaean species, and 1 is a nomen dubium. Solander in [Lightfoot] (1786) described 5 species, of which 3 are valid and 2 are junior synonyms of Linnaean species. Lightfoot (1786) described 4 species, of which 1 is valid and 3 are junior synonyms of Linnaean species.
Holotypes of 7 species and lectotypes of 3 species exist, and representatives of lecto-types of 10 species have been selected. All of these types are illustrated photographically.
Between 1758 and 1786, 60 species of Conus were described, of which 45 are now considered valid. Of these, 42 are Recent.     

The orthopteroid insects described by Linnaeus,with notes on the Linnaean collection

A list is given of the recently recurated Orthoptera s.l. held by the Linnean Society of London. The status of specimens in the collection is evaluated, eight lectotype designations are made, and the orthopteroid species described by Linnaeus are listed alphabetically.     

Moths of the tribe Pseudoterpnini (Geometridae: Geometrinae): a review of the genera

The classification of the genera of the widely distributed Old World tribe Pseudoterpnini is reviewed and 34 genera are recognized. Two new generic synonyms ( Sterictopsis Warren and Oxyphanes Turner as synonyms of Rhuma Walker), and 21 new or reinstated combinations are established. Representative moths of all the genera are illustrated in colour (upper side and underside), and genitalia of all genera are illustrated in monochrome (162 figures). All the known species and subspecies of Pseudoterpnini are listed (321), together with their synonyms. The Pseudoterpnini and their characters are assessed, and many genera are newly assigned to the tribe.  © 2007 Natural History Museum, London. Journal compilation © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 150 , 343–412.     

Type specimens of Pectinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia) described by Linnaeus (1758–1771)

Linnaeus listed and described (as Ostrea species) 20 recent pectinid species in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae and one pectinid species in his Mantissa. These are now placed in 17 genera of the family Pectinidae. Nine species are cited to Museum Ludovicae Ulricae. Ten primary types are present in the Linnéan Society of London, and the same number in die Zoological Museum of die Uppsala University. Two lectotypes were designated recendy by Smith and Waller; 18 lectotypes and one neotype are selected herein. Nine of the species are type species of currently accepted pectinid genera. Seven new type localities are also designated for species which had unknown or erroneous type localities, and six are more restricted. Potential type material of eight species is also traced in the Gualtieri collection of the Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio at Certosi di Calci (Italy).     

Discovery in the Linnaean collection of type-material of insects described by Johann Reinhold Forster, with notes on the Hymenoptera

Type-material of 100 insect species described by J. R. Forster has always been thought lost. We present evidence that syntypic specimens of some of these species were sent by Forster to Linnaeus in 1772. Specimens of at least 27 species survive in the Linnaean collection now in Burlington House, and are listed. The identity of each of the 18 species of Hymenoptera described by Forster is examined in detail, particularly the nine represented by specimens. Lectotypes are designated for two species; four new synonymies and two new combinations are established; and three names remain nomina dubia within their genera.     

The orthopteroid insects described by Linnaeus, with notes on the Linnaean collection

A list is given of the recently recurated Orthoptera s.l. held by the Linnean Society of London. The status of specimens in the collection is evaluated, eight lectotype designations are made, and the orthopteroid species described by Linnaeus are listed alphabetically.     

The Linnaean Plant Name Typification Project

JARVIS, C. E., 1992. The Linnaean Plant Name Typification Project. Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) introduced the consistent use of binomial names for plants and animals. As he published more than 9000 plant names, valid under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, their application is of considerable importance. Professor Steam's reputation as a Linnaean scholar brought him literally hundreds of requests, from all over the world, for help in the interpretation of Linnaean names. In 1980 he was instrumental in obtaining funding for a pilot study for the typification of Linnaean names. The Project was subsequently core-funded by the Natural History Museum, and has developed into an international Project that has attracted support and collaboration on a worldwide basis. The aims, methodology and progress of the Project are reviewed, and the names Crepis barbata L. and Hieracium capense L. are lectotypified.     

The Linnaean fish collection in the Zoological Museum of the University of Uppsala

Specimens of fishes preserved in the Zoological Museum, University of Uppsala, which are believed to have been examined by Linnaeus, are listed. Most of these were originally given to the University in several donations by benefactors of the Academy and were described by Linnaeus in dissertations defended by students. Some specimens, however, are believed to have originated from Linnaeus's own collection. Many of the specimens have type status and this is discussed together with notes on other surviving Linnaean fish specimens.     

The Linnaean fish collection in the Linnean Society of London

Linnaeus's personal collection of fishes was part of the material purchased by J. E. Smith in 1783–1784 from Linnaeus's widow and which became the property of the Linnean Society of London in 1828. There are extant 168 dried specimens of fishes, mostly skins mounted on paper in the manner of herbarium specimens. The spirit-preserved material which belonged to Linnaeus was never sent from Sweden.
The history of the collection is recounted, and the sources of the specimens discussed. A catalogue of the collection is presented with discussion of the type status of the specimens and the sources for the typification of each taxon.     

Type specimens of Mitridae (Mollusca:Gastropoda) described by Linnaeus in the genera Voluta, Buccinum and Bulla between 1758 and 1771

From the 16 species of Mitridae described by Linnaeus between the years 1758-71 11 species are considered valid and available for taxonomic use; four specific names have been suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for taxonomic usage (1968). One specific name, i.e. Voluta mitra episcopalis Linnaeus, has appeared in various combinations in malacological literature over the years. From the style of listing in the 10th edition of the Systerna Naturae , it is evident that 'episcopalis' has to be treated as of infraspecific rank; there is no evidence that 'episcopalis' is even a valid subspecies of Voluta mitra.
Three holotypes and five lectotypes designated in this paper are extant in the Linnaean collection; illustrations representing three Linnaean species have been selected as lectotypes.     

The type specimens and identity of the species described in the genus Lithobius by F. Meinert, and now preserved in the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen University (Chilopoda: Lithobiomorpha)

The 32 species described by Meinert in the genus Lithobius which are represented by type material in t h e Zoological Museum, Copenhagen University, are redescribed from that material. It is concluded that 17 of these species are valid, one is a subspecies of Lithobius forficants (L.) and 12 are junior synonyms: two are junior homonyms, but both are also synonyms of described species.     

Silurus anguillaris Linnaeus, 1758: designation as type species of Clarias Scopoli, 1777 and rediscovery of holotype (Pisces: Clariidae)

Silurus anquillaris Linnaeus, 1758 is designated as the type species of the catfish genus Clarias Scopoli, 1777. The holotype of this species was rediscovered in the Linnean fish collection of the Swedish Museum of Natural History.