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Genus Vaccinites - derivation of the name


FranzBernhard

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Hello,

I would like to ask if someone is able and would like to look up the derivation/meaning of the name of the rudist genus "Vaccinites".

It was introduced by Fischer (1887) in this work:

Fischer_1887.jpg.e3d75281450d266edf64135fe130499b.jpg

It could mean something like "cow horn" (Vacca = cow). But I am not sure and can not find something really definitive with google.

Thank you very much for your help!
Franz Bernhard

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  • FranzBernhard changed the title to Genus Vaccinites - derivation of the name

Well, the type species of Vaccinites is Hippurites cornu-vaccinum. which could be translated as "cow horn" or "wing vaccine" whichever you prefer. 

I would suggest that the new genus name Vaccinites was derived from this.  

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Here is the 1887 Fischer reference.

 

https://archive.org/details/manueldeconchyli00fisc/page/142/mode/2up

 

It appears that a clue might be found in the 1831 Bronn reference. Bronn first used the name H. cornuvaccinum.

 

BRONN, H.G. 1831. Hippurites. In: ERSCH, J.S. & GRUBER J.G. (eds),

Allgemeine Encyclopedie der Wissenschaften und Künste, Zweite

Section, Achter Theil. Brockhaus, Leipzig, 371–376.

 

Since vaccine comes from the Latin word for cow, Vaccinites likely refers to the cow horn shape of the rudist.

 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/10/why-word-vaccine-probably-all-wrong

 

https://latin-dictionary.net/definition/38277/vaccinus-vaccina-vaccinum

 

 

Cornuvaccinum means horn of the cow. 

 

Edited by DPS Ammonite
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Thanks for your enlightening response, @Tidgy's Dad and @DPS Ammonite!

 

1 hour ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

wing vaccine

:heartylaugh: "Flügel-Impfstoff", indeed!

 

Thanks for the link to that paper, @DPS Ammonite! Wow, there is not that much, there is a definition for Vaccinites (well-developed ligamentary pillar), but not how the name is derived.

Here is the translation of that section:

"Sections. Hippurites, sensu stricto (Orbignya, Woodward. 1862). Undeveloped ligamentary pillar (H. bioculatus, Lamarck). - Vaccinites, Fischer. 1887. Well-developed ligamentary piller (H. cornu-vaccinum, Goldfuss)."

That´s all!

 

So "Vaccine", "Vaccinites" =  both "from the cow"?

 

Thanks!
Franz Bernhard

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Yes. 

When Edward Jenner was experimenting with cowpox to produce protection from the disease smallpox, he produced a paper "An Enquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae." the last two words were taken from the Latin for 'pustules of cow". The French word 'vache', meaning cow also comes from the Latin. 'vacca' means cow in Latin and "vaccine' means "from cows", The cowpox came from cows and prevented smallpox. The word used became vaccine for all future similar preventative inoculations. 

Since the species that became the type for Vaccinites was Hippurites cornu-vaccinum, or H. horn of cow, it is not unreasonable to assume this name was chosen due to the shape of the fossil and when a new genus was decided upon that this part of the specific name was chosen and adapted.   

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It should be a requirement in all papers that describe new taxa for the author to describe the meaning/etymology of the new taxon name. A suggested pronunciation would be nice too.
 

Can anyone provide a link to the Bronn 1831 paper? It might hold a clue.

 

-ites is a common taxonomic suffix

 

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ites

 

 

Edited by DPS Ammonite
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Many thanks!

 

Here is the link to Bronn (1831) (google book)

Brockhaus 1831

 

Will come back later with H. cornu-vaccinum...

 

Thanks again!
Franz Bernhard

 

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@DPS Ammonite, @Tidgy's Dad

 

here it is, Bronn (1831):

Bronn_1831.jpg.8aac07aa90289d568c96e0e8230018d5.jpg

 

"In harter Kreide am Untersberg im Salburgerischen mit Sphäruliten, welche seltener und kleiner sind. Dort werden sie "versteinerte Kuhhörner" genannt."

G-translator yields an ok translation:

"In hard chalk on the Untersberg in Salzburg with spherulites, which are rarer and smaller. There they are called "petrified cow horns"."

 

Many thanks for all your help! What a great forum with much greater people :dinothumb::default_faint:.

Franz Bernhard

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Franz, it appears to be written in Latin and German. My Latin has mostly disappeared. Was the species description in Latin and the background info in German? Was that the usual way of describing new taxon around 1831, the description in Latin and the rest in the language of the book/journal?

Edited by DPS Ammonite

My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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17 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Was the species description in Latin and the background info in German?

Yes.

 

17 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Was that the usual way of describing new taxon around 1831, the description in Latin and the rest in the language of the book/journal?

I don´t know, but I have seen this rather often, at least up to 1880?

 

Franz Bernhard

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  • 4 weeks later...

Interesting that the German was printed in Gothic type while the Latin was in Roman type. I guess that's appropriate!

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