Object Status:
Unlocated
Accession Date:
By November 1825
Primary Source Reference:
Thomas Say, "On the Species of the Linnæan Genus Asterias, Inhabiting the Coast of the United States," Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. 5, part 1 (1825): 141-154 (described on pp. 143-144) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/24657187
Additional Source Text:
"Read November 1, 1825"
"A specimen of Ophiura, found at Cape May, will possibly prove to be a variety of this species [Ophiura elongata]; it belongs to the Philadelphia Museum." (p. 147)
Notes:
Thomas Say (1787-1834) was an American naturalist. His definitive studies of insects and shells, numerous contributions to scientific journals, and scientific expeditions to Florida, Georgia, the Rocky Mountains, Mexico, and elsewhere made him internationally known. Say has been called the father of American descriptive entomology and American conchology. He served as librarian for the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, curator at the American Philosophical Society, and professor of natural history at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1821 he was appointed Professor of Zoology at the Peale Museum, but he evidently did not give the planned lectures.
Current Common Name:
Spiny ophiocoma
Current Scientific Name
Ophiocoma echinata
