Carl Clerck and What Became of His Spiders and Their Names
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Carl Clerck and what became of his spiders and their names Autor(en): Kronestedt, Torbjörn Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: Contributions to Natural History : Scientific Papers from the Natural History Museum Bern Band (Jahr): - (2008) PDF erstellt am: 11.10.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-787064 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. Die systematische Speicherung von Teilen des elektronischen Angebots auf anderen Servern bedarf ebenfalls des schriftlichen Einverständnisses der Rechteinhaber. Haftungsausschluss Alle Angaben erfolgen ohne Gewähr für Vollständigkeit oder Richtigkeit. Es wird keine Haftung übernommen für Schäden durch die Verwendung von Informationen aus diesem Online-Angebot oder durch das Fehlen von Informationen. Dies gilt auch für Inhalte Dritter, die über dieses Angebot zugänglich sind. Ein Dienst der ETH-Bibliothek ETH Zürich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz, www.library.ethz.ch http://www.e-periodica.ch European Arachnology 2008 (W. Nentwig, M. Entling & C. Kropf eds.), pp. 105-117. © Natural History Museum, Bern, 2010. ISSN 1660-9972 (Proceedings of the 24th European Congress of Arachnology, Bern, 25-29 August 2008). Carl Clerck and what became of his spiders and their names TORBJÖRN KRONESTEDT Department of Entomology, Swedish Museum ofNatural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden. Abstract An account is given on the life and entomological achievements of Carl Clerck (1709-1765). Focus is given on his book "Svenska spindlar" from 1757 where binary names for spiders were introduced. In 1856 the spider species described by Clerck were revised by Tamer- Ian Thorell, who shortly after was able to study Clerck's forgotten spider collection. The surviving material largely confirmed Thorell's previous interpretations. In 1892 Clerck's names were invalidated due to the rules adopted at the 2nd international zoological congress in Moscow in which Linnaeus's Systema Naturae Ed. X of 1758 was established as the starting point for zoological nomenclature. Due to arguments put forth by Pierre Bonnet, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature in 1948 recommended that the names in Clerck's book of 1757 should be formally recognized. The case was confirmed by the Commission in 1959. In 1965 Clerck's insect collection, also including his spiders, was rediscovered. The spiders were later studied by Âke Holm, who gave an account of the remaining specimens in the collection in 1978. Their status as type material is considered. The collection is now deposited in the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm. Presently 53 spider species carry names given by Clerck. INTRODUCTION logical nomenclature. Last year 250 years Last year, the 300th anniversary of Carl had passed since his book appeared. The Linnaeus's birth was heavily celebrated, not least anniversary, however, passed without much in Sweden, his native country. Being a man attention. To my knowledge, only two of many skills, notably a botanist but also a papers highlighted this occasion (Walter 2007, zoologist, mineralogist, physician, etc., his Kronestedt 2007). life and deeds were dealt with from an In 1738 Linnaeus returned to Sweden array of aspects in several books, exhibitions from a three-year visit abroad, mainly spent and other activities of various kinds. As in the Netherlands. During these years he well-known as is the life of Linnaeus, as worked intensively, published some of his little-known is the life of his contemporary most important works and became known compatriot Carl Clerck, an amateur throughout the learned Europe. After his entomologist at the time when spiders were return to Sweden, he set up a practice as physician included among the apterous insects. On this in Stockholm, at the same time being occasion, our interest in Clerck is mainly very active in his relations with learned and due to his contribution to arachnology, the influential countrymen. In May 1739 he book "Svenska spindlar", published in 1757 began to give public lectures in natural history and the oldest work to be recognized in zoo¬ at the House of the Nobility in Stockholm 106 European Arachnology 2008 E/SA-t'btcuf eU s7?r-ns}ie-t*f. fâr/afiaZrag&p O/Çôtio /vasä&r i ae&rz6->a—> ^vr*r**iv Jftt Ooà cr»++i<s6<U à/h-tuncy C+-m>r*t*<sf^u¥u. /^$ßje$/in%eiri—, yML' £x\u) Äw, JsT ttJh&Z. Ù ^f(f~Üvt\.lu, h*û~yyistsn*' lUts/^oxj eutc^-f tsn4^». * ^ eJ dU^i (Arm* u 4/1*4,4*1 -CJ*/j Ij&n r" -iststA — r. — - —— - (^,'V~*-ri4mcVe<r^rf-f-Ä^t/. Î*A^ ?/^ pLtsrr,jA<ßsn-*~ ß^rwy»H.' iftslAS V *JU 'Vte^-T iZo^edbi,f jyz*. f j/^J^yri-urx.^ ^ éfâv/yj *& SfJ/ilß&L' Tki tzts „&£c* rCJTJ. ßmiß^y/feßäpairumMA/ *& £m/c0ia~i /ancvr" k>ftj/vuLyS*.^a/éeS/e j/3A——) n /die-. £#*tA7">£<*- ecn^e:7- 2.. /ft eoc caj\i/ti,£ui. /VU^K&^H,}. oJAJp4L4^c^cf O-t-Asn*/ fi+vu 0Üß**~o : uJ Htf^yt,f+esyt*f!ß&) A^n^rt. -£&*** f _ßrr* £tyre>n^r>&-m <**>*~c, ^Ivu^t MM^ ¥ ,£Oi U kSjêÙLt, t t^ //- /^9~-n^tsVvO « < CKSO Ä-r~*~nj*k. <t < S fe At':. "J skeHy/^^u,JyT a#*< Cp/Ts fë/fyiA**-*. <J * 0c } Fig. 1. Clerck's manuscript for his book on Swedish spiders. The title "Kort afhandling om spindlar" (Short treatise on spiders) was omitted in the printed book where this chapter was preceded by a dedication and a preface (without pagination). Center for History of Science, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm. and also led excursions in the outskirts of On the entomological achievements of Carl the capital. The same year, in June, he also Clerck took part in the founding of the Royal Swedish Clerck was born in Stockholm in 1709. His Academy of Sciences. family name reflects a Scottish ancestry. We It has been documented that Linnaeus know that he began to study at the University was an unusually enthusiastic teacher who of Uppsala in 1726 but had to return to Stockholm really captured his audience. Among his the next year because of his father's audience in 1739 was Carl Clerck, a simple tax death. In 1731 he got a position as municipal collector in Stockholm. We know comparatively tax collector in Stockholm. He remained in little about Clerck's life and there this occupation for the rest of his life. exists no portrait of him. We know nothing about Clerck's activities during the decade that followed his acquaintance with Linnaeus in Stockholm in 1739. Linnaeus had moved to Uppsala in 1741. Kronestedt: Carl Clerck and what became ofhis spiders and their names 107 SVENSKA SPINDLAR UTI DNA HUfVUD-SLÂGTER INDELTE Samt Undf* NAGRA OCH SEXTIO SARSKILDTE ARTHR Bfskrffnf OCH MED ILL DM IN E R A D E FIGURER UPLYSTB, PA KONGL. VETENSK SOCIET. 1 UPSALA BEFALLNING UTGIFNE A F Dfss Lfdamot Fig. 2. Original paintings of Araneus angulatus, Carl Clerck. subadult male (left) and adult female No C a Clerck Reg. Soc.roliScient. Upsal. Memb. scientific name was yet coined on the sheet of paper where this species was depicted and A R A N E I described. From the text [in Swedish] Clerck gives the information that the depicted subadult SVECICI, DESCRIP1 lONißUS ET FIGURIS male was collected on 18 June 1756, became JENEIS ILLUSTRATE adult on 27 June and was kept till 20 August AD GENERA SUBALTERNA REDACTI. ST EC IEBUS ULTRA LX DETERMINATE when it died. (Cf. "Fig. 1" and "Fig. 2" in Fig. 4.) REGïJE SOCIE.TATIS SCJE NTIAR UM CPSAL1KNSIS. STOCKHOLM!*? Clerck's name came into light in 1753 through his first published contribution, a description of the butterfly Poplar Admiral Fig. 3. Title page to "Svenska spindlar". The (Limenitis populi) which appeared in the book was printed in Stockholm by Lars Salvius, annals of the Royal Swedish Academy of the foremost printer in Sweden at that time. Sciences. At that time, Clerck was in contact with Linnaeus by correspondence; the first of his preserved letters dates to 21 May 1753. Clerck presented the manuscript to his (Linnaean correspondence online at http:// book before the Royal Society of Sciences at linnaeus.cl8.net/). Apart from spiders, Uppsala in the autumn of 1756. Carl Linnaeus butterflies and moths were of most interest to was for several years secretary of this him. Society and recommended the manuscript to During the mid-1750's, Clerck began be printed. In connection with this, Clerck preparations for what was to become his book on was elected as a member of the Society. Swedish spiders. He collected the spiders "Svenska spindlar" or "Aranei Svecici" was during excursions in the environs of Stockholm printed in the following year (Clerck 1757) in and brought them home for further 496 copies (Dal 2001). In English, the full title observation and description. Clerck's manuscript reads: "Swedish Spiders divided into their (Fig. 1) is still in existence in the Center principal genera as well as in few and sixty for History of Science at the Royal Swedish distinct species described and with illuminated Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. The figures enlightened, published by the same archive also keeps a collection of order of the Royal Society of Sciences at Up- paper sheets with paintings of spiders (Fig.