Some Comments on Walckenaer′s Names ofAmerican Spiders,Based on Abbot′s Drawings
Herbert W. Levi, Lorna R. Levi · Psyche A Journal of Entomology · 1961
In 887 McCook rediscovered the Abbot drawings, basis of many of Walckenaer's spider descriptions, and initiated a controversy in spider nomenclature by synonymizing spider names then in use.Emerton replied that the drawings represent the spiders in so gen- eral and indefinite a way that identification would only increase the uncertainty of nomenclature.Banks' comments about the Walckenact descriptions were blunt: "They rank with 'hearsay evidence.'I shall not use them nor list them; I shall ignore them."Later Gertsch (i933) expressed the fear that these names would be re- vived and cause permanent instability: "The problem at hand is not the question of validity, which should be unchallenged, but one of recognition."In I944 Chamberlin and Ivie made a serious attempt to establish the Walckenaer names en masse.Their synonymies were accepted by Archer I946, I95O), Levi (I954), and Levi and Field (954), but not by Gertsch (I953).We were at first inclined to follow Chamberlin and Ivie in using the Walckenaer names, but during the course of the theridiid studies., had an opportunity to examine the Abbot dravings.We are convinced that in the Theri- diidae at least, Chamberlin and Ivie were ill-advised to attempt tile synonymies, and, indeed, that establishment of such synonymies would be a disservice to araneology.English-born Joh n Abbot immigrated in 776, as a young man, to Screven County, Georgia, and lived in Georgia.for 65 years as a schoolmaster and naturalist.He painted birds, butterflies and other animals, and his drawings were sold by John Francillan, a London silversmith (Dow, 9 4).Sixteen volumes of Abbot's drawings are in the British Museum (Natural History) in London; many volumesWe wish to thank the following for reading a draft of this manuscript and for making suggestions (without implying that they necessarily agree with the conclusions): Mrs. D. L. Frizzell (Dr.