Bibliography Record
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Cuvier, Georges
(detail)
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1809 |
Sur l'ostéologie du lamantin, sur la place que le lamantin et le dugong doivent occuper dans la méthode naturelle, et sur les os fossiles de lamantins et de phoques.
Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. (Paris) 13: 273-312. Pl. 19.
–Allen 496; J. C. Smith 256. Abstr.: Nouv. Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. (Paris) (2)1, No. 24: 395-396, Sept. 1809 (Allen 497, Smith 265). Repr.: Cuvier (1812); also publ. as separate (no publisher or date given; 40 pp., 1 pl.; fide Smith).
Allen's annotation is apt: "This celebrated memoir marks an epoch in the literary history of the Sirenia. After giving a detailed history [273-282] of the views respecting the affinities of these animals entertained by previous writers, including the absurdities of mermaids and mermen, the author closes his historical résumé by stating that the Sirenia form three distinct genera, the Lamantins (of which he recognizes two species), the Dugong, and Steller's Sea-Cow, and that these three genera constitute a separate family, very different from the Seals, with which they had been previously placed, and a little nearer to the Cetacea than the Pachyderms are to the Carnivores. Buffon's four species of Lamantin he reduces to two. Then follows an account, with figures, of the osteology of the Brazilian Manatee [282-293]; a comparison of the skulls of the African and American Manatees [293-296], and a résumé of the distinctive structural features of Steller's Sea-Cow [296-299], whereby it is generically separated from the Dugong [300-302] and Manatees. Cuvier's results agree closely with the modern interpretation of the affinities and generic relations of these animals. It was left, however, for Desmarest to bestow technical names upon the species here first clearly distinguished, Cuvier throughout his memoir employing only the French vernacular names."
Allen, of course, erred in attributing priority to Desmarest's names. Cuvier's work also examines the existing records of fossil sirs., almost exclusively from France (303-309), and describes as "phoques" two fragments of humeri which were later recognized by de Christol (1840) as pertaining to Metaxytherium (309-311). The description of the "lamantin d'Amérique" (282-293; pl. 19, figs. 1-3, 8-10, 14-18) is based on a specimen that is said on p. 283 to have been sent from Cayenne; but it is apparently the same as that said on p. 281 to have come from Brazil. In any case it was correctly recognized by Natterer (in Diesing, 1839), Stannius (1845), and later writers as an Amazonian manatee. This is therefore the earliest description of the osteology of T. inunguis. Finally it may be noted that the historical summary at the start of this work is a very interesting précis of the history of sirenology from Oviedo (1535) up to Cuvier's time.
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Related Index Records (18)
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Dugong dugon (Müller, 1776) Palmer, 1895
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (history of study, 273-278, 300; names, 278-280; as "mermaids", 280-281; Buffon's "lamantin", 293; Pennant's, 299; comp. w/ Trichechus, 300-302, pl. 19; confused with hippopotamus, 302; comp. w/ fossil sir., m306.) |
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Embryology and Ontogeny
(SEE ALSO: Age Determination; Growth Rates; Teratology)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (Trichechus; nails, hair, 284; atlas, m308.) |
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Greenland
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (HG; based on Fabricius; 299.) |
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Hydrodamalis Retzius, 1794
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (history of study, 277-278; as distinct genus, 282; comp. w/ Trichechus, 296-299; in Greenland, based on Fabricius, 299.) |
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Individual Variation
(SEE ALSO: Skeleton)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (Trichechus; fetus, nails; 284.) |
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Manatus Brünnich, 1771
(= Trichechus)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (fossils; m303.) |
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Medicinal Applications
(SEE ALSO: Economic Use)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (Trichechus; ear bones; m275, 287.) |
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Mermaid Legend
(SEE ALSO: Religious, Superstitious, or Ornamental Use or Observance; Ri)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (sir. origin of legend; 280-281.) |
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Phylogeny and Affinities of the Sirenia and/or Desmostylia
(SEE ALSO under species)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (history of opinions on sir. affinities; 274-278.) |
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Sense Organs
(SEE ALSO: Behavior, Investigative, and Sense Perception; Brain and Nervous System; Digestive System; Skeleton; Sound Production)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (Trichechus; ear bones; 287-289, pl. 19.) |
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Skeleton
(SEE ALSO: Age Determination; Embryology and Ontogeny; Histology; Myology; Sense Organs; Tooth Replacement; and under species)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (TI, 285-293, pl. 19; TS, 295-296, pl. 19; fossil sirs., 305-308, pl. 19.) |
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South America
(SEE ALSO under countries)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (Trichechus, distr., 282; TMM, Cayenne, 283.) |
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Trichechus Linnaeus, 1758
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (history of study, 273-278; names, 278-280 ["trichecus", 279]; as "mermaids", 280-281; anatomy, 281-293, pl. 19; fetus, 284; Buffon's species, 293-294; comp. w/ HG, 296-299; w/ DD, 300-302; fossil "lamantins", 303, 305-310, pl. 19.) |
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Trichechus inunguis (Natterer in von Pelzeln, 1883) Thomas and Lydekker, 1897
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (French Guiana; external morphology, 283-285; skeleton, 285-293, pl. 19.) |
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Trichechus pilosus, Shaw, 1800
(not a binominal name; = Trichechus senegalensis)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. ("trichecus"; name considered inappropriate; 294-295.) |
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Trichechus senegalensis Link, 1795
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (comp. w/ other species; 294-296, pl. 19.) |
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Trichechus subpilosus, Shaw, 1800
(not a binominal name; = Trichechus manatus)
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. ("trichecus"; name considered inappropriate; 294-295.) |
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Vernacular Names
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1809a |
Cuvier, G. (derives lamantin from la manati, 278; manati, 278-279; trichechus, 279; Portuguese, Spanish, & Dutch names, 279-280.) |
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