Constantine Samuel Rafinesque. 



RAFINESQUE S NAME IN NOMENCLATURE. 



It is often customary for scientific investigators to 

 compliment other students by affixing their names as 

 specific ones in the description of plants or animals 

 belonging to the groups which they have especially 

 cultivated. More rarely now than formerly is this done. 

 While no attempt has been made to collate all the forms 

 named after Rafinesque, but very few have been found 

 which have been so characterized. Knglemann named 

 a cactus for him the Opuntia rafinesquii. A single 

 genus of fossils has likewise received his name the 

 Rafinesquiana of Hall, for a group of Brachiopoda found 

 in the Upper Silurian. A single Devonian coral has 

 been named after him, the Zaphrentis rafinesquii Davis. 

 Among fishes there was the name Scaphirhynchus rafin 

 esquii Heckel; though described in 1835 this form is 

 now known by the name of Scaphirhynchus platirhynchus 

 Baird, described in 1850. For what sufficient reason the 

 name was changed we have been unable to discover. 

 In conchology Rafinesque s name has yet to appear in 

 specific application. Not more than two or three other 

 instances of its use would probably occur on careful 

 search. 



