Alcyonium bursa Linnaeus 1758
Current name:
Codium bursa (Linnaeus) C.Agardh
Granada, Spain - 17 March 2021. Maria Altamirano Jeschke
Publication Details
Alcyonium bursa Linnaeus 1758: 803
Published in: Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Editio decima revisa. Vol. 1 pp. [i-iv], [1]-823. Holmiae [Stockholm]: impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii.
Request PDFType Species
A type species for this genus does not appear to have been designated.
Status of Name
This name is currently regarded as a synonym of Codium bursa (Linnaeus) C.Agardh.
Source of Synonymy
Agardh, C.A. (1817). Synopsis algarum Scandinaviae, adjecta dispositione universali algarum. pp. [i]-xl, [1]-135. Lundae [Lund]: Ex officina Berlingiana.
Type Information
Type locality: "in O. Europaeo."; (Silva & al. 1996: 898)
Origin of Species Name
Noun (Latin), A genus name used by C. Bauhin; also a purse; originally an oxhide, animal skin (Newton 1931).
General Environment
This is a marine species.
Created: 30 November 1998 by M.D. Guiry.
Last updated: 09 April 2021
Verification of Data
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of information before use, as noted on the website Content page.
Nomenclatural note
The type of Alcyonium bursa Linnaeus is said to be the basionym for a sponge, Weberella bursa (L.) (M. Spencer-Jones in Spencer, Irvine & Jarvis (2009: 239). However, Van Soest & Plotkin (2021: 196) concluded "(a) Alcyonium bursa Linnaeus, 1758 is NOT the basionym for a sponge, as Linnaeus's references do not contain any recognisable sponge. (b) The sole extant original material is NOT an illustration in Ellis (1755), because this is preceded by a clearly different illustration in J. Bauhinus (1651), volume III, page 794. It is illogical and unreasonable to select Linnaeus's fourth reference in preference over the first reference (and two additional supporting references). (c) The illustrations in plate 17, figs B,C,D in Ellis (1755) depict clearly a tunicate, NOT a sponge. The statement of Spencer et al. (2009) cited above is thus contradictory. (d) The correct authorship for Codium bursa would seem to be Linnaeus, 1758, not Olivi, 1792. Olivi's authorship was erroneously promoted under ICBN Art. 58.1, because the basionym was assigned to a metazoan (either sponge or tunicate) based on an unsupported personal communication. (e) The true author for the sponge Weberella bursa is Vosmaer, 1885, and his specimens represent the type material."
- (29 December 2007) - M.D. Guiry
Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=13906
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 09 April 2021. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 01 April 2025
