1819 Everard Home naming ichthyosaur
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1819 Everard Home naming ichthyosaur
Sir Everard Home (1756-1832) 1819 letter to arctic explorer William Scoursby discussing his own forthcoming naming of Proteosaurus (ichthyosaur) on the basis of its cupped vertebrae. Home was the first president of the Royal College of Surgeons and studied under John Hunter (who married Homes sister). He was the first geologist to publish detailed reports and illustrations on the ichthyosaurs but did a poor job, naming them Proteosaurus in 1819 - a name that was widely ignored (he suggested affinities to Salamanders and may have been influenced by Cuviers giant salamander - itself a correction of Sheuchzers infamous flood victim, Homo diluvii testis! ). Preference was given to Konigs unpublished suggestion of the name ichthyosaur. Home commonly corresponded with Mary Anning and here mentions Bullocks Museum. See other images in this collection. In the collection of the photographer
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Media ID 6319563
© PAUL D STEWART/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Black And White Buckland Conybeare Dinosaur Everard Home Fossil Ichthyosaur Icthyosaur Letter Lyme Regis Mary Anning Proteosaurus Royal College Of Surgeons Mono Chrome Palaeontology
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases a significant moment in the history of paleontology. The image captures an 1819 letter written by Sir Everard Home, a renowned surgeon and geologist, to Arctic explorer William Scoursby. In this letter, Home discusses his forthcoming naming of Proteosaurus (ichthyosaur) based on its distinctive cupped vertebrae. Sir Everard Home holds great importance in the field of paleontology as he was the first to publish detailed reports and illustrations on ichthyosaurs. However, his choice of name for these ancient marine reptiles - Proteosaurus - did not gain widespread recognition. Influenced by Cuvier's giant salamander and suggesting affinities with salamanders themselves, Home's name failed to resonate with the scientific community. Interestingly, it was Konig's unpublished suggestion of "ichthyosaur" that ultimately prevailed over Home's naming attempt. This correspondence between two prominent figures sheds light on their interactions within the scientific community during that era. Notably, Sir Everard Home frequently corresponded with Mary Anning, a notable fossil collector from Lyme Regis who made significant contributions to paleontology herself. In this letter, he even mentions Bullocks Museum where some of her discoveries were displayed. The print serves as a reminder of the fascinating history behind our understanding of prehistoric creatures like ichthyosaurs and highlights both breakthroughs and missteps in early scientific exploration.
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