Systema Naturae Explained

Systema Naturæ
Author:Carl Linnaeus
(Carl von Linné)
Country:Netherlands
Subject:Taxonomy
Genre:Biological classification
Congress:QH43 .S21

(originally in Latin written with the ligature æ) is one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) and introduced the Linnaean taxonomy. Although the system, now known as binomial nomenclature, was partially developed by the Bauhin brothers, Gaspard and Johann,[1] Linnaeus was the first to use it consistently throughout his book. The first edition was published in 1735. The full title of the 10th edition (1758), which was the most important one, was , which appeared in English in 1806 with the title: "A General System of Nature, Through the Three Grand Kingdoms of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, Systematically Divided Into their Several Classes, Orders, Genera, Species, and Varieties, with their Habitations, Manners, Economy, Structure and Peculiarities".[2]

The tenth edition of this book (1758) is considered the starting point of zoological nomenclature.[3] In 1766–1768 Linnaeus published the much enhanced 12th edition, the last under his authorship. Another again enhanced work in the same style titled "" was published by Johann Friedrich Gmelin between 1788 and 1793. Since at least the early 20th century, zoologists have commonly recognized this as the last edition belonging to this series.[4] [5] [6]

Overview

Linnaeus (later known as "Carl von Linné", after his ennoblement in 1761)[7] published the first edition of in the year 1735, during his stay in the Netherlands. As was customary for the scientific literature of its day, the book was published in Latin. In it, he outlined his ideas for the hierarchical classification of the natural world, dividing it into the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, and the "mineral kingdom" .

Linnaeus's Latin: Systema Naturae lists only about 10,000 species of organisms, of which about 6,000 are plants and 4,236 are animals.[8] According to the historian of botany William T. Stearn, "Even in 1753 he believed that the number of species of plants in the whole world would hardly reach 10,000; in his whole career he named about 7,700 species of flowering plants."

Linnaeus developed his classification of the plant kingdom in an attempt to describe and understand the natural world as a reflection of the logic of God's creation.[9] His sexual system, where species with the same number of stamens were treated in the same group, was convenient but in his view artificial. Linnaeus believed in God's creation and that there were no deeper relationships to be expressed. He is frequently quoted as saying: "God created, Linnaeus organized" .[10] The classification of animals was more natural. For instance, humans were for the first time placed together with other primates, as Anthropomorpha. They were also divided into four varieties, as distinguished by skin color and corresponding with the four known continents and temperaments.[11] The tenth edition expanded on these varieties with behavioral and cultural traits that the Linnean Society acknowledges as having cemented colonial stereotypes and provided the foundations for scientific racism.[12]

As a result of the popularity of the work, and the number of new specimens sent to him from around the world, Linnaeus kept publishing new and ever-expanding editions of his work.[13] It grew from eleven very large pages in the first edition (1735) to 2,400 pages in the 12th edition (1766–1768).[14] Also, as the work progressed, he made changes: in the first edition, whales were classified as fishes, following the work of Linnaeus' friend and "father of ichthyology" Peter Artedi; in the 10th edition, published in 1758, whales were moved into the mammal class. In this same edition, he introduced two-part names (see binomen) for animal species, something that he had done for plant species (see binary name) in the 1753 publication of . The system eventually developed into modern Linnaean taxonomy, a hierarchically organized biological classification.

After Linnaeus' health declined in the early 1770s, publication of editions of Latin: Systema Naturae went in two directions. Another Swedish scientist, Johan Andreas Murray issued the Latin: Regnum Vegetabile section separately in 1774 as the Latin: [[Systema Vegetabilium]], rather confusingly labelled the 13th edition. Meanwhile, a 13th edition of the entire Latin: Systema appeared in parts between 1788 and 1793. It was as the Latin: Systema Vegetabilium that Linnaeus' work became widely known in England following translation from the Latin by the Lichfield Botanical Society, as A System of Vegetables (1783–1785).

Taxonomy

In his , Linnaeus established three kingdoms, namely , and . This approach, the Animal, Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms, survives until today in the popular mind, notably in the form of parlour games: "Is it animal, vegetable or mineral?" The classification was based on five levels: kingdom, class, order, genus, and species. While species and genus was seen as God-given (or "natural"), the three higher levels were seen by Linnaeus as constructs. The concept behind the set ranks being applied to all groups was to make a system that was easy to remember and navigate, a task which most say he succeeded in.

Linnaeus's work had a huge impact on science; it was indispensable as a foundation for biological nomenclature, now regulated by the Nomenclature Codes. Two of his works, the first edition of the (1753) for plants and the 10th edition of the Systema Naturæ (1758), are accepted to be among the starting points of nomenclature. Most of his names for species and genera were published at very early dates, and thus take priority over those of other, later authors. In zoology there is one exception, which is a monograph on Swedish spiders, ,[15] published by Carl Clerck in 1757, so the names established there take priority over the Linnean names.[16] His exceptional importance to science was less in the value of his taxonomy, more his deployment of skilful young students abroad to collect specimens.[17] At the close of the 18th century, his system had effectively become the standard for biological classification.

Animals

Only in the animal kingdom is the higher taxonomy of Linnaeus still more or less recognizable and some of these names are still in use, but usually not quite for the same groups as used by Linnaeus. He divided the Animal Kingdom into six classes; in the tenth edition (1758), these were:

  1. Mammalia comprised the mammals. In the first edition, whales and the West Indian manatee were classified among the fishes.
  2. Aves comprised the birds. Linnaeus was the first to remove bats from the birds and classify them under mammals.
  3. Amphibia comprised amphibians, reptiles, and assorted fishes that are not of Osteichthyes.
  4. Pisces comprised the bony fishes. These included the spiny-finned fishes (Perciformes) as a separate order.
  5. Insecta comprised all arthropods. Crustaceans, arachnids and myriapods were included as the order "Aptera".
  6. Vermes comprised the remaining invertebrates, roughly divided into "worms", molluscs, and hard-shelled organisms like echinoderms.

Humans

Linnaeus was one of the first scientists to classify humans as primates (originally Anthropomorpha for "manlike"), eliciting some controversy for placing people among animals and thus not ruling over nature.[18] He distinguished humans (Homo sapiens) from Homo troglodytes, a species of human-like creatures with exaggerated or non-human characteristics, despite finding limited evidence. He divided Homo sapiens into four varieties, corresponding with the four known continents and four temperaments (some editions also classify Ferus wild children and Monstrosus monstrous to accommodate adaptations to extreme environments).[19] The first edition included Europæus albescens (whitish Europeans), Americanus rubescens (reddish Americans), Asiaticus fuscus (tawny Asians), and Africanus nigriculus (blackish Africans). The tenth edition solidified these descriptions by removing the "ish" qualifiers (e.g. albus "white" instead of albescens "whitish") and revising the characterization of Asiaticus from fuscus (tawny) to luridus (pale yellow).[20] It also incorporates behavioral and cultural traits that the Linnean Society recognizes as having cemented colonial stereotypes and provided the foundations for scientific racism.

Plants

The orders and classes of plants, according to his , were never intended to represent natural groups (as opposed to his in his ) but only for use in identification. They were used in that sense well into the 19th century.The Linnaean classes for plants, in the Sexual System, were:

Minerals

Linnaeus's taxonomy of minerals has long since fallen out of use. In the 10th edition, 1758, of the , the Linnaean classes were:

Editions

Gmelin's thirteenth (decima tertia) edition of Systema Naturae (1788–1793) should be carefully distinguished from the more limited Systema Vegetabilium first prepared and published by Johan Andreas Murray in 1774 (but labelled as "thirteenth edition").

Edition Location Year Complete bibliographical citation Links to online versions
1 Leiden 1735 Linnæus, C. 1735. Systema naturæ, sive regna tria naturæ systematice proposita per classes, ordines, genera, & species. – pp. [1–12]. Lugduni Batavorum. (Haak) Missouri Botanical Garden
2 Stockholm 1740 Linnæus, C. 1740. Systema naturæ in quo naturæ regna tria, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, systematice proponuntur. Editio secunda, auctior. – pp. [1–2], 1–80. Stockholmiæ. (Kiesewetter) Internet Archive
3 Halle 1740 Lange, J. J. 1740. Caroli Linnaei systema natvrae, sive Regna tria natvrae systematice proposita per classes, ordines, genera et species. Caroli Linnaei Natur-Systema, oder die in ordentlichem Zusammenhange vorgetragene drey Reiche der Natur nach ihren Classen, Ordnungen, Geschlechtern und Arten, in die deutsche Sprache übersetzet und mit einer Vorrede herausgegeben von Johann Joachim Langen. – pp. [1–8], 1–70, [1]. Halle. (Gebauer) Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
4 Paris 1744 Linnæus, C. 1744. Systema naturæ in quo proponuntur naturæ regna tria secundum classes, ordines, genera & species. Editio quarta ab auctore emendata & aucta. Accesserunt nomina Gallica. – pp. i–xxvi, [1], 1–108. Parisiis. (David.) Google Books
CSIC Madrid
5 Halle 1747 Agnethler, M. G. 1747. Latin: Caroli Linnæi systema natvræ in qvo natvræ regna tria, secvndvm classes, ordines, genera, species, systematice proponvntvr. Recvsvm et societatis, qvæ impensas contvlit, vsvi accommodatvm. Editio altera avctior et emendatior. – pp. 1–88. Halæ Magdebvrgicæ. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
6 Stockholm 1748 Linnæus, C. 1748. Systema naturæ sistens regna tria naturæ, in classes et ordines, genera et species redacta tabulisque æneis illustrata. Editio sexta, emendata et aucta. – pp. [1–3], 1–224, [1–18], Tab. I–VIII. Stockholmiæ. (Kiesewetter) SUB Göttingen
7 Leipzig 1748 Linnæus, C. 1748. Systema naturæ sistens regna tria naturæ, in classes et ordines, genera et species redacta tabulisque æneis illustrata. Secundum sextam Stockholmiensem emendatam & auctam editionem. – pp. [A], [1–5], 1–224, [1–22], Tab. I–VIII. Lipsiae. (Kiesewetter) Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
8 Stockholm 1753 Haartman, J. J. 1753. Caroli Linnæi Indelning i Ö̈rt-Riket, efter Systema Naturae, på Swenska öfwersatt af Johan J. Haartman. – pp. [1–12], 1–136, [1–8]. Stockholm. (Salvius) Umeå UB
9 Leiden 1756 Linnæus, C. 1756. Systema naturæ sistens regna tria naturæ in classes et ordines, genera et species redacta, tabulisque æneis illustrata. Accedunt vocabula gallica. Editio multo auctior & emendatior. – pp. [1–7], 1–227, [1–19], Tab. I–VIII. Lugduni Batavorum. (Haak) New York Botanical Garden
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
10,
Vol. 1
Stockholm 1758 Linnæus, C. 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. – pp. [1–4], 1–824. Holmiæ. (Salvius) Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
SUB Göttingen
Missouri Botanical Garden
10,
Vol. 2
Stockholm 1759 Linnæus, C. 1759. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus II. Editio decima, reformata. – pp. [1–4], 825–1384. Holmiæ. (Salvius) Missouri Botanical Garden
11,
Vol. 1
Halle 1760 Linnaeus, C. 1760. Systema natvrae per regna tria natvrae, secvndvm classes, ordines, genera, species, cvm characteribvs, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomvs I. Praefactvs est Ioannes Ioachimvs Langivs. Ad editionem decimam reformatam Holmiensem. – pp. [1–8], 1–824. Halae Magdebvrgicae. (Curt). (Linnæus 1758: p. 5 recorded probably this edition as from Leipzig 1762, "nil additum" = nothing added) New York Botanical Garden
(pp. [1–8], 1–338)
New York Botanical Garden
(pp. 339–824)
12,
Vol. 1,
part 1
Stockholm 1766 Linné, C. a 1766. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio duodecima, reformata. – pp. 1–532. Holmiæ. (Salvius) SUB Göttingen
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
12,
Vol. 1,
part 2
Stockholm 1767 Linné, C. a 1767. Systema naturæ, Tom. I. Pars II. Editio duodecima reformata. – pp. 533–1327, [1–37]. Holmiæ. (Salvius) SUB Göttingen
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
12,
Vol. 2
Stockholm 1767 Linné, C. a 1767. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus & differentiis. Tomus II. – pp. 1–735, [1–16], 1–142, [1–2]. Holmiæ. (Salvius)
12,
Vol. 3
Stockholm 1768 Linné, C. a 1768. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus & differentiis. Tomus III. – pp. 1–236, [1–20], Tab. I–III. Holmiæ. (Salvius) SUB Göttingen
12a ("13"),
Vol. 1,
part. 1
Vienna 1767 Linné, C. a 1767. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima tertia, ad editionem duodecimam reformatam Holmiensem. – pp. 1–532. Vindobonae. (Trattnern) NCSU Libraries
Missouri Botanical Garden
Google Books
12a ("13"),
Vol. 1,
part 2
Vienna 1767 Linné, C. a [1767]. Systema naturæ. Tom. I. Pars II. – pp. [1–2], 1–1327, [1–37]. Vindobonae. (Trattnern) NCSU Libraries
Missouri Botanical Garden
Google Books
12a ("13"),
Vol. 2
Vienna 1770 Linné, C. a 1770. Systema natvrae per regna tria natvrae, secvndvm classes, ordines, genera, species cvm characteribvs, et differentiis. Tomvs II. Editio decima tertia, ad editionem duodecimam reformatam Holmiensem. – 1–736, [1–6]. Vindobonae. (Trattnern) NCSU Libraries
Missouri Botanical Garden
New York Botanical Garden
Google Books
12a ("13"),
Vol. 3
Vienna 1770 Linnaeus, C. 1770. Systema natvrae per regna tria natvrae, secvndvm classes, ordines, genera, species cvm characteribvs, et differentiis. Tomvs III. – 1–236, [1–19]. Vindobonae. (Trattnern) NCSU Libraries
Missouri Botanical Garden
Google Books
12b,
Vol. 1
Göttingen 1772 Beckmann, J. 1772. Latin: Caroli a Linné systema naturae ex editione duodecima in epitomen redactum et praelectionibus academicis accommodatum a Iohanne Beckmanno. Tomus I. Regnum Animale. – pp. [1–5], 1–240, [1–10]. Gottingae. (Vandenhoeck) NCSU Libraries
12b,
Vol. 2
Göttingen 1772 Beckmann, J. 1772. Latin: Caroli a Linné systema naturae ex editione duodecima in epitomen redactum et praelectionibus academicis accommodatum a Iohanne Beckmanno. Tomus II. Regnum Vegetabile. – pp. 1–356, [1–32]. Gottingae. (Vandenhoeck) NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 1
Leipzig 1788 Gmelin, J. F. 1788. Caroli a Linné systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. – pp. [1–12], 1–500. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 2
Leipzig [1789] Gmelin, J. F. [1789]. Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. I. Pars II. – pp. 501–1032. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 3
Leipzig [1789] Gmelin, J. F. [1789]. Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. I. Pars III. – pp. 1033–1516. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 4
Leipzig [1790] Gmelin, J. F. [1790]. Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. I. Pars IV. – pp. 1517–2224. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 5
Leipzig [1790] Gmelin, J. F. [1790]. Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. I. Pars V. – pp. 2225–3020. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 6
Leipzig [1791] Gmelin, J. F. [1791]. Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. I. Pars VI. – pp. 3021–3910. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
13,
Vol. 1,
part 7
Leipzig [1792] Gmelin, J. F. [1792]. Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. I. Pars VII. – pp. [1], 3911–4120. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
13,
Vol. 2,
part 1
Leipzig 1791 Gmelin, J. F. 1791. Caroli a Linné systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus et differentiis. Tomus II. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. – pp. [1], I–XL, 1–884. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
13,
Vol. 2,
part 2
Leipzig [1791]? Caroli a Linné, systema naturae. Tom. II. Pars II. – pp. [1], 885–1661, [1]. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
13,
Vol. 3
Leipzig 1793 Gmelin, J. F. 1793. Caroli a Linné (...) systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus et differentiis. Tomus III. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. – pp. 1–476. Lipsiae. (Beer) Missouri Botanical Garden
NCSU Libraries
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

The dates of publication for Gmelin's edition were the following:[22]

See also

Bibliography

In Latin
In English translation

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Windelspecht, Michael . 2002 . Groundbreaking Scientific Experiments, Inventions, and Discoveries of the 17th century . . 978-0-313-31501-5 . Windelspecht. p. 28.
  2. Book: Linné, Carl von . A General System of Nature,: Through the Three Grand Kingdoms of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, Systematically Divided Into Their Several Classes, Orders, Genera, Species, and Varieties ... . 1806 . Lackington, Allen, and Company . en.
  3. Book: Bellows . T. S. . Fisher . T. W. . 1999 . Handbook of Biological Control: Principles and Applications of Biological Control . . 978-0-12-257305-7 . Taxonomy and biological control . Gordh . Gordon . Beardsley . John W. . 45–55 . https://books.google.com/books?id=u2X-rfgU0ewC&pg=PA46.
  4. Web site: Sherborn, C. D. 1902. . Index Animalium.
  5. Web site: Neave, S. A. 1939–1940, updated . Nomenclator Zoologicus.
  6. Opinions and Declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 8: 167–178, also p. 318 in ICZN 1987. Official lists and indexes of names and works in zoology. – pp. 1–366. London. (The International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature).
  7. Book: Stearn, W. T. . William T. Stearn . An introduction to the Species Plantarum and cognate botanical works of Linnaeus . Species Plantarum . 1957 Ray Society facsimile . 14 . 1957.
  8. Stearn . William T. . 1959 . The background of Linnaeus's contributions to the nomenclature and methods of systematic biology . . 8 . 1 . 4–22 . 2411603 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141028133630/http://cordyceps.us/files/stearn_1959_.pdf . 2014-10-28 . 10.2307/2411603 .
  9. Web site: Quammen . David . A Passion for Order . National Geographic Magazine . June 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080827105848/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/print/2007/06/linnaeus-name-giver/david-quammen-text . dead . August 27, 2008 . 27 April 2013.
  10. News: Warne. K.. Organization Man. Smithsonian Magazine. May 2007. 7 February 2018.
  11. Müller-Wille . Staffan . Linnaeus and the Four Corners of the World . The Cultural Politics of Blood, 1500–1900 . 2014 . 191–209 . 10.1057/9781137338211_10. 10871/16833 . 978-1-349-46395-4 . free .
  12. Web site: Charmantier . Isabelle . Linnaeus and Race . The Linnean Society . 30 November 2023 . 2020.
  13. Everts. Sarah. Information Overload. Distillations. 2016. 2. 2. 26–33. 20 March 2018.
  14. Londa . Schiebinger . April 1993 . Why mammals are called mammals: gender politics in eighteenth-century natural history . . 98 . 2 . 382–411 . 2166840 . 11623150 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111002172030/http://courses.csusm.edu/hist460ae/whymamallsarecalled%20mammals.pdf . 2011-10-02 . 10.2307/2166840 .
  15. Book: Clerck, C. . Carl Alexander Clerck . 1757 . Svenska Spindlar / Aranei Svecici . [1–8], 1–154, pl. 1–6 . . Laurentius Salvius .
  16. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted-sites/iczn/code/index.jsp ICZN Code
  17. Book: Sörlin . Sverker . Fagerstedt . Otto . 2004 . Linné och hans apostlar . Linnaeus and his apostles . sv . Natur & Kultur/Fakta . Örebro, Sweden . 978-91-27-35590-3.
  18. Book: Frängsmyr . Tore . Lindroth . Sten . Eriksson . Gunnar . Broberg . Gunnar . Linnaeus, the man and his work . 1983 . Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press . 978-0-7112-1841-3.
  19. Svensson . Mats . How Linnaeus classified humans: why red, white, yellow and black people were assigned particular temperaments . Annals of the History and Philosophy of Biology . 2012 . 17 . 303–315 .
  20. Book: Keevak . Michael . Becoming yellow: a short history of racial thinking . 2011 . Princeton University Press . Princeton, New Jersey . 978-0-691-14031-5 . 3–4 .
  21. Web site: Linnaeus as a mineralogist . Linné on line . . 2008 .
  22. Hopkinson . John . May 1907 . Dates of Publication of the Separate Parts of Gmelin's Edition (13th) of the 'Systema Naturae' of Linnaeus. . . 77 . 4 . 1035–1037 . 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1907.tb06965.x .