Volvox morum O.F.Müller 1786

Publication Details
Volvox morum O.F.Müller 1786: 20, pl. III, figs 14-16

Published in: Müller, O.F. (1786). Animalcula infusoria fluviatilia et marina quæ detexit, systematice descripsit et ad vivum delineari curavit Otho Fridericus Müller ; sistet opus hoc posthumum, quod cum tabulis Aeneis L. in lucem tradit vidua ejus nobilissima cura Othonis Fabricii. pp. [i]-[ix], [i]-lvi, [1]-367. Hauniæ [Copenhagen]: Typis N. Mölleri.

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Type Species
The type species (lectotype) of the genus Volvox is Volvox globator Linnaeus.

Status of Name
This name is currently regarded as a synonym of Pandorina morum (O.F.Müller) Bory.

Source of Synonymy
Lamouroux, [J.V.F.], Bory de Saint-Vincent, [J.B.] & Eud[es]-Deslongchamps, [J.A.] (1827). Encyclopédie méthodique ou par ordre de matières. Histoire naturelle des zoophytes, ou animaux rayonnés, faisant suite à l'histoire naturelle des vers de Bruguière. Tome Second. pp. 377–819. Paris: Chez Mme veuve Agasse, Imprimeur-Libraire, rue dos Poitevins, no. 6.

Type Information
Type: mense Octobri & Decembri; inter Lemnam; (INA 1996)

General Environment
This is a freshwater species.

Created: 03 May 2002 by M.D. Guiry.

Last updated: 07 August 2012

Verification of Data
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Nomenclatural note
There is some uncertainty as to the nature of the specific epithet. According to Cassell's Latin Dictionary "morum" is a neuter noun, meaning a mulberry or blackberry fruit, whilst "morus", a feminine noun, is a blackberry tree. The adjective "morus, mora, morum" means silly or foolish. Accordingly, it seems clear that O.F. Müller found this mulberry- or, more likely, blackberry-like "Volvox" and called it Volvox morum using "morum" as a noun in apposition [otherwise he would have used morus if it were an adjective as Volvox is masculine], but Bory, when he transferred the entity to Pandorina, erroneously altered this to Pandorina mora, and the epithet should therefore be corrected to Pandorina morum. O.F.Müller would not be likely to name his "Volvox" after a tree (and would have used "morus"), and certainly would not have used the adjectival "morus" thinking his lovely microscopic "animal" was silly or foolish. - (31 March 2011) - M.D. Guiry

Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=52015

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
G.M. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 07 August 2012. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 13 July 2025

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