Hi Patrick,
I am forwarding your email to Tunicata and
hope you get some interesting replies. Actually I
think "blooming" is a good meaning! Because the
colonials do look something like a cluster of
delicate small flowers. I tried to find the
etymology on Wikipedia but there is none there.
However, The Compact Edition of the Oxford
English Dictionary has a definition I greatly
enjoyed, and who knows, perhaps it might even be
relevant! "Thalia, the eighth of the Muses,
presiding over comedy and idyllic poetry; also,
one of the three Graces, patroness of festive
meetings." "Thalian: of or pertaining to Thalia,
as the muse of pastoral and comic poetry; hence,
of the nature of comedy, comic."
So perhaps whoever gave the group this name
thought they were humorous looking.
I've made a note of your new email address.
Best wishes, Gretchen
>From: Patrick Lemaire <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "Lambert, Gretchen" <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 09:22:42 -0800
>Subject: Etymology of thaliaceans
>
>Dear Gretchen,
>
>I have just moved from Marseille to Montpellier and have difficulties
>sending a post on the TUNICATA list, but you may be able to help me.
>
>I am currently writing a Primer article on Tunicates for the journal
>Development. I would like to indicate the etymology of thaliaceans.
>Van der Haeven (1850) mentions Thalia=blooming. Do you know if this a
>correct statement? Why would thaliaceans be blooming?
>
>Thanks for your help,
>
>Patrick
>
>NEW ADDRESS:
>Patrick Lemaire
>CRBM
>1919 Route de Mende
>34293 MONTPELLIER Cédex
>http://crfb.univ-mrs.fr/ciona/lemaire/
>email: [log in to unmask]
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