PaleoPerson
Field Bee
I have just found some specimens in the "The Linnean Collections" of Apis mellifera.
They are listed as "paralectotypes which means "Any specimen of a series when no specimen is designated as the holotype. Also known as cotype."
They can be found at http://www.linnean-online.org/cgi/s...try=&satisfyall=ALL&order=genus/species/-date
I would suggest, that anyone serious about Apis mellifera/ Apis Mellifera mellifera should look at this material as these maybe (the type designation gives it away) the original specimens for which Apis mellifera was described.
I have not found the literature for AMM yet, but I suspect that AMM came about when it was discovered that there were sub-species of AM. The normal naming convention would then be to cite AM as AMM and then erect the other subspecies, but the original publication would need to be found.
So if you want to see what a 'real' AMM is, check the link.
They are listed as "paralectotypes which means "Any specimen of a series when no specimen is designated as the holotype. Also known as cotype."
They can be found at http://www.linnean-online.org/cgi/s...try=&satisfyall=ALL&order=genus/species/-date
I would suggest, that anyone serious about Apis mellifera/ Apis Mellifera mellifera should look at this material as these maybe (the type designation gives it away) the original specimens for which Apis mellifera was described.
I have not found the literature for AMM yet, but I suspect that AMM came about when it was discovered that there were sub-species of AM. The normal naming convention would then be to cite AM as AMM and then erect the other subspecies, but the original publication would need to be found.
So if you want to see what a 'real' AMM is, check the link.