The decapod new genus- and species-group names described by Heller have been listed with their current identities in a recent work (De Grave et al. 2011), where the authors also provided a complete list of the publications on Decapoda by Heller. Some of the dates of publication have, however, not been correctly adopted due to a misinterpretation of the journals’ publication procedure. In this paper, notes on publication by two of the journals, where Heller published his work on Decapoda are made and corrections on some publication dates mentioned in De Grave et al. (2022) are provided.

Heller, publication dates, Decapoda, “Sitzungsberichte”

Camill Heller (1823–1917) was a prominent early zoologist, who worked in Vienna, Innnsbruck (Austria) and Cracow (Poland) (Heider 1917). He published extensively on a variety of marine animals like crustaceans, echinoderms, bryozoans, tunicates, and in later life on the alpine fauna. His greatest taxonomic contributions in terms of newly described species were on Decapoda.

Heller published the majority of his carcinological contributions in the journal of the Vienna Zoological and Botanical Society (“Zoologisch-botanischer Verein in Wien”, from 1858 named “Kaiserlich-königliche zoologisch-botanische Gesellschaft”, from here on abbreviated as ZooBot), and later in various journals issued by the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Class of the Imperial [Austrian] Academy of Science in Vienna (“Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien”, from here on abbreviated as Academy).

In a recent paper De Grave et al. (2022) provided a checklist, dates of publications and bibliography of decapods described by Camill Heller. Unfortunately, some errors occurred in adopting the actual publications dates of some papers. De Grave et al. (2022: 276) statement “as it is often clear that a physical copy was presented at the meeting (e.g. Heller 1862a, b, c).” and the adoption of the session dates as the publications dates of those referred to implied that the final printed paper had been presented at the respective meetings. This was not the case as reading at sessions was part of the “review process” that preceded publication (see below). In addition, De Grave et al. (2022) overlooked many indications as to when some of the papers have been published (see below). Together, this resulted in an incorrect order of Heller’s crucial papers on Red Sea decapods in which he indicated the same species more than once as “new” in two of the three papers dealing with this material.

In the present contribution, historical notes on two of the journals where Heller’s articles were published and a complete list of the Decapoda publications of Heller with the correct dates of publication is provided. Heller’s new decapod genus- and species-group names affected by these date changes are listed.

Sessions of the ZooBot took place monthly (except in September), the journal “Verhandlungen” had two sections, each with separate pagination: “Sitzungsberichte” [proceedings] detailing which presentations took place, books and separata presented, as well as general announcements relating to Society business and “Abhandlungen” that constituted the scientific papers. Submitted papers were presented at the meetings, their acceptance decided at sessions of an editorial committee (Anonymous 1853: XIII); individual issues [Hefte] of the “Verhandlungen” had no title page and appeared quarterly (Brunner von Wattenwyl 1901). In the “Sitzungsberichte” it was also regularly announced which one of the previous quarterly issues had been published (Anonymous 1857e, 1861b, 1862c). Copies of the issues could be picked up at meetings, members living outside Vienna received the complete volume when it had been finished, unless they wished to receive the individual issues (Anonymous 1857d: 8). Authors of papers received 25 separates without own title page and cover for free; they had the opportunity to order additional copies at their own cost that could be distributed in advance of the issues (preprints) (Anonymous 1860a: 11–12). Camill Heller joined the ZooBot in 1854 (Anonymous 1855: 18). For a short time, he was in charge of editorial and printing matters in 1857 (Anonymous 1857a: 2), later for the crustaceans of the ZooBot’s collections (Anonymous 1857f: 58–59) before he moved to Cracow.

Sessions of the Academy took place every week or every second week except between late July and early October. According to the by-laws of the academy, a treatise of a non-member –Heller became corresponding member only in 1875 (Meister 1947) – had to be submitted in a ready-for-printing form at least three days before the session. The secretary decided on suitability as oral communication. Every paper intended for the printed publications of the Academy was presented or at least announced in full or in excerpts at a class meeting. As a rule, papers by members are not subjected to examination. Papers read by non-members at a meeting had to be assigned to a commission for examination if the class did not immediately vote in favour of acceptance (Anonymous 1859). In the “Sitzungsberichte”, the final printed paper usually appeared in a subsequent issue/volume one to six months after it had been presented at a meeting (see below). Authors received 50 reprints of their papers with own pagination and title page for free, but could not order more, even when they were willing to cover the costs (Meister 1947).

Up to 1860 an individual issue without its own title page of the “Sitzungsberichte” appeared for each session (thus between 27 to 29 issues per year), from 1861 on they appeared in two sections [Abtheilungen] each with one issue per month (except for August and September) containing three sessions (thus 10 issues per year). Depending on the number of pages, issues (between 1 and 6) were assigned to volumes (2 to 4 per year) with its own title page and table of contents (Anonymous 1915). The imprint dates of the volumes containing the issues late in the year often had the imprint date of the next year even when the mid-year issue appeared in that year.

Anonymous (1915) lists all publications by the Academy published from their foundation up to the year 1914 with informations on volume, issue, number of plates and the prices at which they were available at booksellers. The Academy exchanged their publications among other institutions with the ZooBot. The receipt of individual issues was mentioned during the meetings of the institutions, sporadically by the Academy, more regularly, but not completely, by the ZooBot (Anonymous 1861d, e).

Heller’s (1856a, b) contributions were verbally presented during the ZooBot meetings of 1 October 1856 “Herr Dr Camill Heller beschreibt ein neues Crustaceum aus dem adriatischen Meere, das er Pontonella glabra nennt (siehe Abhandlungen)”, see Anonymous (1857b: 85) and 3 December 1856 “Herr Dr Camill Heller beschreibt einen neuen Krebs aus dem adriatischen Meere (siehe Abhandlungen)”, see Anonymous (1857c: 105), respectively. In the minutes to these two sessions, the publication of issues 2 (due 30 June 1856) and 3 (due 30 September 1856) of volume 6 have been mentioned (Anonymous 1857b: 81, 1857c: 103). Issue 4, (due 31 December) however, appeared to have been delayed even more than the previous ones, its publication was announced only at the session on 1 April 1857 “Am Schlusse der Sitzung macht der Secretär, Professor A. Pokorny, noch bekannt, dass mit dem soeben erschienenen 4. Quartal des Jahrganges 1856 der VI. Band der Vereinsschriften, dessen Ladenpreis sich auf 6 fl. 30 kr. beziffert, abgeschlossen ist” (Anonymous 1857e: 44). The library of the Crustacea Collection at the Natural History Museum in Vienna holds offprints of these two publications, each with its own pagination only. The date is given after the lines with title and author as “(Aus den Schriften des zoologisch-botanischen Vereins in Wien, 1856)”. These can be considered valid as preprints according to Art. 21.8. of the Code (ICZN 1999). Publication date adopted here as 31 December 1856.

Heller’s (1861a) [not 1861c as in De Grave et al. 2022] contribution on Red Sea crustaceans was recorded as presented orally to the ZooBot during the meeting of 5 December 1860, but with the stipulation that the contribution would appear in the next volume, i.e. for 1861: “Herr Pr. Dr. Camill Heller theilte die Beschreibungen einiger neuen Crustaceen mit (Dieser Aufsatz wird im nächsten Bande erscheinen)” (see Anonymous 1860b: 98). In volume 11 of the “Verhandlungen der kaiserlich-königlichen zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien” for the year 1861 Heller’s contribution is the first in the row of the “Abhandlungen”, meaning that it appeared in issue 1. According to Frauenfeld (1861) all issues of volume 11 were published on time at the end of each quarter, issue 1 announced at the meeting on 3 April 1861 “Der Sekretär Hr. Georg Ritter von Frauenfeld legte das erste Heft des Jahrganges 1861 der Gesellschaftsschriften vor” (Anonymous 1861b: 23). The publication date of 31 March 1861 is herein adopted for this contribution.

Heller (1861b) [not 1860 as in De Grave et al. 2022] was presented orally at the Academy’s meeting on 13 December 1860 “Herr Prof. Dr. Cam. Heller aus Krakau legt eine Abhandlung vor: Beiträge zur Crustaceen-Fauna des rothes Meeres” (see Anonymous 1861a). The paper appeared in the next volume (43 for 1861) of the Sitzungsberichte after the minutes of the meeting on 18 April 1861 in issue 4 that was due on 30 April. The receipt of this issue by the ZooBot was mentioned in their meeting on 2 October 1861 (see Anonymous 1861d: 81). Published after 30 April and before 2 October 1861.

Heller (1861c) [not 1861a as in De Grave et al. 2022] was submitted by post and presented at the Academy’s meeting on 11 July 1861 “Der Secretär legt folgende Abhandlungen vor:...Beiträge zur Crustaceen – Fauna des rothes Meers (Fortsetzung und Schluss) von Herrn Professor K. Heller in Krakau…” (see Anonymous 1861c: 193) and published following the minutes of the meeting on 18 July 1861 in issue 7 that was due on 31 July 1861. The receipt of this issue by the ZooBot was mentioned in their meeting on 4 December 1861 (see Anonymous 1861e: 94). Published after 31 July and before 4 December 1861.

Heller (1862a) was presented at the Academy’s meeting on 13 February 1862 “Herr Prof. Dr. K. Heller legt eine Abhandlung: “Beiträge zur näheren Kenntnis der Macrouren” vor” (see Anonymous 1862a: 189) and published following the minutes of the meeting on 20 March 1862 in issue 3 that was due on 31 March 1862. The receipt of this issue has been mentioned by the ZooBot in their meeting on 2 July 1862 (Anonymous 1862d: 66). Published after 31 March and before 2 July 1862.

Heller (1862b) was presented at the ZooBot’s meeting on 2 April 1862 “Weiters besprach er den zweiten Bericht über neue während der Weltumseglung der k. k. Fregatte Novara gesammelte Crustaceen von Hrn. Pr. Dr. Cam. Heller”, see Anonymous (1862b: 34); publication of issue 2 was due on 30 June, but has been announced earlier in the session on 4 June 1862, “Schliesslich legte Herr von Frauenfeld das erste und zweite Heft des Jahrganges 1862 der Gesellschaftsschriften vor.” see Anonymous (1862c: 64). Published on or before 4 June 1862.

Heller (1863a) [not 1862c as in De Grave et al. 2022] was presented at the Academy’s meeting on 23 October 1862 “Herr Prof. Dr. C. Heller legt den I. Theil seiner “Untersuchungen über die Litoralfauna des adriatischen Meeres” vor”, see Anonymous (1863a: 396); the publication follows the minutes of the meeting on 6 November 1862 in issue 9. Contrary to previous volumes, the issues of Vol. 46 for 1862 with imprint date 1863 were not available separately but in two bundles, one with issues 6, 7 and the other with issues 8–10 (see Anonymous 1869: 26). The latter’s receipt by the ZooBot was mentioned in their meeting on 1 April 1863 (Anonymous 1863b: 23). Published after 4 March and before 1 April 1863.

The publication dates for Heller (1863b, 1864, 1865, 1869, 1875a, b and 1876) have been adopted correctly by De Grave et al. (2022).

List of new genus- and species-group names established by Heller (1856–1876) affected by change in publication date Taxon names in bold are currently considered to be valid names. [information on type locality, types and current combinations as given in De Grave et al. (2022) omitted here]

adriatica, Calliaxis. Heller (1863a: 440; Pl. III, figs 22–30).

anaglyptus , Atergatis. Heller (1861a: 6). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 312; Pl. II, figs 11, 12).

Audouini , Palaemon. Heller (1861a: 28). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 286).

Calliaxis . Heller (1863a: 357).

Camptonyx . Heller (1861a: 16). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 357).

carinipes , Porcellana. Heller (1861a: 24). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 257; Pl. II, fig. 5).

carinipes, Zozymodes. Heller (1861a: 8). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 328; Pl. II, figs 16–18).

carnifex , Clibanarius. Heller (1861a: 23). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 250).

cavimana , Tetralia. Heller (1861a: 14). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 353; Pl. III, figs 24, 25).

charon , Alpheus. Heller (1861a: 27). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 272; Pl. III, figs 21, 22).

coralliodytes , Cryptochirus. Heller (1861a: 19). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 370; Pl. IV, figs 33–39).

Costae , Ebalia. Heller (1863a: 435; Pl. III, fig. 21).

Cryptochirus . Heller (1861a: 19). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 366).

depressus, Chlorodius. Heller (1861a: 11). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 338).

depressus, Pagurus. Heller (1861a: 22). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 248).

Edwardsii , Chlorodius. Heller (1861a: 10). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 336).

Ehrenbergi , Palinurus. Heller (1861a: 25). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 260; Pl. II, fig. 8).

elegans, Hymenocera. Heller (1861a: 25). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 264; Pl. III, figs 9–14).

Epixanthus . Heller (1861b: 323). Type species: Epixanthus kotschii Heller, 1861b.

Frauenfeldi , Atergatis. Heller (1861a: 5). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 311; Pl. I, fig. 10).

globulus , Actumnus. Heller (1861a: 12). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 341; Pl. III, fig. 23).

gracilis , Alpheus. Heller (1861a: 27). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 271; Pl. III, figs 19, 20).

Hemprichii , Hippolyte. Heller (1861a: 29). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 275; Pl. III, fig. 23).

heterodactyla , Tetralia. Heller (1861a: 14). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 354).

Hypocoelus . Heller (1861a: 7). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 319).

inaequalis , Porcellana. Heller (1861a: 24). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 259; Pl. II, fig. 7).

inaequimana, Anchistia. Heller (1861a: 28). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 283).

insignis, Alpheus. Heller (1861a: 26). Also as new in Heller (1861c: 269; Pl. III, figs 17, 18).

Kotschii , Epixanthus. Heller (1861b: 325; Pl. II, figs 14, 15).

Kraussi , Actaea. Heller (1861a: 7). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 316).

leptocheles , Porcellana. Heller (1861a: 24). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 258; Pl. II, fig. 6).

maculatus, Etisus. Heller (1861a: 9). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 332).

monoceros, Alpheus. Heller (1861c: 274).

nodipes, Actaeodes. Heller (1861a: 9). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 329; Pl. II, fig. 19).

nodosa , Pseudomicippe. Heller (1861a: 4). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 303; Pl. I, figs 3–6).

nudirostris , Oedipus. Heller (1861a: 27). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 279; Pl. III, fig. 25).

orientalis , Hippolyte. Heller (1861c: 277).

paschalis , Hippolyte. Heller (1861c: 276; Pl. III, fig. 24).

pictus , Remipes. Heller (1861a: 21). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 243).

politus , Camptonyx. Heller (1861a: 16). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 359; Pl. III, figs 26, 28, Pl. IV, figs 29–32).

polyacanthus , Chlorodius. Heller (1861a: 11). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 339; Pl. III, fig. 21).

Pseudomicippe . Heller (1861a: 4). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 301).

pusilla , Lysmata. Heller (1861c: 287; Pl. III, fig. 26).

pyramidata , Huenia. Heller (1861a: 5). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 307; Pl. I, fig. 9).

Rathkii , Pandalus. Heller (1863a: 441; Pl. III, fig. 31).

rosaceus , Calcinus. Heller (1861a: 23). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 253).

rufescens , Porcellana. Heller (1861a: 24). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 255; Pl. II, fig. 4).

rugipes , Actaeodes. Heller (1861a: 9). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 330; Pl. II, fig. 20).

Savignyi , Pilumnus. Heller (1861a: 12). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 345).

Schmardae , Actaea. Heller (1861a: 6). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 318; Pl. II, fig. 13).

scrobiculatus, Atergatis. Heller (1861a: 5). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 310).

sculptilis, Etisodes. Heller (1861a: 10). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 333).

semigranosus , Atergatis. Heller (1861a: 6). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 313).

signatus , Clibanarius. Heller (1861a: 23). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 252).

spinicinctus , Cyclax. Heller (1861a: 4). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 304; Pl. I, figs 7, 8).

spinipes , Pilodius. Heller (1861a: 11). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 340; Pl. III, fig. 22).

tomentosa, Dromia. Heller (1861a: 21). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 241).

tricuspidatus , Alpheus. Heller (1861a: 26). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 267; Pl. III, fig. 15).

trisetacea , Hippolyte. Heller (1861a: 29). Also described as new in Heller (1861c) as Lysmata pusilla.

varipes, Pagurus. Heller (1861a: 22). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861c: 244; Pl. I, fig. 1; Pl. II, figs 2, 3).

Zozymodes . Heller (1861a: 8). Also indicated as new in Heller (1861b: 327).

“Designation of Lysmata pusilla Heller, 1861a as nomen oblitum and its junior synonym Hippolyte trisetacea Heller, 1861b as a nomen protectum”: This chapter and corresponding Appendix 2 are obsolete. With the correct publication dates Hippolyte trisetacea Heller, 1861a has priority over Lysmata pusilla Heller, 1861c.

My thanks are due to Carlo Froglia (Istituto per le Risorse Biologiche e le Biotecnologie Marine (CNR-IRBIM), Ancona) who pointed me to the incorrect publication dates.