Mattheus Marinus Schepman


Mattheus Marinus Schepman was a Dutch malacologist. He was one of the foremost collectors of mollusc shells in the Netherlands, and was also high on the overall list of European collectors.
Dutch collectors developed an interest in natural history specimens that were collected on worldwide expeditions since the 16th century. An interest in conchology led to numerous shell publications. In 1934 the Nederlandse Malacologische Vereniging was founded. In commemoration of its 75th anniversary, a book honoring in detail the work of Mattheus Schepman was published.

His research

Schepman was both a collector and a methodical scientist, which combination "made his collection of great value to the entire malacological community." He was given the opportunity to study a collection by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber, Director of the Zoölogisch Museum Amsterdam. Many of the specimens he studied and collected were gathered by the Siboga Expedition. The expedition went to the Indo-Malaysian Archipelago and investigated 322 sites.
Schepman's most significant work is reported in "The Prosobranchia of the Siboga expedition". HM Siboga was the transport ship for the eponymous "Siboga Expedition". Published over five years and consisting of 494 pages, it covers 212 genera and 1,467 species. Eduard von Martens was involved in mollusk identification from the first expedition, and he "probably recommended Schepman for the work on the second." In any event, Schepman published seven volumes which described 2,500 specimens, and 1,235 shelled mollusc species, "many new to science."
An important aspect of his work was his scientific collection of shells, a collection which was almost unprecedented in scope and breadth. Eventually sold in 1920 to the Zoological Museum Amsterdam for ƒ7,205, the collection consisted of 9,000 species and 1,250 genera of shelled freshwater, marine, and land molluscs.

Published works

Schepman wrote over 62 malacological works. They include:
  • Horst R. & Schepman M. M.. . Tome XIII. Leiden.
  • Schepman M. M. & Nierstrasz H. F.. . Stuttgart.
The Prosobranchia of the Siboga Expedition
  • Schepman M. M.. . Uitkomsten op zoologisch, botanisch, oceanografisch en geologisch gebied verzameld in Nederlandsch Oost-Indië 1899–1900 aan boord H. M. Siboga, Monographie, E. J. Brill, Leyden, 49a: 107 pp., 9 plates.
  • Schepman M. M.. . 49b: 108–231, 7 plates.
  • Schepman M. M.. . 49c: 233–246, 1 plate.
  • Schepman M. M. & Nierstrasz H. F.. . 49: 1–28, 2 plates.
  • Schepman M. M.. . 49d: 247–364, 7 plates.
  • Schepman M. M.. 49e: 365–452, 6 plates.
  • Schepman M. M.. 49f: 453–494, 2 plates.

Taxa

Schepman described and named a large number of taxa of molluscs, mostly species, especially species of marine gastropods. For example, in November 2012, the World Register of Marine Species listed 182 valid marine taxa that were described by Schepman.
Schepman originally described about 450 taxa, including many turrids. Examples of the numerous taxa he named and described are in the following list :

Families

Freshwater and marine cave snails:

Genera

Sea snails :Guttula Schepman, 1908Pseudococculina Schepman, 1908Clavosurcula Schepman, 1913Daphnellopsis Schepman, 1913Meloscaphander Schepman, 1913Volvulopsis Schepman, 1913

Species

Land snails:Amphidromus reflexilahris SchepmanHelicarion sumatrensis Schepman, 1886Asperitas bimaensis Dyakia densestriata Schepman, 1896Hemiplecta butikkoferi Schepman, 1896Euplecta costellifera Schepman, 1918Euplecta imperforata Schepman, 1918Macrochlamys imperforata Schepman, 1918Sitala crenocarinata Schepman, 1918Planispira planissima Schepman, 1918Cyclotus subcanaliculatus Schepman, 1918
Land slugs:Parmarion goedhuisi Schepman, 1896Microparmarion litteratus Schepman, 1896Hemicarion semicalcareus Schepman, 1896
Freshwater snails:Melania subplicata Schepman, 1886Melania snellemanni Schepman, 1886Bellamya liberiana Potadoma buttikoferi Potadoma liberiensis Melania glandiformis Schepman, 1896Melania schwaneri Schepman, 1896Brotia borneensis Melania mülleri Schepman, 1896Melania subpunctata Schepman, 1896
Freshwater bivalves:Hyridella misoolensis Schepmania nieuwenhuisi Nausitora hedleyi Schepman, 1919 – brackish water species
Sea snails :
1870s and 1890sEntemnotrochus rumphii Nassarius javanus Oliva semmelinki Schepman, 1891Ergalatax martensi
1903Astralium provisorium
1904Oliva dubia Schepman, 1904Oliva rufofulgurata Schepman, 1904
1907Cerithium claviforme Schepman, 1907Cerithium koperbergi Schepman, 1907Nassarius celebensis Notadusta martini
1908Anatoma exquisita Anatoma maxima Ancistrobasis monodon Bathyfautor multispinosus Bathymophila callomphala Calliostoma crassicostatum Schepman, 1908Calliostoma quadricolor Schepman, 1908Calliostoma rufomaculatum Schepman, 1908Calliostoma simplex Schepman, 1908Calliostoma virgo Schepman, 1908Calliotropis bicarinata Calliotropis calcarata Calliotropis concavospira Calliotropis limbifera Calliotropis multisquamosa Calliotropis muricata Calliotropis pagodiformis Calliotropis pulchra Calliotropis spinulosa Danilia weberi Schepman, 1908Emarginella sibogae Emarginula foveolata Schepman, 1908Guttula sibogae Schepman, 1908Hadroconus sibogae Herpetopoma ringens Pectinodonta alta Schepman, 1908Pectinodonta orientalis Schepman, 1908Perrinia cancellata Perrinia nigromaculata Perrinia plicifera Perrinia squamicarinata Phenacolepas radiata Schepman, 1908Pseudococculina granulata Schepman, 1908Pseudococculina rugosoplicata Schepman, 1908Solariella ornatissima Tibatrochus incertus Tugalina plana
1909Abyssochrysos melvilli Akibumia orientalis Biplex aculeata Carenzia melvillii Cylindriscala humerosa Cylindriscala sibogae Eccliseogyra fragilissima Epitonium abyssicola Epitonium melvilli Fluxinella marginata Fluxinella trochiformis Goodingia varicosa Granosolarium mirabile Gregorioiscala nierstraszi Heliacus costatus Heliacus madurensis Inella verluysi Niso smithi Schepman, 1909Pelseneeria sibogae Primovula roseomaculata Quinnia sykesi Seguenzia costulifera Schepman, 1909Seguenzia dautzenbergi Schepman, 1909Seila versluysi Stellaria gigantea Stilapex eburnea Stilapex parva Subularia circumstriata Schepman, 1909Triphora schmidti Schepman, 1909Trivellona abyssicola Trivellona paucicostata Trivellona sibogae
1911Amalda abyssicola Schepman, 1911Amalda edgariana Schepman, 1911Antillophos minutus Babelomurex ricinuloides Chryseofusus chrysodomoides Cyllene sibogae Schepman, 1911Eosipho smithi Chryseofusus chrysodomoides Fusinus thielei Manaria brevicaudata Mitrella circumstriata Mitrella simplex Mitrella undulata Nassarius crebricostatus Nassarius macrocephalus Nassarius multipunctatus Pagodula obtuselirata Pagodula pulchella Pazinotus sibogae Pazinotus smithi Peristernia incerta Schepman, 1911Preangeria dentata Turrilatirus melvilli Ziba abyssicola
1913Acamptodaphne biconica Anticlinura biconica Asperdaphne elegantissima Asperdaphne suluensis Belomitra brachytoma Benthomangelia celebensis Benthomangelia trophonoidea Borsonia smithi Schepman, 1913Borsonia timorensis Brachytoma rufolineata Buccinaria abbreviata Clavosurcula sibogae Schepman, 1913Cochlespira pulchella Comitas melvilli Comitas obtusigemmata Comitas pagodaeformis Crassispira aesopus Crassispira rubidofusca Cryptodaphne affinis Cryptodaphne gradata Cytharopsis butonensis Daphnella celebensis Schepman, 1913Daphnellopsis lamellosa Schepman, 1913Diniatys dubius Duplicaria tiurensis Emarginula paucipunctata Schepman, 1913Euclathurella subuloides Gemmula sibogae Gemmula truncata Glyphostoma granulifera Guraleus halmaherica Guraleus savuensis Gymnobela ceramensis Gymnobela dubia Gymnobela pulchra Gymnobela sibogae Horaiclavus madurensis Horaiclavus multicostata Inquisitor aesopus Inquisitor subangusta Isodaphne perfragilis Ithycythara septemcostata Leucosyrinx pyramidalis Lienardia peristernioides Schepman, 1913Lioglyphostomella timorensis Maoridaphne supracancellata Maoritomella batjanensis Marshallena nierstraszi Mioawateria extensaeformis Mucronalia variabilis Schepman in Voeltzkow, 1913Myurella exiguoides Neopleurotomoides rufoapicata Otitoma kwandangensis Otitoma timorensis Paracomitas undosa Pleurotomella clathurellaeformis Schepman, 1913Pseudodaphnella virgo Pseudoetrema crassicingulata Pseudorhaphitoma multigranosa Sabatia supracancellata Scaphander sibogae Schepman, 1913Scaphander subglobosus Schepman, 1913Shutonia variabilis Splendrillia suluensis Stellatoma rufostrigata Terebra virgo Schepman, 1913Trophon celebensis Schepman, 1913Typhlosyrinx supracostata Xanthodaphne pyriformis
1914Megadenus voeltzkovi Schepman & Nierstrasz, 1914
1922

In honor

Taxa named in his honor include :
Marine snails:Epitonium schepmani Argyropeza schepmaniana Melvill, 1912Natica schepmani Thiele, 1925Pagodidaphne schepmani Trivellona schepmani Lucerapex schepmani Shuto, 1970Clavosurcula schepmani Sysoev, 1997Mitra schepmani Salisbury & Guillot de Suduiraut, 2003Mitrella schepmani Monsecour & Monsecour, 2007
Bivalves:Neilonella schepmani Prashad, 1932