etymology

[Yves Samyn]

Dear colleagues,

I was wondering if any of you speak Okinawan.
This because my colleagues and I are trying to figure out the etymology
of the species /Holothuria isuga/ Mitsikuri, 1912.

The original publication gives the following explanation (Mitsikuri
1912: 89): "The specific nale /isuga/ is the name given by the natives
of Okinawa to this species, as I am told by Nabisa", that obviously
helps us no further.

Is it possible that isuga means 'digging' or 'burrowing' or something
alike. It could as well be 'brown' also.

Thank you for your input.

With kind regards,

Yves

--
Dr Yves Samyn
Tutor, Belgian Focal Point to the Global Taxonomy Initiative
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Vautierstraat 29
B-1000  BRUSSELS    (Belgium)

Tel.:+32 2 627 41 24
Fax:+32 2 627 41 41
Direct email: yves.samyn at naturalsciences.be
Focal Point email: cbd-gti at naturalsciences.be
Web: http://bch-cbd.naturalsciences.be/