Additional information on the identity of Clavatula quinteni Nolf & Verstraeten, 2006 and Clavatula xanteni Nolf & Verstraeten, 2006 with a link towards more twin species Frank Nolf Pr. Stefanieplein, 43/8 B-8400 Oostende, Belgium [email protected] Keywords: Clavatula quinteni, C. xanteni, shells have never been the object of any Callumbonella suturale, Laevicardium crassum, discussion, until now. We wonder why the Laevicardium oblongum, Fusinus mollis, Fusinus authors Johan Verstraeten and Frank Nolf have albinus, Gibbula pennanti, Gibbula umbilicalis, never been notified about that problem by Rolán twin species. and Ryall. It seems that this is a cowardly attack to completely eliminate both authors from the Abstract: This paper is an answer to vague conchological forum, after an earlier try by E. allegations about the identity of Clavatula Rolán (2008). In this paper we want to clarify this quinteni and C. xanteni, both described eight situation and to reveal the origin of this polemic. years ago, made by two colleagues in the sister The real status of both Clavatula quinteni and C. magazine ‘Xenophora’. The underlying reason of xanteni will be clarified followed by a few this confusing and irrational act is revealed, a examples of more twin species. thorough comparison of the two species is made resulting in a link to similar problems with regard A historic survey preceding the description to identifying twin species. of Clavatula quinteni – C. xanteni. Abbreviations: Important note: All quotes taken from CFN: Private collection of Frank Nolf (Oostende, colleagues’ personal messages were literally Belgium) copied here and therefore sometimes still CJV: Private collection of Johan Verstraeten contain grammatical mistakes. (Oostende, Belgium) On 6 May 2006 shells of the later described CSH: Private collection of Steve Hubrecht Clavatula quinteni Nolf & Verstraeten, 2006 first (Heverlee, Belgium) became available at the Shell Show in Antwerp MNHN: Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Belgium) when Peter Ryall and I both were both (Paris, France) studying some unknown turrids. According to P. PEMARCO: Pêche Maritime du Congo Ryall, who sold specimens at 15 to 35 Euro, a RBINS: Royal Belgian Institute for Natural so-called ‘Clavatula mourei’ was among them. Sciences, Brussels, Belgium ZMC: Universitets Zoologisk Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark Introduction: A few months ago, Emilio Rolán and Peter Ryall (2014) wrote a very confusing and above all defamatory paper in our sister magazine Xenophora. Both authors pilloried colleagues and magazines without stating concrete names, as a result of which any arbitrary person or editor could identify with the accusations made by both authors. The controversial paper begins with an opinion upon ‘intraspecific variability and the synonymy of some taxa in turrids’ (why only in turrids?) and ends with a second part on the ’suspicion of the scientific value of some journals’. It is regrettable that the identity of two turrids (Clavatula quinteni and C. xanteni) has to support their vague statements while hundreds of other examples From: Abbott & Dance, 1982. Compendium of could have been chosen. Furthermore, these Seashells, p. 241 Neptunea, vol.13, n°2 1 November 2014 1 Abbott & Dance (1982) were the first to figure this species in their ‘Compendium of Seashells’ with the following caption: ‘Clavatula bimarginata (Lamarck, 1822). West Africa. Offshore; uncommon’. Later on, P. Bernard (1984) illustrated an unknown Clavatula sp. on Plate 49 (fig. 184). In the same year this species was mentioned as Clavatula mourei Bernard, 1984 by Rolán & Ryall (1999), but that fictitious name is in fact nowhere present in literature, except in ‘West African Seashells’ (Ardovini & Cossignani, 2004) where it was copied form the checklist by Rolán & Ryall. In addition this name could not be traced in the monumental ‘Catalog of Recent and fossil turrids (Mollusca: Gastropoda) (Tucker, 2004). J. Clavatula pfefferi (Strebel, 1912). 06°06’ N/ Verstraeten and I concluded that Bernard had 04°29’ E, Nigeria. Dredged in soft mud at a never published a ‘Clavatula mourei’ and so we depth of 29 m. 15 February 1946. 20.4 mm. regarded this name as an unavailable (possibly ‘Atlantide’ Expedition, Station 100. manuscript) name. This shell was already well known to all collectors specialising in West Even albino specimens were known. P. Bernard African seashells. Later on a considerable (1984) figured four completely white specimens number became available from Gabon, but in ‘Coquillages du Gabon’, but identified them as specimens from Angola were not always Clavatula pfefferi (Strebel, 1912). Remarkably, recognised to belong to that species. he noted the similarity with his Clavatula sp. (fig.184): ‘Solid fusiform shell with double sutural cord identical to that of C. sp. (n. 184).’ It is obvious that the specimens illustrated in fig. 184 and fig. 186 are very similar and in our opinion Bernard had to conclude both belong to the same species. It can be questioned why Bernard omitted to mention the differences between the problematic shells, certainly because C. pfefferi was originally described as a brown coloured shell and not as a typically white species by Strebel (1912). On 3 June 2006 P. Ryall seemed to understand that the name ‘C. mourei’ should not be used (‘I am afraid you are correct about this species, it is not published by Bernard in 1984’). From: Bernard, P.A., 1984. A week later he wrote: ‘There is no more Coquillages du Gabon, pl. 49, fig. 184 definitive news on “Clavatula mourei”. Rolán replied to tell me he has been aware about a problem on this name since two years but forgot to inform me. He checked his indices for “La Conchiglia” but could find no reference to this name.’ In July 2006 I answered: ‘I have some 5-10 Turris-shells which I’m unable to identify and which may be a new species, among them of course the ‘Clavatula mourei’. Ryall and Rolán clearly understood they urgently had to start a description. P. Ryall informed me as follows: ‘We (Rolán, Boyer and myself) are still searching for the description of “Clavatula mourei” and to see if From: Bernard, P.A., 1984. types are in the Paris Museum. If we do not turn Coquillages du Gabon, pl. 49, fig. 186 up anything soon we are describing it probably as “C. bernardi” as Pierre first published photos Neptunea, vol.13, n°2 1 November 2014 2 of this species. I have sent my specimens to Emilio Rolán now find it pertinent to advise you Rolán to add to his specimens for the that we completed a description of the species photographs, protoconch & radula and if we do figured as N°184 by P. Bernard, 1984 some go ahead and describe this species it will be in months ago. Our works dedicates the species to Iberus.’ Pierre Bernard (being the first to illustrate the On 13 November 2006 P. Ryall finished this species) and apart from describing the species, discussion: ‘Finally, the name “mourei” turned up illustrates the protoconch, operculum and radular in an unpublished document. Please keep this teeth. It has been submitted to Iberus. I wish to information to yourself. A friend of Pierre Bernard inform you because the same species was in the maintained a list of species discovered in Gabon draft of your intended publications.’ after 1984 and there it was … Clavatula sp. On 25 October 2006 E. Rolán intervened in the (mourei). But “mourei” was never published …’. debate: ‘Recently, we had made a paper on On 7 August 2006 I learned from P. Ryall: ‘The Clavatula bernardi a new species, which was description/photos/SEM radula/SEM protoconch submitted since several months to the journal of Clavatula bernardi (ex C. mourei) are now Iberus. Peter said me that you have several completed, I will inform you later on of species to be described in Neptunea and one of publication’. them was the same we had in press. I always Then started a new request for information on had preferred to have a cooperation with other another probably new species which would have authors better than a competition. So, I am an important influence on the further sending you the plates at low resolution of our cooperation. paper in order to inform you about the species, On 30 August 2006 P. Ryall wrote: ‘I have just probably coincident with your project. Of course, acquired a few dead taken shells reliable trawled if it is coincident, we would like to get an at -200 metres off Namibia. I will see the agreement, for example, to include your name as specimens when I am back in Austria at the end co-author, probably add some corrections from of September. The images I have seen bear a you and also we can separate several paratypes remarkable resemblance to C. suturale which is for your collection. This is the offer I thought as more commonly dredged in deep water from first solution, but we can wait about your opinion Mauritania to Guinea Bissau and including the or comments. Cape Verde Islands. My question is: do you have Also, I must inform you that I have ready a paper specimens of C. suturale in your collection on Callumbonella from Namibia, making reliable dredged/trawled off Angola/Namibia? comparison with the material from There is not much deep-water trawling off the Mediterranean, Morocco, Mauritania, Guinea area between Guinea Bissau and Angola.’ Conakry, in soft parts, radulae and opercula. In October 2006 I answered: ‘I have several This paper is in the way of English revision and it dead trawled specimens from Angola in my would be sent to Journal of Conchology. I know collection, some obtained from Portugese shell from Peter that you are studying a population collectors and a few others dredged by a Belgian from Angola.