The Nautilus 121

Vol. 100(4) October 31, 1986 THE NAUTILUS 121 1848) in having a lighter-weight shell, lacking stronger and fewer spiral threads. The similar the strong shoulder nodules on the last two muricid, Cnlotrophon ostrearum {Conrad, 1846), whorls, in having more numerous spiral threads, has stronger shoulder nodes and a mauve to and in being a little more elongate in propor- rosy-purple aperture. Fossil C. multangulus tions. The variations in colors and patterns are from the old St. Petersburg pits have fewer very similar. It is possible that these colonies in axial nodes per whorl. This grou]) of species ap- the "Panhandle" region of Florida represent an pears to t>e largely confined to southeast United ecological, rather than a genetic, form. States, the Bahamas, the north coast of Cuba Mr. Granda obtained two "clutches" of small, and Yucatan, Mexico. horny egg-capsules which he found on pieces of carapace from the horseshoe crab, Limulus. The LITERATURE CITED urn-shaped capsules, about 5x8 mm, closely D'Asaro. Charles N. 1986. Egg Capsules of Eleven Marine resembled those so well illustrated by D'Asaro in Prosobranchs from Northwest Florida. BtiU. Murine Sri. 39(1): 76-91, 4 figs. his account of the capsules of CantharuH Gulf Coast Shell Club (Bob Cranda and -Jim Brunner, multangulus from the same region (1986, p. 86, editors). 1983. SeaskeLls ofBay Cininlii mtd the Gi(lfC(t(it;t. figs. A-D). Very similar capsules of the 26 pp., 96 photos, 1 map. nominate species from Sanibel Island were il- Perry, Louise M. and Jeanne S. Schwengel 19.5.5. Murine lustrated by Perry and Schwengel, 1955, pi. 50, Shells of the Westeiyt Coast of FUiridti. Paleont. Research Inst.. Ithaca. 318 55 pis. fig. 340. pp, Robertson, Robert. 1957. A Study of Cantharus multaiigu- Cantharus cancellarius (Conrad, 1846) from his (Philippi) with Notes on Cantharus and Pseudo- the same region differs in lieing more ovoid, neptunea (Gastropoda:Buccinidae). Notulae Naturae. having a shorter spire and in having much Philadelphia, no. 300, pp. 1-10, 19 figs. ON THE TAXONOMICAL STATUS OF TRITONIUM VIRIDULUM FABRICIUS, 1780 (GASTROPODA: CANCELLARIIDAE) Jon-Arne Sneli and Oystein Stokland Trondhjem Biologiske Stasjon 7000 Trondheim, Norway ABSTRACT The taxonoviic and nomenclatorial problems associated with the species Admete viridula (Fahricius. 1780) are discussed. The fact that the type specimens of both Admete viridula and A. crisps. Moller, 1842 are misingfrom the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen complicates the situation considerably as three species are involved, Tritonium viridulum Fabricius, 1780, Defrancia viridula Moller, 1842. and D. exarata Moller. 1842. Fabricius's name is to be regarded as a nomen dubium and that Admete couthouyi (Jay, 1839) should be used as the correct name for that species. Mailer's D. viridula and D. exarata are both good species; but D. viridula should probably be named Oenopota decussata (Couthouy, 1839) and D. exarata, Propebela exarata (Moller, 1842). The original description of Tritonium appear quite simple. viridulum, which was published by Fabricius in However, Ball (1886: 298) after having ex- 1780 without an illustration, has commonly been amined the holotype in the Zoological Museum regarded as the original description of Admete in Copenhagen, claimed that the species be- viridula auctt. The description fits the species longed to the group Bela auctt. He also found fairly well, and the taxonomic situation would that Defrancia viridula Moller, 1842 (Fig. 1) 122 THE NAUTILUS October 31, 1986 Vol. 100(4) 0H:- 5 6 ^7 FIGS. 1-7. 1, Pro-pehela exarata (Moller, 1842); one of the larger specimens from the syntype-collection of Moller (Zool. nius., Copenhagen). 2, Propebela exarntri (Moller) as drawn by G. O. Sars. 1878. 3 and 4, A specimen of Oenuputn deccusata (Couthouy, 1839) = Bda viriduta. from the collection of Moller (Zool. mus, Copenhagen). On the label is also written: "B. viridula (et var. inflata) = B. deccusata Couthouy var. ventricosa". 5, Admete viriduta uctt. as drawn by G. 0. Sars, 1878. 6 and 7, Holotype of Cancellaria buccinoides Couthouy, 1838 (Reg. no. 279394 in Mus. Comp. Zool, Cambridge, Mass.). The species is Admete couthouyi Jay, 1839. was founded on the same specimen, and con- ly is regarded as conspecific with A. viridula cluded that it was identical with Defrancia ex- auctt., resembles D. exarata with respect to arata Moller, 1842 (Fig. 2). Ball writes that sculpture. Morch had discovered these facts before him This situation could have easily been cleared and Posselt (1898: 168) confirms this by referr- up if the type specimens in question, which were ing to a handwritten catalogue by Morch. Con- all from Greenland, had been available, but un- cerning the nomenclatorial situation, Posselt fortunately the type specimens of both claims that the correct name o^ Admete viridula Tritonium riridulum and Admete crispa appear auctt. (Fig. 3) should be Admete couthouyi Jay, to have disappeared early in this century 1839, because the older Cancellaria buccinoides^ (Jorgen Knudsen, pers. commn.). Only one sam- (Fig. 4) of Couthouy, 1838 was described in ple in the collection of the Zoological Museum in another genus. Copenhagen could possibly be Fabricius type, All three species involved in this problem but this sample contains three specimens show a great deal of variability, and Fabricius whereas the original description states that description fits both Moller's Defrancia viridula Fabricius had only one specimen available. In and Admete viridula auctt. as well. Concerning the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen there are Defrancia exarata, Posselt (1898: 168) states type lots of both Mollers species Defrancia ex- that Admete crispa Moller 1842, which conmion- arata (Fig. 2) and D. viridula (Fig. 1). The type Vol. 100(4) October 31, 1986 THE NAUTILUS 123 lots of the last species contains seven syntypes radulae. Troschel investigated preserved and thereby shows that Moller did not base his material of both Defrancia viridula and the description on Fabricius specimen. genus Admete in the Zoological Museum in None of Mollers type specimen fits very Copenhagen with respect to radular teeth. He well with Fabricius description. However, found the radulae in D. viridula were like those Knipowitsch (1901) illustrates a specimen oi D. of other species within Beta auctt., while in exarata from Svalbard which rather closely Admete he found two kinds of teeth. He also resembles Admete viridula auctt. Considering found two shell forms which he called Adm,ete this, and that the form caWed Admete critipa has viridula (Fabricius) and A. crispa Moller accor- a sculpture like that of D. exarata, we assume ding to figures in Middendorffs (1849) work on that some morphological overlap between the Russian mollusks. The shell forms corresponded species is present. Although fitting the common with the radular forms, which may indicate that forms of Admete viridula auctt. better than Troschel was correct in dividing the traditional those of Holler's Dejrancia exarata, Fabricius Admete viridula into two species. description covers the overlapping forms, with The nomenclatorial consequences of these tax- the exception that we never have observed D. onomic circumstances may now be summarized. exarata without prominent ribs on the last Moller's Defrancia exarata presents no prob- whorl as mentioned in the description. How- lems, and in our opinion it is best placed within ever, considering the large intraspecific varia- Propebela Iredale, 1918. Fabricius Tritionium tion within most species in this group it is no viridulum seems difficult to identify with any wonder that Dall (1886) reduced them to species, and in our opinion it should, since the synonomy. holotype is lost, be regarded as a nomen dubium. Moller's sample of Defrancia viridula fits One could use the existence of the sample iden- Fabricius description fairly well except that the tified by Morch to attach the name to Moller's ribs, which are said to be straight ("costae viridula, having also the facts presented by Dall longitudinales") in Fabricius description, are in mind. However, since both Morch and Dall somewhat curved. As Moller's Defrancia seems to have considered that Fabricius original viridula, which probably is conspecific with specimen belonged to Propebela exarata (Moller, Pleurot.oma decussata. Couthouy, 1839, has a 1842), this argument seems somewhat dubious. large intraspecific variation like all species in The fact that Moller founded his Defrancia this group, Fabricius description fits both viridula on a sample of seven syntypes still pre- species fairly well, and one cannot apply it to sent in the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen one rather than the other. also contradicts the view of Morch and Dall. In Concerning Morch's earlier opinions as first our opinion, Moller's Defrancia viridula is best published by Dall (1886), there is a sample in the placed in Oenopota Morch, 1852, probably as a Zoological Museum, University of Bergen (no. synonym of Oenopota decussata (Couthouy, 28208) which should be mentioned. This con- 1839). tains two dry specimens of Moller's viridula Concerning ylrf?nete viridula auctt., the oldest from Greenland which are identified to "Bela name for this species is Cancellaria buccinoides viridula M. Sars" by Morch. Michael Sars never Couthouy, 1838. This name is, however, a described any species with this name, but the primary homonym of Cancellaria buccinoides sample could indicate that Morch had Moller's W. Wood, 1828 and has to be rejected as there species in mind when he claimed to have dis- are no strong reasons why it should be referred covered that this and Fabricius species was to the International Commission on Zoological founded on the same specimen. However, this is Nomenclature for eventual preservation. The in contradiction to the presence of the seven next available name is Admete couthouyi Jay, syntypes of Defrancia viridula Moller in the 1839, which meets all demands as a correct Zoological Museum of Copenhagen.

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