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6 P Mariottini, C Smriglio, A Di Giulio & M Oliverio

Deshayes 1835 (a different and unrelated spe- consideration the problems of restoring valid
cies). Nordsieck (1977: 45) interpreted Pleurotoma usage to them.
turgida Reeve 1844 as a synonym of P. nana.
However, van Aartsen (1988a: 30; 1988b) con- This lineage is represented in the Pliocene by
sidered P. turgida as a nomem dubium, despite a form with multispiral protoconch which has
the fact that Reeve’s name (which was based on been identified as B. turgida by different Authors
the same Aegean material of Forbes (1844): see (Cavallo & Repetto, 1992; Chirli, 1997). We have
van Aartsen (1988b)), was in fact available to studied hundreds of shells of this fossil species
replace Pleurotoma nana Scacchi. from the Pliocene of Altavilla (Sicily, Italy) which
are in the Monterosato collection (MCZR, ex coll.
Some authors (Cavallo & Repetto, 1992; Chirli, Brugnone). The teleoconch is indistinguishable
1997 and references therein), referring to Pliocene from that of Recent B. menkhorsti and B. zene-
material of the B. menkhorsti-complex, kept on toue. The multispiral protoconch, although very
utilizing the species name B. turgida, and in at similar to that of B. menkhorsti, is in fact different
least one case (Chirli, 1997: 56) considered the and supports the separation of these shells at the
fossil and the Recent forms as conspecific. species level.

P. nana has been described by Scacchi (1836) AbbrevIAtIons
using Recent shells collected on the coast of MCZR Museo Civico di Zoologia di Roma
Posillipo (“Ad Pausilipi oram”). Original type
material of this taxon has not been found in the (Roma, Italy)
Sacchi collection at MZUN (Cretella et al., 2005). MNHN Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle
However, three shells unequivocally labelled as
original Sacchi type material, are conserved at (Paris, France)
the MNHN (Figs 2a–e). Two of these specimens MZUN Museo di Zoologia dell’Università degli
have a multispiral protoconch, concordant with
the present interpretation of this taxon (Fig. 2c). Studi di Napoli Federico II (Naples,
Since specimens with both protoconch types Italy).
occur sympatrically at the type locality (Figs. 2, RMNH Royal Museum of Natural History
10), the lectotype (Figs 2a, b) designated by Peñas (Leiden, The Netherland).
et al. (2008) for Pleurotoma nana Scacchi 1836 is the USNM United States National Museum of
name-bearing type of Bela menkhorsti van Aartsen Natural History (Washington D.C.,
1988 and fixes the names permanently according USA).
to current usage. Among the names of the Aegean
turrids published by Reeve (1844) and Forbes systemAtIcs
(1844), at least Pleurotoma turgida (and possibly P. Family Conidae Fleming 1822
fortis Reeve 1844) have been considered as pos- Subfamily Mangeliinae Fischer 1887
sible members of this complex. Now, after two
decades of usage of van Aartsen’s replacement Genus Bela Gray 1847
name, it would be inappropriate to reinstate one Bela 1847a: XX. Type species: Murex nebula
of these names by neotype selection. Given their Montagu 1803, by subsequent designation (Gray,
status as nomina dubia (van Aartsen, 1988b), it is 1847b).
here advised that any revision of these names
involving neotype selections (the original types
are lost: see also Jeffreys (1870:66)) takes into

Figures 1a–8c Shells of Bela menkhorsti van Aartsen 1988. 1, original drawing by Scacchi (1836: fig. 20). 2a–c, lec-
totype (MNHN), Posillipo (Napoli), [11.1×4.2 mm]; 2d, 2e labels accompanying the lectotype. 3, Varazze (Genova),
Italy, 44°20’N 08°35’E, 20 m [6.9×2.8 mm] (CS-PM). 4, Off coast of Libya, 110–150 m [6.5×2.6 mm] (CS-PM). 5,
Off coast of West Sahara, 30–60 m [7.6×3.0 mm] (FG). 6a, San Vincenzo (Livorno), Italy, 43°05’N 10°24’E, 34 m
[5.3×2.1 mm] (CS-PM). 6b–c, teleoconch sculpture and protoconch of the specimen in Fig. 6a. 7a, Anzio (Roma),
Italy, 41°22’N 12°36’E, 50 m [7.1×3.0 mm] (CS-PM). 7b–c, teleoconch sculpture and protoconch of the specimen in
Fig. 7a. 8a–b, Off coast of Sfax, Tunisia, 90 m [2.6×1.4 mm] (CS-PM). 8c, protoconch of the specimen in Fig. 8a.