Subfamilies, Genera, and Subgenera — Recent and Fossil 159 



'proof sheet' seems unwarranted and the writer fully agrees with Pilsbry 

 ( 1926, p. 248) that Carinifex was sufficiently 'published' by Binney 

 and that this name should be used in place of Megasystropha Lea, which is 

 ruled by the Commission to be used instead of Carinifex. 



Dall (1870) says (in footnote under Carinifex) 'Megasystropha Lea. 

 Neither genus was characterized by the author, and the former is in gen- 

 eral use and has priority.' In 1924, however, Dall reversed this opinion 

 (Prof. Papers, p. 112) and used Megasystropha as the name for this 

 group, contending that the earlier 'proof sheets' of 1863 were simply proofs 

 and should not be quoted. However, in a general review of the literature 

 of this genus, it is evident that the name Carinifex has been almost 

 universally used, as noted in the bibliography of the genus on a previous 

 page of this volume. Henderson (1929, p. 143) well states the situation in 

 the following words. 'It must not be forgotten that the purpose of rules 

 of nomenclature is to insure, so far as possible, stability of names and 

 certainty in their use in the designation of species,- etc., wdiich purpose 

 would be defeated rather than accomplished by this proposed substitution.' 

 The name Carinifex is, therefore, adopted in this work. 



Genus VORTICIFEX Meek, 1870 



Type by original designation Carinifex tnjoni Meek 



1870. Vortifex Meek, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., p. 59. Type Carinifex (Vortifex) 

 tryoni Meek, new species. Proposed as subgenus of Carinifex Binney 



1870. Vorticifex Dall, Ann. N. Y. Lye. Nat. Hist., IX, p. 353. Correction of Vortifex, 



originally misspelled. Type Carinifex tryoni Meek. 



1871. Vorticifex Meek, Tryon, Amer. Jour. Conch., VI, p. 285, April, 1871. Review 



of Meek's paper. Vortifex corrected to Vorticifex and Carinifex tryoni stated 

 to be the type 

 1877. Vorticifex Meek, U. S. Geol. Surv. 40th Parallel, IV, p. 187. Subgenus described 

 and Carinifex binneyi and tryoni both placed therein 



1883. Vorticifex Fischer, Man. de Conch., p. 508. Type Carinifex tryoni Meek. As 



subgenus of Carinifex 



1884. Vorticifex Tryon, S. and S. Conch., Ill, p. 105. Type wrongly stated to be 



Carinifex binneyi Meek. As subgenus of Carinifex 

 1888. Vorticifex C.^ll, Amer. Geol., I, p. 148. Genus formally described and Carinifex 



binneyi Meek wrongly designated as type 

 1922. Vorticifex Hann.\, Univ. Oregon Pub., I, No. 12, p. 7. Type Carinifex tryoni 



Meek. As genus 

 1924. Paradines Dall, U. S. G. S., Prof. Papers, No. 132, p. 112. Type by original 



designation Carinifex binneyi Meek. As section of genus Megasystropha 

 1935. Vorticifex Henderson, Fossil Non-Marine Moll. N. A., p. 255. Type Carinifex 



tryoni Meek. As genus 



Shell (plate 76, fig. 12 tryoni; fig. 13, binneyi). Large, ultradextral, of 

 few rapidly enlarging, rounded whorls, the body whorl very large, rounded, 

 and sculptured with distinct, rib-like striae parallel with the lines of 

 growth; right side flatly convex; left side with deep 'umbilical' dej^'ession 

 almost completely obscuring the inner whorls; aperture large, rounded. 



'The chief distinguishing features of the genus are (1), lack of carinae, 

 either at periphery, suture or around umbilicus; (2), much rounder body 

 whorl than Carinifex; and (3), much less triangular aperture than 

 Carinifex' (Hanna, 1922, p. 7) . 



