Vol. 5, p. 357-367, pi. 18. January 31, 1931. 



Occasional Papers 



OF THE 



Boston Society of Natural History. 



STUDIES OF AFRICAN LAND AND FRESH-AY ATER 



MOLLUSKS. 



I. ON SOME AFRICAN SPECIES OF BULINUS. 

 BY JOSEPH BEQUAERT AND W. J. CLENCH. 



Dr. P. L. Le Roux, Veterinary Research Officer of the Union 

 of South Africa, has recently sent for identification several 

 species of Bulinus, some of which are of importance in the life 

 cycle of trematodes. Considerable difficulty was experienced in 

 attempting to name them. We trust that the following notes, 

 with the appended photographs, may contribute to a better 

 understanding of the genus. 



In the course of our studies we have been brought to suggest 

 some synonymies. Undoubtedly many of the published names 

 will eventually disappear. For the present, however, we feel 

 reluctant to 'lump' most of these names, since Africa seems to 

 possess more distinct species of Bulinus than might be suspected 

 at first. 



Bibliographic references contained in Pilsbry and Bequaert's 

 recent compilation of the literature (1927, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. 

 Hist. 53, p. 132-142) have not been repeated here. 



Bulinus senegalensis O. F. Miiller. 



Physa vilraea 'Parreyss' Sowerby 1873, Conch. Icon. 19, 

 Physa, pi. 8, fig. 65 (Lake Mareotis, Egypt). 



The original reference of P. vitraea was overlooked by Pilsbry 

 and Bequaert (1927). Jickeli (1874) listed P. vitraea 'Parreyss' 

 as a synonym of Bulinus forskalii (Ehrenberg), but Sowerby 's 

 figures render this synonymy untenable. Moreover, the Mus. 

 Comp. Zool. has two specimens from Lake Mareotis, received 

 from Parreyss as 'Physa vitraeaJ These specimens agree so well 

 with the description and figures given by Pilsbry and Bequaert of 

 B. senegalensis (after topotypical material), that we do not 

 hesitate to refer them to that species. 



357 



