L. G. Brown & B. D. Neville 
Novapex 12(3-4): 81-86, 10 octobre 2011 
Nomenclatural notes on Amaea arabica (Nyst, 1871) comb. nov. 
and Cirsotrema fimbriolatum (Melvill, 1897) (Gastropoda: Epitoniidae), 
two similar species from the Indo-Pacifîc faunal province 
Leonard G. BROWN 
5 Vumbaco Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492, USA 
E-mail: Epmanshell@AOL.com 
Bruce D. NEVILLE 
2700 Sandy Circle, College Station, TX 77845-5309, USA 
E-mail: Bneville@tamu.edu 
KEYWORDS. Gastropoda, Epitoniidae, Amaea, Cirsotrema, nomenclature. 
ABSTRACT. Seal aria decussata ‘ Lamarck’ Kiener, 1838, and S. decussata ‘Lamarck’ Sowerby 
II, 1844, are shown to refer to a Recent species different from the true S. decussata Lamarck, 
1804, a fossil. The illustration of the holotype of Scalaria arabica Nyst, 1871, is compared to 
photographs of the probable holotype of Cirsotrema kieneri Tapparone-Canefri, 1876, to 
document that the two species are conspecific, that Nyst’s name has precedence, and that S. 
arabica belongs to the genus Amaea. Scalaria fimbriolata Melvill, 1897, a similar species from 
the Indo-Pacific faunal province that has been confused with A. arabica, is shown to be 
specifically and generically distinct from A. arabica. 
INTRODUCTION 
A review of the literature on the Epitoniidae, e. g. 
Nakayama (2003: 21) illustrâtes that questions exist 
regarding the relationship between Scalaria decussata 
Lamarck, 1804, an Eocene fossil species collected 
near Paris, France, and the Recent species Scalaria 
arabica Nyst, 1871 [= Scalaria decussata Lamarck 
sensu Sowerby II (1844: 103, pi. 35, fig. 140)] and 
Cirsotrema kieneri Tapparone-Canefri, 1876 
[=Scalaria decussata Lamarck sensu Kiener (1838: 
21, pl- 7, fig. 23)]. 
To résolve these questions, we set out to track 
down photographs of the type specimens of S. 
decussata, S. arabica, and C. kieneri and also 
conducted a thorough review of the literature that 
included référencés to these species names. In the 
course of our research, we discovered that the species 
listed above hâve also been confused with the species 
described under the name Scalaria fimbriolata 
Melvill. 1897, a similar Recent species referable to the 
genus Cirsotrema. Therefore, in addition to 
documenting our conclusion that the correct name for 
the species illustrated by Kiener and Sowerby is 
Amaea arabica (Nyst, 1871), we hâve included a 
discussion of Melvill’s species to document that it is 
not a synonym of A. arabica. 
Abbreviations 
NHMUK: Natural History Muséum, London. 
MHNG: Muséum d’EIistoire Naturelle de Genève, 
dd: specimen(s) collected dead. 
Iv: specimen(s) collected alive. 
SYSTEMATICS 
Family EPITONIIDAE S. S. Berry, 1910 
Genus Amaea H. & A. Adams, 1853: 223 
Type species: Scalaria magnifica G. B. Sowerby II, 
1844, by subséquent désignation (Boury, 1909: 258) 
Amaea decussata (Lamarck, 1804) 
Fig 1-2 
Scalaria decussata Lamarck, 1804: 213; Lamarck, 
1806: pl. 10, fig. 3; Lamarck, 1822: 229; MHNG, 
1918: pl. 6, figs. 74 a, b, 75 a, b; non Scalaria 
decussata Pease, 1867: 289 [=Epitonium 
sandwichense (Nyst, 1871)]. 
Distribution. France. Fossil, Eocene. 
Reniarks. The original engravings of Lamarck’s S. 
decussata (Lamarck, 1806) show both spiral and axial 
sculpture, though the axial sculpture overlays the 
spiral. Photographs of the syntypes of Lamarck’s S. 
decussata published by the MHNG (1918) show that 
this fossil species has convex teleoconch whorls that 
are not angular below the suture and the axial costae 
are not raised where they cross the spiral cords (Fig. 
1-2). The sculpture indicates that the species is 
correctly placed in the genus Amaea. 
Pease (1867: 289) also named a Scalaria 
decussata. Pease’s shell, however, is an Epitonium 
and the name was also replaced by Nyst (1871: 132) 
with Scalaria sandwichensis. 
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