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yew YORK SHELL CLUB NOTES No. 252 May 1979 Page 5 
SOME IMPORTANT NAME CHANGES 
(Odostomia to Boonea) 
Morris K. Jacobson 
In an extremely important recent paper, Dr. Robert Robertson of the 
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia reports the results of 
his investigation of the spermatophores of several species of the 
"\dostomia." (Spermatophores of Six Eastern North American Pyrami- 
dellid Gastropods and Their Systematic Significance (With the New 
Genus Boonea. Biological Bulletin 155(2): 360-382, October 1978.) 
Dr. Robertson points out that previous classifications of almost 
all pyramidellids, especially those of the genus Odostomia, were 
pased on shell features alone. These turned out to be confusing 
and unreliable bases for species and genus determinations. His 
studies indicated that the spermatophores proved to be a more use- 
ful character. 
A most important discovery is that the European genus Odostomia dif- 
fers decidedly from the species assigned to that genus in America. 
The differences appear in the protoconchs, opercula, mantle-organ 
coloration, and the morphology of the sexual apparatus. Hence the 
two groups of species cannot be assigned to the same genus, i.e. 
they are not congeneric. For this reason the genus Boonea is pro- 
posed for three American species, named for Constance Boone of 
Texas, corresponding secretary of the AMU, who provided Dr. Robert- 
son with much valuable preserved and alive odostomioid material. 
On the basis of his very convincing results, Dr. Robertson proposes 
the following changes in the nomenclature of these local pyramidel- 
lids: 
Odostomia seminuda (C. B. Adams, 1839) becomes Boonea seminuda. 
ynonyms include "0." willisi Bartsch, 1909, and "Q." toya- 
tani Henderson & Bartsch, 1914. 
Odostomia bisuturalis (Say, 1822) becomes Boonea bisuturalis. 
Synonyms include "0." trifida (Totten, 1834) and 790." exigua 
(Couthouy, 1838). 
Qdostomia impressa (Say, 1822) becomes Boonea impressa. 
ynonyms include "0. (Menestho)" beauforti aeeat 1921. 
It is interesting to see that, in spite of the new discoveries ne~ 
cessitating some important name changes, Dr. Robertson observes 
(p. 379): "Allowing for some shell variation (such as in B. bisutur- 
alis), they (the spermatophores) confirm the conchological charac- 
erizations of the species." and “Spermatophores support the gee 
that "Odostomia" trifida is synonymous with B. suturalis, and tha 
this latter species is usually distinct from ‘B. impressa..-- 
The other three pyramidellids included in the study are? paepe 
dian i 61) formerly "Odostomia" 
; epophila (Wells & wearesch, Miery formerly TOdostomia"™ dux Dall 
poaka; argoa bushiana Bartsch - “ 
Yartsch, 1906; Fargoa vartecht.(Winkley 1909) Tormerly "Odosto 
tia" modesta (Stimpson, 1851). 
— SAILS I hie RS 
e enclosed with our February 
Ut QE FOU still have the questi tt 'qd join the others by 
issue, No. 249. We'd appreciate it if you 
checking it over and sending it in. 
