Abstract
The present study reviews the taxonomy of four species of Melanella that occur in the littoral and infralittoral zones (up to 10 m depth) of Brazil: M. hypsela (Verrill & Bush, 1900), M. eburnea (von Muhlfeld, 1824), M. breviuscula (Dunker, 1875), and M. amblytera (Verrill & Bush, 1900). These species differ mainly in the dimensions and shape of the protoconch, body whorl shape, and outline of the outer lip. The geographic distribution of the species in the western Atlantic is updated, with new records for M. eburnea, M. breviuscula, and M. amblytera. All species are widely distributed in the Tropical Atlantic, but the published records of M. eburnea from West Africa and mid Atlantic remain dubious. Additionally, this study discusses the type status of Eulima species described by Verrill and Bush (Trans Conn Acad Arts Sci 10:513–544, pls 63–66, 1900), illustrating all of them. Here, we provide lectotype designations for M. hypsela, M. breviuscula, and M. amblytera.
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