Type specimens of Mitridae (Mollusca : Gastropoda) described by Linnaeus in the genera Voluta, Buccinum and Bulla between 1758 and 1771

Abstract

From the 16 species of Mitridae described by Linnaeus between the years 1758-71 11 species are considered valid and available for taxonomic use; four specific names have been suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for taxonomic usage (1968). One specific name, i.e. Voluta mitra episcopalis Linnaeus, has appeared in various combinations in malacological literature over the years. From the style of listing in the 10th edition of the Systerna Naturae, it is evident that ‘episcopalis’ has to be treated as of infraspecific rank; there is no evidence that ‘episcopalis’ is even a valid subspecies of Voluta mitra. Three holotypes and five lectotypes designated in this paper are extant in the Linnaean collection; illustrations representing three Linnaean species have been selected as lectotypes.