An overview of the Mediterranean ‘allied cowries’ (Gastropoda : Ovulidae), with the description of Xandarovula Aetheria n. sp.

Abstract

The family Ovulidae Fleming, 1822, collectively known as the ‘allied cowries’, is represented by nine species across four genera in the Mediterranean Sea. The taxonomy of these species has undergone multiple revisions in recent years by various authors. Unfortunately, these changes were frequently published in less accessible journals or self-published books, making them challenging to locate. Consequently, this has led to a lack of updates in prominent online registers such as WoRMS and MolluscaBase. This paper aims to shed light on this group by elucidating the chronology of the taxonomic changes and evaluating their outcomes. Mioseguenzia cimbrica recens Nordsieck, 1973 and Mioseguenzia conica Nordsieck, 1973 are herein removed from the synonymy of Pedicularia sicula Swainson, 1840 and considered nomina dubia. Their genus, Mioseguenzia Nordsieck, 1973, is also considered a nomen dubium. The Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean systematics for the genera Neosimnia Fischer, 1884, Simnia Risso, 1826, and Xandarovula Cate, 1973, and the species included in them, is here reverted to the one proposed by DOLIN & LEDON (2002): Simnia nicaeensis Risso, 1826 is a junior synonym of Simnia spelta (Linnaeus, 1758); Neosimnia Fischer, 1884 is a junior synonym of Simnia Risso, 1826; and Xandarovula Cate, 1973 is reinstated to include Xandarovula aetheria n. sp., Ovulum apertum Sowerby II, 1849, Simnia hiscocki Lorenz & Melaun, 2011, Simnia hyalina Lorenz & Fehse, 2009, Simnia jacintoi Fehse & Trigo, 2015, and Bulla patula Pennant, 1777. Neosimnia illyrica Schilder, 1927 is considered a junior synonym of Simnia spelta (Linnaeus, 1758), and Pseudosimnia angusta Celzard, 2017 is considered a junior synonym of Pseudosimnia carnea (Poiret, 1789). Ovula capellinii De Stefani, 1889 and Ovula passerinalis Lamarck, 1810 are moved from the genus Pseudosimnia F. A. Schilder, 1927 to Simnia Risso, 1826.