Dr. Fűköh Levente szerk.: Malakológiai Tájékoztató 12. (Eger, 1993.)

MIENIS, H. K.: A note on the systematics and distributionof „Cocculina" simplicior Melvill, 1912 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Lepetellidae)

On the identity of Sphaerumbonella brunelli Coen, 1933 (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Galeommatidae) H. K. Mienis Abstract: Sphaerumbonella brunelli Coen, 1933, described from material collected near Massawa, Ethiopia, has to be considered a junior synonym of Scintillula scintillula Jousseaume, 1888. This bivalve seems to be confined in its distribution to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Key words: Bivalvia, Galeommatidae, Sphaerumbonella brunelli, Scintillula, synonymy, distribution. A small bivalve found dead inside the tube of a polychaete at the base of a coral near Massawa, Ethiopia, was described by Coen (1933) as belonging to a new genus and species: Sphaerumbonella brunelli. The exact identity of the species remained unkown and nobody seems to have quoted these names afterwards. They are even missing from the excellent monograph dealing with the bivalves of the Red Sea by Oliver (1992). The holotype of Sphaerumbonella brunelli Coen, 1933 was located in the former G. S. Coen-collection, which forms now part of the National Mollusc Collection of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ). The specimen (HUJ 12547 ex Coen 9443) turned out to be identical in full details with one of the numerous, often curious tautonyms created by Jousseaume: Scintillula scintillula Jousseaume, 1888 as redescribed by Oliver (1992: 112, pit. 18, figs. 12a-b). The following primary synonymy is now known: Family Galeommatidae Scintillula scintillula Jousseaume, 1888 Scintillula scintillula Jousseaume, 1888: 203-204. Scintilla sulphurea Sturany, 1899: 286, pit. 7, figs. 6-9. Sphaerumbonella brunelli Coen, 1933: 3, figs. 1—3, The species has been recorded sofar from the following localities: RED SEA: Egypt, Sinai, Sharm el Sheikh (Sturany, R. W. A. 1899: 286); Ethiopia, Massawa (Coen, G. 1933: 3) GULF of ADEN: Djibouti, Obock (Jousseaume, F. 1888: 204); Djibouti (Oliver, P. G. 1992: 112). References COEN, G. S., 1933. Un nuovo lamellibranco Eritreo. Boll. Pesca, Piscicolt. e Idrobiol., 9 (2):3-5. JOUSSEAUME, F, 1988. Description des mollusques recueillis par le Dr. Faurot dans la Mer Rouge et le Golfe d'Aden. Mém. Soc. Zool. France, 1:165-223. OLIVER, P. G, 1992. Bivalved seashells of the Red Sea. 330 pp. Verlag Christa Hemmen, Wiesbaden/national Museum of Wales, Cardiff. STURANY, R. W. A., 1899. Expedition S. M. Schiff „Pola" in das Rothe Meer 14. Lamellibranchiaten des Rothen Meeres. Denkschr. math.-naturviss. Kl. kais. Akad. Wiss., 69:255-295, pits. 1-7. Henk K. MIENIS Dept. Evolution, Systematics&Ecology Hebrew University, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel