BulletinofZoological Nomenclature 56(2)June 1999 113 Case 3126 Bulinus wrighti Mandahl-Barth, 1965 (Mollusca, Gastropoda): proposed conservation of the specific name D.S. Brown, F. Naggs and V.R. Southgate Department ofZoology. The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. U.K. Abstract.The purpose ofthis application is to conserve the specific name ofBulinus wrighiiMandahl-Barth, 1965fora freshwatersnail(familyplanorbidae) fromSaudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen which is an often-cited intermediate host forschistosome parasites of medical and veterinary importance. The name is a junior primary homonym o(Bulinus nrightii Sowerby, 1853 which relates to a large West African land snail (family achatinidae). The specific name of the latter has been used for nearly 150 years but since 1855 the taxon has been placed in Pseudachatina Albers, 1850,andnotinBulinusO.F. Miiller, 1781. NeitherPseudachatinanrightii(Sov/erhy, 1853) nor Bulinus wrighti Mandahl-Barth. 1965 has ajunior synonym. Keywords. Nomenclature; taxonomy; Gastropoda; planorbidae; achatinidae; Pseudachatina ivrighlii; Bulinus wrighti; schistosomiasis. 1. G.B. Sowerby sen. (1853, p. 1, pi. 1) described and figured Bulinus wrightii. a large dextral land snail currently placed in the family achatinidae (Stylommato- phora, achatinoidea). The description was based on a single specimen (see McMillan, 1973,p.40forthehistoryofSowerby'spublication). Sowerbydidnotcite an authorship for Bulinus, nor did he give a locality for the species. Pain & Paul (1967, p. 44) notedthetypespecimen aslostand "the original figureas representative of the holotype'. Sowerby's (1853) usage of Bulinus for this taxon has never been accepted and since 1855 ithas been referred to PseudachatinaAlbers, 1850 (see H. & A. Adams, [1855], p. 134; Pilsbry, 1904, p. 206; and Pain & Paul, 1967, p. 44 and other references cited in that paper). Pseudachatina wrightii (Sowerby, 1853) is a species fromwestern Africa and Pain & Paul (1967, p. 45)cited Old Calabar, Nigeria as the type locahty, as had H. & A. Adams ([1855]) and Pilsbry (1904). 2. In his description ofBulinus wrightii, Sowerby (1853) commented 'B. downesii is more like this species than any other'. Bulinus downesii Gray in G.B. Sowerby, jun., 1841 (Bulinus, fig. 99), ajunior synonym ofAchatina leaiana Grateloup, 1839, is the type species of Pseudachatina Albers, 1850. It appears that in both Sowerby jun. (1841) and Sowerby sen. (1853) the name Bulinus was used in error and probably as a spelling mistake for Bulimus Scopoli, 1777, to which genus several achatinid species were referred by authors in the 19th century. D'Ailly (1896, p. 86) listed '1840 Bulinus Downesii Gray in Sowerby" and then directly below cited Bulimus Downesii, apparently rejecting the name Bulinus. Pain & Paul (1967) altered to Bulimus, without comment, the usages of Bulinus by both Sowerby sen. and Sowerbyjun. 114 Bulletin ofZoological Nomenclature 56(2)June 1999 3. The name Buliims was established by O.F. Miiller (1781, p. 6) for a group of specieswhich included 'Le Bulin Bulinus' ofAdanson (1757, Coquiliages, p. 5, pi. 1) and to which Miiller subsequently gave the name Bulinussenegalensis. This species is the type ofthe genus by Linnaean tautonymy (see Pilsbry & Bequaert, 1927, p. 133). Adanson gave the name Bulinus (from the French word bulle, meaning bubble) to small sinistral freshwater snails he collected in Senegal, West Africa, because they floated at the water surface. Bulinussenegalensis is one ofabout 40 species currently recognised as valid and placed in Bulinus Miiller (see, for example, Mandahl-Barth, 1957 and Brown, 1994), classified in the subfamily bulininae of the planorbidae (Basommatophora, planorboidea). Some ofthe speciesareofmedical orveterinary importance because they are intermediate hosts in the life cycle of Schistosoma Weinland. 1858 (Trematoda, Digenea), the cause of the disease schistosomiasis (bilharzia) in man and domestic livestock. 4. Mandahl-Barth (1965, p. 41)named thesubspecieswrighiiofBulinusreticulatus Mandahl-Barth, 1954 (Basommatophora, planorbidae), ofAfrica, from specimens collected in South Yemen (formerly Western Aden Protectorate) on the basis of differences in the radularcusps previously described and figured by Wright (1963, p. 266, fig. 8). The shell from Rassais, UpperAulaqi, figuredbyWright(1963, pi. 2, fig. 6) and preserved in The Natural History Museum, London (Mollusca Registration No. 1966130), was selected by Mandahl-Barth as the holotype. This subspecies was later treated as a full species after a study ofthe immunological reactions ofits egg proteins (see Wright, 1971, p. 311). Subsequent authors, apparently without excep- tion, have treated Bulinus wrighti Mandahl-Barth as a distinct species, and the name has been used frequently in the malacological and parasitological literature (see, for example, therepresentativepublicationsbyArfaa, 1976; Southgate&Knowles, 1977, pp. 82-^83; Frandsen, 1979, pp. 283-285; Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory, 1983, p. 36; Hazza, Arfaa & Haggar, 1983, p. 1026; Brown & Gallagher, 1985, pp. 141-142; Brown, Gallagher, Knowles & Paltrinieri, 1985, pp. 136-137; Burch, 1985, pp. 70, 138; Jelnes, 1985, pp. 88, 91; Southgate et al., 1985, pp. 1254, 1257, 1259; Mouahid &Theron, 1987,pp. 1431-33;Arfaaetal., 1989, pp. 216,218;Al-Safadi, 1990, p. 250; Ghandour, Al-Ghamdi & Al-Robai, 1990, p. 81; Mouahid et al., pp. 349-353; Brown, 1994, pp. 246-247, 373-374; Tchuem Tchuente et al, 1997, p. 264). The species B. wrighti Mandahl-Barth has played an important part in experimental parasitology because it is a highly compatible intermediate host for a number of species ofthe Schistosoma haematobium group. 5. As recorded above (para. 4), the name Bulinus wrighti Mandahl-Barth, 1965 is wellestablished inthemalacological and parasitologicalliteratureand itisextremely undesirable that there should be any possibility of it being replaced as a junior primaryhomonymofBulinuswrightiiSowerby, 1853. Sowerby's(1853)useofBulinus for an achatinid land snail has never been accepted and there is no indication that Sowerby really intended to placehisspecies in BulinusMiiller. Sowerby'sspecieswas placed in Pseudachatinu Albers, 1850 by H. & A. Adams as long ago as 1855, and there it has since remained. The two species Pseudachatinu wrightii(Sowerby, 1853) and Bulinus wrighti Mandahl-Barth, 1965 are very different taxonomically and are placed in different superfamilies and indeed orders, and their names have been used without ambiguity orconfusion. Neitherofthespecificnameshasajuniorsynonym. Wepropose that Bulinus wrightiMandahl-Barth, 1965 beconservedasavalid name. Bulletin ofZoological Nomenclature 56(2)June 1999 115 6. The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature is accordingly asked: (1) to useitsplenarypowerstorulethatthespecificnamewrightiMandahl-Barth, 1965, as published in the trinomen Bulinusreticulatus wrighti, is not invalid by reason ofbeing ajunior primary homonym ofBulinus wrightiiSowerby, 1853; (2) toplaceon theOfficial ListofSpecificNamesin Zoology thefollowingnames: (a) wrightii Sowerby, 1853, as published in the binomen Bulinus wrightii; (b) wrighti Mandahl-Barth, 1965 as published in the trinomen Bulinus reticu- latus wrighti (not invalid by the ruling in (I) above). References Adams, H. & Adams, A. [1855]. The genera ofrecent Mollusca arrangedaccording to their organisation, vol. 2. Pp. 93-284. Van Voorst, London. Adanson, M. 1757. Hisloire naturelle dii Senegal. Coquillages. 190, xcvi pp., 19 pis., 275 pp. Paris. Ailly,A.d'. 1896. Contributionsa laconnaissancedesmollusquesterrestresetd'eaudoucede Kameroun. Bihang till Kongl. Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlin^ar. 22(4. 2): 3-137. Al-Safadi, M.M. 1990. Freshwater molluscs of Yemen Arab Republic. Hvdrobiologiu, 208: 245-251. Arfaa, F. 1976. Studies on schistosomiasis in Saudi Arabia. American Journal of Tropical MedicineandHygiene. 25(2): 295-298. Arfaa, F., Mahboubi, E., Al Jeffri, M., Selim, A. & Russell, G. 1989. The potential role of various species of intermediate hosts of Schistosoma haematobium in Saudi Arabia. Transactions ofthe RoyalSociety ofTropicalMedicineandHygiene, 83: 216-218. Brown, D.S. 1994. FreshwatersnailsofAfricaandtheirmedicalimportance. 608 pp. Taylor& Francis, London. Brown, D.S. & Gallagher, M.D. 1985. Freshwater snails of Oman, south eastern Arabia. Hydrohiologia. 127: 125-149. Brown,D.S.,Gallagher,M.D.,Knowles,R.J.&Paltrinieri,A.B. 1985.Bulinuswrighti,potential intermediate host for Schistosoma haematobium in northern Oman. Transactions ofthe RoyalSociety ofTropicalMedicineandHygiene, 79: 136-137. Burch, J.B. (Ed.). 1985. Handbook on schistosomiasis and other snail-mediated diseases in Jordan. 224 pp. Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. & Amman, Jordan. DanishBilharziasisLaboratory. 1983.Afieldguidetofreshwatersnailsincountriesofthe WHO Eastern Mediterranecm Region. 45 pp. Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory & World Health Organisation, Copenhagen. Frandsen,F. 1979. Discussionofthe relationshipsbetween Schistosomaandtheirintermediate hosts, assessment of the degree of host-parasite compatibility and evaluation of schistosome taxonomy. Zeitschriftfiir Parasitenkunde, 58: 275-296. Ghandour,A.M.,Al-Ghamdi,H.S.&Al-Robai,A.A. 1990. Areviewofsnailintermediatehosts ofschistosomiasis in Saudi Arabia. JournalofMedicalandAppliedMalacology,2: 79-91. Hazza, Y.A., Arfaa, F. & Haggar, M. 1983. Studies on schistosomiasis in Taiz province, Yemen Arab Republic. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 32(5): 1023-1028. — Jelnes, J.E. 1985. Experimental taxonomy of Bulinus (Gastropoda, Planorbidae) past and future activities. Videnskabelige Meddelelserfra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening I Kjobenhavn, 146: 85-100. McMillan, N.F. 1973. A rare Sowerby leaflet. JournalofConchology, 28(1): 40 Mandahl-Barth, G. 1957. Intermediate hosts of Schistosoma. African Biomphalaria and Bulinus. 2. Bulinus. Bulletin ofthe World Health Organisation, 17: 1-65. (Reprinted in WHO 1958 in Monograph Series, No. 37). Mandahl-Barth, G. 1965. Thespeciesofthegenus Bulinus, intermediatehostsofSchistosoma. Bulletin ofthe WorldHealth Organisation, 33(1): 33^4. 116 Bulletin ol'Zoological Nomenclature 56(2)June 1999 Mouahid, A., Bouhaddioui, N., Jana, M., Combes, C. & Mone, H. 1992. Effects ofdifferent mollusc associations on target molluscs growth and parasitecercarial production, in the triple system; Bulinus wrighli-Schislosonui bovis and Melanopsis praemorsa. Journal of Molluscan Sludies. 58: 349-355. Mouahid, A. & Theron, A. 1987. Schistosoma bovis: variability of cercarial production as related to the snail hosts Bulinus Iruncalus, B. wrighti and Planorbarius melidjensis. buernaiionalJournalfor Parasitology. 17: 1431-1434. Muller, O.F. 1781. Geschichte der Perlen-Blasen. Der Naturforsclier. Halle. 15: 1-20. — Pain, T. & Paul, C.R.C. 1967. Studies in the genus Pseudachatina Albers (Mollusca Achatinidae). Annales. Musee Royal de I'Afrique Cenlrale. Tervuren, serie in octavo, Sciences Zoologiques, 159: 1-79. Pilsbry, H.A. 1904. Monograph ofthe genus Pseudachatina. Pp. 205-217 in Pilsbry, H.A. & Tryon,G.W.,ManualofConchology.ser.2,vol. 16(Urocoptidae.Achatinidae).Academy ofNatural Sciences ofPhiladelphia, Philadelphia. Pilsbry, H.A. & Bequaert, J. 1927. The aquatic moUusks of the Belgian Congo, with a geographical and ecological account of Congo malacology. Bulletin of the American Museum ofNaturalHistory, 53: 69-602. Southgate,V.R.& Knowles,R.j. 1977. OntheintermediatehostsofSchistosomahaematobium fromwesternKenya. TransactionsoftheRoyalSocietyofTropicalMedicineandHygiene, 71: 82-83. Southgate, V.R., Rollinson, D., Ross, G.C., Knowles, R.J. & Vercruysse, J. 1985. On Schistosoma curassoni. S. haematobium and 5. bovis from Senegal: development in Mesocricetusauratus. compatibilitywith species ofBulinusand theirenzymes. Journaloj NaturalHistory. 19: 1249-1267. Sowerby,G.B.,sen. 1853. Descriptionofanew Bulinus. 1853. Bulinuswrightii.- G.B. Sowerby. Sen. 1 p.. 1 pi. London. Sowerby, G.B.,jun. 1841. Conchologicalillustrations, (iv], [116] pp.. [200] pis. London. Tchuem Tchuentc, L.A., Southgate, V.R., Vercruysse, J., Kaukas, A., Kane, R., Mulumba, M.P., Pages, J.R. & Jourdane, J. 1997. Epidemiological and genetic observations on human schistosomiasis in Kinshasa. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical MedicineandHygiene. 91: 263-269. Wright,C.A. 1963.ThefreshwatergastropodmolluscsofWesternAdenProtectorate. Bulletin ofthe British Museum (NaturalHistory). Zoology, 10: 257-274. Wright,C.A. 1971. BulinusonAldabraandthesubfamily BulininaeintheIndianOceanarea. Philosophical Transactions ofthe RoyalSocietyofLondon, (B)260: 299-313. Comments on this case are invited for publication (subject to editing) in the Bulletin: they should be sent to the Executive Secretary, I.C.Z.N., c/o The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road. London SW7 5BD, U.K. (e-mail: [email protected]).