Aplysia anguilla, G. B. SOWERBY II, 1869

APLYSIA ANGUILLA G. B. SOWERBY II, 1869

Aplysia anguilla G. B. Sowerby II, 1869 (ex. Cuming): (209), pl. 6, fig. 22. Type locality: Unknown. Type: Probably lost, not found at NHMUK (A. Salvador, pers. comm.).

Remarks

Sowerby II (1869) proposed Aplysia anguilla from manuscript notes by Cuming and an illustration of a shell of unknown geographic origin. The short description indicated: ‘Shell small, tumid, strongly arched, transverse pale horn; apex rounded, small, incurved; upper margin very short, deeply excavated, acuminated at the end; outer lip obliquely produced; dorsal margin round; lower margin oblique, widely excavated.’ The illustration of the shell ( Sowerby II, 1869: pl. 6, fig. 22) represents a small, brown specimen with a curved apex.

Eales (1960) considered A. anguilla a synonym of A. parvula based on shell morphology. However, in our study we have revealed the existence of several species with a similar shell morphology and it is virtually impossible to determine the identity of this species. Therefore, A. anguilla is here regarded as a taxon inquirendum.