Mr. Rosenberg's essay on the sub-family Trophoninae was , as usual, both
scholarly and informative.  However, i believe that when Mr. Herbert
labelled this taxa as "unstable", he was referring (never could spell
well!!) to the propensity for taxonomists to play musical chairs with
the genera in the group, at the drop of a hat.  For example, the species
Trophon fabricii Moeller, 1842, has been placed in about 5 genera in the
past 30 years alone!!  Anyone interested in a good discussion of some
aspects of this confusing group should check out  Bouchet, P., and
Waren, 1985: Revision of the Northeast Atlantic Bathyl and Abyssal
Neogastropoda except Turridae. Boll. Malacologica. Suppl. 2: 299-576.
Milano: Societa Italiana de Malacologica.  It is proposed here, that
several genera, including Boreotrophon, be re-integrated into the type
genus (Trophon ), due to overlapping charactaristics of many of their
spp with typical Trophon spp, and genera descriptions that do not
adequately differentiate the proposed from the type genus.  Does anyone
know of a good arcticle which rebutts their arguments?
                                                                                                        -Ross M.
 
                                                                                                        -Ross M.