Dear David,
I like to comment only on one item mentioned in your letter: What makes
Chicoreus florifer dilectus the subspecies of Chicoreus florifer and not the
other way around?
First of all not everybody is convinced that dilectus is a subspecies of
florifer; there are a number of authors who consider them two different
species.
If dilectus is indeed a subspecies of florifer, then the correct name should
read indeed Chicoreus florifer dilectus
(A. Adams, 1855), because the name dilectus is younger than that of
Chicoreus florifer florifer (Reeve, 1846), with other words in zoological
nomenclature the date of publication gives priority to the oldest name, in
this case florifer.
From a biological-evolutionary point of view it can be true that florifer
has evolved from dilectus. Should we employ in zoology a
biological-evolutionary nomenclature then the scientific names of our
molluscs may change constantly the more we know about their past and
supposed relationships.
Best regards,
Henk K. Mienis
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----- Original Message -----
From: David Kirsh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2001 10:58 PM
Subject: I'm happy to Aplysia- some questions


> Just came back from 3 days on Grand Bahama. When I poked sea hares, they
> squirted purple ink.
>
> What is the function of the ink? Is it a noxious substance? Is it to
> camouflage? Is it to startle?
>
> Another burning weekend question: I checked all the gorgonians I could,
but
> only  found one flamingo's tongue, Cyphoma gibbosum. (I put it back, since
I
> already have one). I have yet to find a single C. macgintyi or signatum or
> even Simnia acicularis. Are these staying on particular anthozoans or are
> they not very selective? Are there websites that depict some of these
> colonial creatures?
>
> Here's another question: what makes Chicoreus florifer dilectus the
> subspecies of C. florifer and not the other way around?
>
> David Kirsh
> Durham, NC