-oidea is now the official ending for superfamilies.  Before
the ICZN made this declaration, -acea was widely used by
molluscan workers.  This results in some potential
confusion, as a few genera also end in -oidea.  Thus,
Nuculoidea is a Paleozoic genus in the superfamily
Nuculoidea.

    Dr. David Campbell
    Old Seashells
    University of Alabama
    Biodiversity & Systematics
    Dept. Biological Sciences
    Box 870345
    Tuscaloosa, AL  35487 USA
    [log in to unmask]

That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand
Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G.
Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From:         Burton Vaughan <
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Reply-To:     Conchologists of America List <CONCH-
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Date:          Thu, 13 Jun 2002 10:20:09 -0700

>I notice that superfamily names of pulmonate shells have
been written
>variously with the "-idea" suffix or with the "-acea" suffix,
depending on
>source. Superfamily names in Abbott's Seashells
Compendium always end in
>"-acea,"  though Abbott used the "-idea" ending in his
earlier land shell
>book. Is there now a preferred ending for specifically the
superfamily level
>(not suborder)? Or, am I just seeing out-of-date usage in
some cases?
>
>-Burton
>