Dear David,

Yes and no.

Amathina Gray, 1842 has Patella tricarinata Linnaeus 1767 (not the more
frequent 1758 of the tenth edition of Systema Naturae; this was the
twelfth) as its type.  The illustration in the Sri Lanka book is clearly
this shell.  Taxonomically is has taken a long journey from Patella
(subclass Eogastropoda) to subclass Orthogastropoda/ superorder
Heterogastropoda as we learned of its true biological affinities.  Ergo
Amathina tricarinata (Linnaeus, 1767).

Hemitoma tricarinata (Born, 1778) is a fissurellid; it is quite distinct
from Amathina carinata.  The Compendium does it justice.

The two starsnails are the same; the respective illustrations are likewise.
 I don't think I have the original description, but the generic placement
in the Sri Lanka book is consistent with modern taxonomy: ergo Astralium
semicostatum.  The fact is, Paul Fischer wrote the eleventh (final) volume
of Kiener's "... Coquilles vivantes," which began with the chapter
"Calcar," in which text this taxon was almost certainly introduced as a new
species.  List-person Bubba Harland can probably confirm this hypothesis.
Ergo Astralium semicostatum (P. Fischer, 1875) as best guess.

Three species: Amathina tricarinata (Linnaeus, 1767), a limpet-like
heterogastropod; the fissurellid Hemitoma tricarinata (Born, 1778); and the
starsnail Astralium semicostatum (P. Fischer, 1875).

Harry


At 11:38 PM 2/28/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Looking through Seashells of Sri Lanka and Compendium, there are a couple
>of identifications that might refer to the same shells but both the genus
>names and the authors are different.
>
>One is Amathina tricarinata (Linne) in the Sri Lanka book and Hemitoma
>tricarinata (Born) in Compendium.
>
>The other is Astralium semicostatum (Kiener) in Sri Lanka and Astraea
>semicostata (P. Fischer) in Compendium.
>
>Are these names synonymous?
>
>Thanks for any help with this.
>
>David Kirsh
>Durham, NC

Harry G. Lee
Suite 500
1801 Barrs St.
Jacksonville, FL 32204
USA   904-384-6419
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Visit the Jacksonville Shell Club Home Page at:
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