>Although -acea is traditional and popular for molluscan
>superfamilies, it was recently replaced with -oidea by the ICZN.
>Thus, Muteloidea and Etherioidea are superfamilies.

It's worse than that, Jim... suborders can also end with -oidea, so
we have suborder Nautiloidea, superfamily Nautiloidea. So what
exactly is a nautiloid? it could be either any member of the
suborder... or any member of the superfamily.

Methinks the ICZN should rethink the suprafamilial taxonomic
nomanclature. Homonymy is unacceptable in my book.

Mollusc and brachiopod workers have lagged WAY behind workers on
other animals, who have used -oidea for superfamilies for a long time.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<[log in to unmask]>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
I want your sinistral gastropods!
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Q: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
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