Dear Leslie,
Although I'm a little tempted to give you credit
for the etymology of the vernacular name, it is
that given by Turgeon, Quinn et al. (1998: 96),
and it probably refers top the structure of the
shell's shoulder spines. I don't know what
"12/26" means other than Boxing Day in Canada,
but "AFS" means American Fisheries Society, and
that is the authority I cite (full reference
below). Not long ago this forum hosted a
discussion of the merits of a homogenization of
English common names for North American mollusks.
On the other hand, the authorities you cite for
"Lightning Whelk" seem to have been vindicated by
the recent twist of (taxonomic) fate.
I suspect the best way to handle the molecular
genetics-based subordination by Wise et al.
(2004) of this species to a mere form of B.
perversum sinistrum Hollister, 1958 is to let it
continue to stand as the name of the Texas State
Shell for the present. If, for instance, this
nominal taxon were dubbed the type of a new
generic unit, it would be know thus for
perpetuity regardless of synonymy, homonymy, and
other nomenclatorial detractions.
I think the authority here is the Texas State
Legislature, and they will likely require a
little coaching - perhaps best timed for after
the next election, which may bring a more liberal
group to power in Austin. A legislator might then
ask: "What happens if a group of molecular
taxonomists (known to classical taxonomists and
others as "gel jockeys") comes along in 2014 and
resurrects B. pulleyi based on a more inclusive
set of characters? Will we look foolish for
having been hasty in amending Statute ....?"
Harry
Turgeon, D. D., J. F. Quinn, Jr., A. E. Bogan, E.
V. Coan, F. G. Hochberg, W. G. Lyons, P. M.
Mikkelsen, R. J. Neves, C. F. E. Roper, G.
Rosenberg, B. Roth, A. Scheltema, F. G. Thompson,
M. Vecchione and J. D. Williams, 1998. Common
and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates
from the United States and Canada: mollusks, 2nd
edition. American Fisheries Society, Special
Publication 26, Bethesda, Maryland.
Wise, J., M. G. Harasewych, and R. T. Dillon,
Jr., 2004. Population divergence in the
sinistral whelks of North America, with special
reference to the east Florida ecotone. Marine Biology 145(6): 1176-1179. Nov.
Harry
At 10:55 AM 8/27/2007, you wrote:
>Harry, Bill, et. al.
>
>I looked at the JaxShells page on state shells .... very nice indeed!
>
>However concerning: The Texas State Shell -
>Busycon perversum pulleyi Hollister, 1958
>... When did our State shell become the "Prickly Whelk"?
>We ... The Texans (Shell Collectors, Clubs,
>State Legislature, and Texas Shells Book), have
>always referred to it as just the "Lightning Whelk".
>
>1) Is this one of those AFS SP 16/26 subjugations?
>2) Is it because we Texans are all a bunch of Pr...'s ?
>3) Also, B. p. pulleyi has been
>synonymized... How does that affect it? (Wise, Harasewych, Dillon 2004)
>
>
>By the way, there is a very difficult to obtain paper by Pulley on Busycon.
>Last year I managed to acquire a copy and have
>considered scanning it if anyone is interested in an e-copy.
> Pulley, T. E. - 1959
> Busycon perversum (Linné) and Some Related Species,
> Vol 46(1): 70-89, 9 figs., The Rice
> Institute Pamphlet, Houston, TX, April, 1959.
>
>
>Thanks,
>Leslie Crnkovic
>Houston, Texas
>
>----------
>From: Conchologists List
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harry G. Lee
>Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 8:18 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Texas state shell
>
>Dear Jordan,
>
>Bill Frank has a nice summary of State Shells at
>< http://www.jaxshells.org/listing.htm>.
>It is possible that there has been one or two
>added since he did his fine work.
>
>Harry
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