Notes on the nomenclature of the Macaronesian Patella candei d’Orbigny complex, with special reference to Patella ordinaria Mabille and Patella crenata Gmelin (Patellogastropoda, Patellidae)

Patella candei d’Orbigny, 1840 is a taxon reported from the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Selvagens Islands. The taxonomic status of the species has been the subject to several interpretations. Christiaens (1974) introduced the so-called P. candei complex encompassing four subspecies based on differences in shell morphology. Titselaar (1998) elevated two subspecies of the P. candei complex to species rank. Following recent morphometric and genetic research it has been recommended to elevate all four subspecies of the complex to full species rank. However, the nomenclature of these four species remained partly unclear. Here we show that the following names should be used: P. candei (predominantly Selvagens), P. gomesii Drouët, 1858 (Azores), P. tenuis Gmelin, 1791 (Madeira) and P. ordinaria Mabille, 1888 (Canary Islands). A lectotype is selected for P. crenata Gmelin, 1791 (resulting in its synonymy with P. caerulea Linnaeus, 1758) and for P. teneriffae Mabille, 1888 (resulting in its synonymy with P. ulyssiponensis Gmelin, 1791).