The genus Phasianema in the Pliocene of Western Europe

The genus Phasianema was described by S. V. WOOD in 1842 (for references see the synonymies at the end of this paper). He included two species in it, but described only one, Ph. sulcata; the other, Ph. lineolata, remained a nomen nudum. Consequently Ph. sulcata Wood, 1842, is the type of the genus by monotypy. In 1848 WOOD transferred this species to the genus Fossarus Philippi, and redescribed it as Fossarus sulcatus, together with a variety lineolata. Specimens belonging to the variety were distinguished from those of the forma typica by having a greater number of spiral ridges on the last whorl, viz. 15 instead of 8 to 10. Unfortunately, however, the specimen figured with WOOD’s description of Phasianema sulcata in 1842 clearly shows about 15 spiral ridges, and consequently belongs to WOOD’s var. lineolata of 1848. Dr. L. R. Cox has kindly informed me that the British Museum possesses a series of specimens from WOOD’s collection, which was acquired many years after 1842. This series or part of it may, therefore, have been collected subsequent to 1842, so that these specimens cannot be considered syntypes of WOOD’s species. The only specimen which was certainly in WOOD’s possession when he wrote his paper published in 1842, is the shell figured on pl. 5 fig. 15 of that paper. Consequently this should be selected as the lectotype of Phasianema sulcata, and the var. lineolata Wood, 1848, becomes a synonym of Ph. sulcata Wood, 1842.