Baeolidia faustina ( Bergh, 1900 )

Carmona, Leila, Pola, Marta, Gosliner, Terrence M. & Cervera, Juan Lucas, 2014, Review of Baeolidia, the largest genus of Aeolidiidae (Mollusca: Nudibranchia), with the description of five new species, Zootaxa 3802 (4), pp. 477-514 : 486

Baeolidia faustina ( Bergh, 1900)

Aeolidiella faustina Bergh, 1900: 235 , pl. 20, Figs. 39–40. Spurilla faustina ( Bergh, 1900) : Miller 2001, 641, Figs. 4–5 .

Type locality. Tasmania.

Type material. To our knowledge no type material remains.

Geographical distribution. To date, only known from Tasmania ( Bergh 1900), New Zealand ( Miller 2001), and Australia ( Burn 1962, 1969, 2006).

External and internal morphology. Not properly described by Bergh (1900). No specimens available for the present study.

Remarks. Based on the original description and the figure of the radular tooth ( Bergh 1900), it is very likely that this species belongs to Baeolidia . Nevertheless, Bergh (1900) did not provide any distinctive feature, which has blurred the identity and validity of this species. Since Bergh (1900), only Burn (1962) and Miller (2001) have studied this species but both authors had some difficulties separating B. faustina from B. macleayi . Burn (1962) distinguished both species mainly by the position of the anus and the external colouration. Seven years later, Burn (1969) transferred all the specimens previously identified as B. faustina to B. macleayi . Finally, Burn (2006) rendered B. faustina as junior synonym of B. macleayi . Hence, since this name cannot be assigned to specimens, we conclude that Baeolidia faustina should be considered as nomen dubium.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Scanning electron photographs. (A – B) Baeolidia moebii (CASIZ 180327): (A) Detailed view of the masticatory border; (B) Radular teeth; (C – D) Baeolidia macleayi (CASIZ 195247): (C) Detailed view of the masticatory border; (D) Radular teeth; (E – F) Baeolidia japonica (CASIZ 181357); (E) Detailed view of the masticatory border; (F) Radular teeth. Scale bars: A, 10 µm; B, 30 µm; C-D, 10 µm; E, 100 µm; F, 150 µm.