The malacological contributions of Alcide d’Orbigny

Alcide d’Orbigny is credited here with 5,305 molluscan taxa, with only one, a new genus, being coauthored. He named 5,198 new molluscan species, 90 new genera and 17 new families. Many of his species became the type species or synonyms of the type species of later-described genera. Alcide’s father, Charles Marie d’Orbigny, authored 9 new molluscan species and 1 new molluscan genus, along with 1 nomen nudum. His brother, Charles Henri d’Orbigny, authored 5 new molluscan species, along with 4 nomina nuda. Alcide was also active in describing species in other phyla, particularly the Foraminifera. Here we focus on his many molluscs, adding in the few molluscan taxa authored by his father and his brother. Approximately 61% of the new species-level taxa are from the Mesozoic, 15% are Recent. The present status of these taxa is analyzed as far as possible. We also discuss Alcide’s role in advancing stratigraphic analyses, his views on speciation and extinction, and his place in the French scientific community.

Two subsequent designations of type species for genera are made herein in order to resolve their systematic status: Lymnaea parchappii A. d’Orbigny, 1835, type species of Dombeia A. d’Orbigny, 1837, which thus becomes a subjective synonym of Chilina J.E. Gray, 1828 [Gastropoda: Chilinidae]; and Mya hispanica R.A. Philippi, 1836 [a synonym of Scrobicularia plana (da Costa, 1778; Trigonella, its original genus)], type species of Lavignon A. d’Orbigny, 1845, making that genus an objective synonym of Scrobicularia Schumacher, 1815 [Bivalvia: Semelidae]. One replacement generic name is provided: Chaperinella Pacaud for Chaperia Munier-Chalmas, 1882 [Bivalvia: Caprotinidae], non Jullien, 1881 [Bryozoa].

Twenty-three replacement names are proposed that were found to be needed in our review, including for several secondary homonyms: (1) Omphalotrochus bulibiya Pacaud is proposed for Solarium antiquum A. d’Orbigny, 1839, non Blainville, 1825; (2) Phanerotrema albosensis Pacaud is proposed for Pleurotomaria labrosa alpina Spitz, 1907, non Pleurotomaria alpina A. d’Orbigny, 1843; (3) Euryzone albosensis Pacaud is proposed for Pleurotomaria (Euryzone) coluber alpina Spitz, 1907, non Pleurotomaria alpina A. d’Orbigny, 1843; (4) Pleurotomaria bajocassiana Pacaud is proposed for Pleurotomaria unisulcata A. d’Orbigny, 1856, non Conrad, 1842; (5) Helicacanthus pernegrei Pacaud is proposed for Turbo octavius A. d’Orbigny, 1850 [November], non A. d’Orbigny, 1850 [January]; (6) Nummogaultina granata Pacaud is proposed for Solarium granosum A. d’Orbigny, 1842, non Valenciennes, in Humboldt, 1832; (7) Neritopsis mortuaaqua Pacaud is proposed for Neritopsis delphinula (A. d’Orbigny, 1850; Fusus) from the Cretaceous, non Neritopsis delphinula A. d’Orbigny, 1850, from the Jurassic; (8) Chemnitzia sandrae Pacaud is proposed for Turritella supraplecta gracilis Klipstein, 1845, non H.C. Lea, 1841, nec Goldfuss, 1844; (9) Brachytrema hantonensis Pacaud is proposed for Brachytrema buvignieri Morris & Lycett, 1851, non A. d’Orbigny, 1850; (10) Cerithium sanctusmichaelis Pacaud is proposed for Cerithium crassilabrum A. d’Orbigny, 1850, non Krauss, 1848; (11) Plicopyrazus massalia Pacaud is proposed for Cerithium provinciale A. d’Orbigny, 1843, non Matheron, 1842; (12) Turritella vindinonensis Pacaud is proposed for Turritella ornata A. d’Orbigny, 1843, non Michelotti, 1840, nec Münster, 1841; (13) Drilliola tongresiana Pacaud is proposed for Pleurotoma nystii A. d’Orbigny, 1852, non Grateloup, 1845, nec Bellardi, 1847; (14) Avicula seneca Pacaud is proposed for Avicula subretroflexa A. d’Orbigny, 1850 [Silurian of Ohio], non A. d’Orbigny, 1850 [Silurian of England]; (15) Annulinectes bosona Pacaud is proposed for Pecten subconcentricus Kittl, 1904, non A. d’Orbigny, 1850; (16) Pleuromya campuslitensis Pacaud is proposed for Pleuromya subelongata Étallon, 1864, non A. d’Orbigny, 1850; (17) Periploma puteolis Pacaud is proposed for Periploma ovata A. d’Orbigny, 1850, non A. d’Orbigny, 1846; (18) Crassatella arieja Pacaud is proposed for Crassatella quadrata Leymerie, 1878, non d’Archiac, 1847; (19) Venus sindhu Pacaud is proposed for Venus subovalis d’Archiac, 1854, non A. d’Orbigny, 1850; (20) Venus blancheae Pacaud is proposed for Venus subrugosa A. d’Orbigny, 1852, non W. Wood, 1828; (21) Venus algarrobensis Pacaud is proposed for Venus subsulcata R.A. Philippi, 1887, non A. d’Orbigny, 1852; (22) Corbula javadvipa Pacaud is proposed for Corbula socialis K. Martin, 1879, non A. d’Orbigny, 1850; (23) Ceromyella loysensis Pacaud is proposed for Isocardia brevis A. d’Orbigny, 1850 [Ceratomyidae], non C.M. d’Orbigny, 1842 [Diceratidae].