Abstract: Scutella subrotunda (Leske), the type species of the genus Scutella Lamarck is described and figured. It is concluded that most species commonly referred to Scutella are not congeneric with the type. The new genera Parascutella, with Scutella leognanensis Lambert as type, and Abertella, with Scutella aberti Conrad as type, are proposed, and the genus Parmulechinus Lambert is revived, for species usually referred to Scutella. N 1841 Agassiz (1841, p. 5) designated Scutella subrotunda Lamarck as the type of the genus Scutella Lamarck (1816). At the same time (1841, pp. 76-78, pl. 17, figs. 1-11) he figured and described in detail certain specimens from the Tertiary of Bordeaux which had been identified by Lamarck as Scutella subrotunda. Because of the excellent character of Agassiz's figures and the authority of his work, and because of the extremely poor quality of previous figures and descriptions (Leske, 1778, pp. 206-207, pl. 47, fig. 7), Agassiz's interpretation of the species has been widely accepted and publicized (e.g., Desor, 1858, pl. 28; Nicholson, 1898, fig. 238; Zittel, 1913, fig. 405) and has influenced many systematists to assign other echinoids to this genus. From Lamarck's text (1816, p. 11) it is obvious that he considered his Scutella subrotunda to be the same as Echinodiscus subrotundus Leske, for he cites Leske's description and figures in his synonyomy. However, in 1912, Lambert called attention to the fact that the Scutella subrotunda illustrated by Agassiz (1841) and other authors who had followed Agassiz, was not the true S. subrotunda although the specimens figured (Agassiz, 1841, p. 76, pl. 17) had been identified by Lamarck as that species. At the same time Lambert reviewed at length the confusion surrounding Scutella subrotunda, proposed the name Scutella leognanensis for the species figured by Agassiz and presented a poor figure (Lambert, 1912, fig. 1) of the oral surface of a topotype of Leske's species from the Island of Malta. Lambert and * A Contribution from the Museum of Paleontology of the University of California, Berkeley 4, California. Thiery (1914, p. 317) similarly commented on the discrepancies surrounding the usage of the name Scutella subrotunda and applied it only to the species from Malta. Mortensen (1948, pp. 361-362) discussed the situation in a manner similar to that of Lambert, but without figuring the true Scutella subrotunda (Leske). Through the good offices of Richard V. Melville of the Geological Survey and Museum (Great Britain), and the courtesy of the British Museum (Natural History), photographs and a sketch of the topotype of Scutella subrotunda (Leske) which Lambert (1912, fig. 1) inadequately figured, have been made available for publication while another topotype from Malta was sent to the author for examination and study. Because of the historical significance and the taxonomic importance of this species it is here described in detail. SCUTELLA SUBROTUNDA (Leske) Plate 47, figures 1-3; text figures 1B, 1D Echinodiscus subrotundus LESKE, 1778, Add. ad Klein, pp., 206-207, pl. 47, fig. 7. Scutella subrotunda LAMARCK, 1816, Hist. nat. des. anim. s. vert., vol. 3, p. 7; AGASSIZ, 1841, Mon. d'Echin., 2nd Mon., des Scutelles, pp. 76-78 (pro parte, non pl. 17, figs. 1-11); LAMBERT, 1912, Mem. Soc. Paleont. Suisse, vol. 38, fig. 1; MORTENSEN, 1948, Mon Echin., vol. 4, pt. 2, pp. 361-362. Non Scutella subrotunda AGASSIZ, 1841, Mon. d'Echin., 2nd. Mon. des Scutelles, pl. 17, figs. 1-11; DESOR, 1858, Syn. des Echin. foss., pi. 28; NICHOLSON, 1898, Ancient Life-Hist. Earth., fig. 238; ZITTEL, 1913, Textb. Paleo., 2nd ed., vol. 1, fig. 405. Test large, thin, flattened; margin moderately sharp; upper surface gently sloping from ambitus to summit, summit slightly anterior to apical system; oral surface flat;
Publication Year: 1953
Publication Date: 1953-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 14
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