Tyler S, Schilling S, Hooge M, and Bush LF (comp.) (2006-2016) Turbellarian taxonomic database. Version 1.7 http://turbellaria.umaine.edu (data licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0; material adapted: formatted and edited)
Reference for:
Turbella
Publication(s):
Turbella: Geographic Information
Geographic Division:
Jurisdiction/Origin:
Turbella: Comments
Comment:
Turbella was coined by Ehrenberg in 1831 as a genus containing 'T. platyura' [sic] as a new combination of Derostoma platurus Duges (1828). If this is taken to be the type species (two more species are listed in footnote 2, T. lunulata N., and T. pisciculus N.) this could cause problems. Duges' name is treated by Tyler et al. as a synonym (nomen oblitum) of Macrostomum hystrix Orsted, 1843. If the type species of Turbella is placed in Macrostomum then the genera are synonymys too. Unfortunately, Macrostomum Schmidt 1848 is junior to Turbella, so either all the species should be moved to Turbella, or a case to formally reject Turbella would have to be made to the Int'l Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, since Turbella has been used as a valid genus after 1899 (ICZN Art. 23.9). ITIS is not in a position to resolve this issue, so is following Tyler et al. for the moment