Taxonomic remarks on Bela atlantidea (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Mangeliidae) and updated distribution in the Mediterranean basin

Abstract

Brachycythara atlantidea (Knudsen, 1952) and B. beatriceae Mariottini, 2007, both species belonging to the family Mangeliidae, are here moved to the genus Bela Gray, 1847, based on morphological shell features. The new epithets are: Bela atlantidea (Knudsen, 1952) comb. nov. and Bela beatriceae (Mariottini, 2007) comb. nov. The recently described Bela clarae Peňas & Rolán, 2008 is here considered a junior synonym of B. atlantidea according to a comparative scanning electron microscopy analysis of the shells. The distribution of B. atlantidea in the Mediterranean basin is therefore reconsidered including all known records of B. clarae.