perminima, Nucula [ Austronucula perminima (Monterosato, 1875)] (Figures 34G, H)

1875c: 8 [XIV: 284]—available name

Type material. MCZR –M–14376 —1 sh “ Nucula perminima n. sp. Sciacca! 1875”// 4 sh + 15 v “Sciacca”// 4 v sn + 1 v dx “Sciacca”

Type locality. Described from Sciacca (Sicily).

Remarks. Monterosato changed his opinion on this species: first he described it as a new species; then lowered it to the rank of variety “ minor ”, or young stage, of Nucula nucleus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Monterosato, 1878a: 66), and finally (Monterosato, 1881b: 52), listed it among the synonyms (as young stage) of Nucula aegeensis Forbes, 1844 —now in Ennucula Iredale, 1931 —a view also followed by Sabelli et al. (1990 –1992: 274). Nucula perminima was re–evaluated as valid species by Giannuzzi–Savelli et al. (2001: 31; 45, figs 11–13) and Palazzi & Villari (2001: 24; 41, figs 91–96), considering it as a senior synonym of Nucula recondita Gofas & Salas, 1996 . La Perna (2008a: 15–16; figs 1A–D) confirmed their views on the basis of the type material in the Monterosato collection, and published good light photos of syntypes. Recorded by MolluscaBase (2018) as Austronucula perminima (Monterosato, 1875) .