A STATISTICAL TEST OF THE SPECIES CONCEPT IN LITTORINA

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Abstract
1. Littorina obtusata from Norway, from the Plymouth district in England, and from Rhode Island are so alike that they cannot be separated. 2. L. obtusata from Rhode Island are fairly unlike those from Maine, but the examination of forms from intermediate localities establishes a continuous series up the New England coast. The range of variation remains roughly constant. 3. Further confirmation of the unity of L. obtusata from this wide geographical range is found by adding together the data from all the 933 shells examined. Their proportions follow almost perfect monomodal frequency curves. 4. The names L. littoralis (L.) and L. palliata (Say) must therefore go into synonymy under L. obtusata (L.), since it is shown that there is no division possible between forms to which these names have been given. The name L. rudis (Maton) must be put into synonymy, under L. saxatilis (Olivi), as shown by Dautzenburg and Fischer (1912). The first definition of the genus Litlorina is given by Férussac (1822) on p. xi of his Tabl. Syst. gén de l'emb. des moll.

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