An illustrated catalogue of Rudolf Sturany's type specimens in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Austria (NHMW): Red Sea gastropods

Abstract

The Natural History Museum in Vienna hosts the samples of the late 19th century Austro-Hungarian "Pola" expeditions to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Rudolf Sturany studied these samples and described several new species. The type material of 35 species and forms of gastropods collected in the Red Sea is listed and illustrated. For each species, the available type material is listed, the original description and a translation into English is provided, and the current taxonomic status of the species is commented upon whenever possible. All species are illustrated in colour and with SEM imaging, with the exception of Stylifer thielei, whose only specimen was broken by Johannes Thiele in Berlin to study the soft parts. Finally, a table of the Pola deep and coastal stations where molluscs were collected is provided, with modern names.