From editor or global species database
Type species The type species for Echiurus Guérin-Méneville 1831 must be the species name Guérin-Méneville used which was Echiurus pallasii. This was an unnecessary new name for Lumbricus echiurus Pallas, 1766. However Guérin-Méneville was correct to create a new genus name as Lumbricus species are terrestrial earthworms. Nishikawa (1998) commented that Guérin-Méneville later states he "was obliged to give the earlier name [=L. echiurus] a new name [=E. pallasii], because " il etait impossible de l ' appeler Echiurus echiurus Pallas". Of course, the ICZN (Art. 18) does currently allow tautonymous names. This note clearly shows that Echiurus pallasii was first published as an unjustified replacement name for Echiurus echiurus (Pallas). The specific name pallasii is available (ICZN Arts. 12b(3) and lOg), though not valid." Nishikawa then states that the type species of Echiurus is Lumbricus echiurus by monotypy (art 68.3). However, while widely cited as such, for example in the Stephen & Edmonds monograph, this cannot be correct as the name Guérin-Méneville used as valid (he thought) was Echiurus pallasii. While Echiurus pallasii is regarded as a junior synonym of Lumbricus echiurus, it is doubtfully an objective synonym as the specimens illustrated appear different. Guérin-Méneville's plate 6 figure 3 appears original rather than a copy from Pallas's plate 11, figures 1-6 [details]