The nameSiphowas much used until the latter part of the 20th century for species now placed inColusand other buccinid genera. Historically, the nameSiphowas first used by Klein (1753; pre-Linnean) for a number of slender neogastropods. Klein's classification was presented, but not adopted, by Bruguière (1792) in theEncyclopédie Méthodique, and this does not constitute a validation of the nameSipho.
In the literature, the nameSiphohas also been attributed to Fabricius (1823), but in that work it was associated with specific epithets which are allnomina nuda. In addition, Fabricius' work of 1823 (Fortegnelse) has been placed on the Official Index by ICZN Opinion 521.
In fact, the first author that validly usedSiphofor buccinids was Mörch (1852).However, in the meantime, Thomas Brown (1827) had usedSiphoforSipho striatusT. Brown, 1833, a synonym of the fissurellidPuncturella noachina(Linnaeus, 1771).
To summarize, there are twoSipho, none of which is valid:
(1)SiphoT. Brown, 1827, a synonym ofPuncturella;
(2)SiphoMörch, 1852 [ex Klein], a synonym ofColus.
The buccinid wordsiphosurvives as a suffix in several buccinid genera, such asAnomalosipho,ProsiphoorTurrisipho.
