Volutidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Lakhra Formation (Earliest Eocene, Sindh, Pakistan): systematics, biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography Author Merle, Didier Author Pacaud, Jean-Michel Author Métais, Grégoire Author Bartolini, Annachiara Author Lashari, Rafiq A. Author Brohi, Imdad A. Author Solangi, Sarfraz H. Author Marivaux, Laurent Author Welcomme, Jean-Loup text Zootaxa 2014 3826 1 101 138 journal article 45364 10.11646/zootaxa.3826.1.3 6f4b1535-6c6b-4446-aa26-b1ba83ad9126 1175-5326 228537 53549D58-8F38-47B5-879F-0245E900C131 Genus Athleta Conrad, 1853 Type species. Voluta rarispina Lamarck, 1811 (Neogene, Europe) by subsequent designation ( Dall 1890 ). Comments. 1) Many authors consider the gender of Athleta to be feminine, but it is masculine. 2) Darragh (1971) synonymised a number of genera with Athleta , among which were Volutospina Newton, 1906 , Volutopupa Dall, 1890 and Volutocorbis Dall, 1890 and recognised only two subgenera, Athleta (s.s.) and A. (Ternivoluta) Martens, 1897. However, the difference between the two subgenera used by Darragh (1971) is solely based on the multispiral versus paucispiral protoconch, a developmental difference not now considered to be of taxonomic significance, as in the Harpidae ( Merle & Pacaud 2003 ) or the Muricidae ( Merle et al. 2011 ) for example. The aim of this work is not to revise the genus Athleta and a cladistic analysis would be necessary for this revision. For instance, we prefer to continue to use provisionally Volutopupa (see Pacaud & Pons 2013 ), Volutocorbis and Volutospina as subgenera, because they are useful to characterize different Paleogene morphotypes.