Murreina

Murreina is a term that has appeared in scattered taxonomic writings but is not recognized as a valid taxon in major reference databases. It does not correspond to a formally described genus or species in widely used catalogs such as the ITIS, Catalogue of Life, or the World Register of Marine Species, and there is no current consensus supporting its formal usage.

Etymology and usage may suggest a derivation from the English word murre, referring to seabirds in the family Alcidae, with the possible diminutive or Latinized suffix -ina. However, such derivations are speculative and not consistently documented in authoritative sources.

Taxonomic status remains unclear in places where the name has appeared. In some obscure or historical publications, Murreina has been proposed as a genus name, but these proposals have not been upheld in subsequent taxonomic standards, descriptions, or validations under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. In other contexts, the form may be encountered as a misspelling or misidentification of other, valid taxa rather than as an independently recognized name.

Because Murreina lacks a clear, accepted definition in current scientific usage, it is not used to refer to a distinct organism or group in contemporary biology. Researchers encountering the term are advised to verify the spelling and consult primary taxonomic sources to determine whether a given reference concerns a valid taxon or represents a historical or erroneous usage.

See also: Murre, Alcidae, Uria, Taxonomic nomenclature.