Valenciennes (1822) described Sphyrna tudes from several specimens from Nice, Coromandel and Cayenne. The specimen from Coromandel Coast, assumed to be lost, was most probably never deposited in MNHN’s collection. Today two syntypes still exist in the collection: MNHN 1019 from Cayenne and MNHN 1049 from Nice. Nomenclaturial confusion associated with the name Sphyrna tudes resulting from assertions that Valenciennes’ specimens represent two or more species, causes the present authors to examine the two available syntypes and to conclude that they both represent Sphyrna tudes and that the Nice specimen was illustrated by Valenciennes. As a consequence of our investigations, Sphyrna couardi Cadenat, 1951 should be relegate to synonymy with Sphyrna lewini (Griffith & Smith, 1834).