Chicoreus ( Triplex ) microphyllus ( Lamarck, 1816 )

Houart, Roland, Russini, Valeria, Fassio, Giulia & Oliverio, Marco, 2025, Developmental types and a new cryptic species of Chicoreus (Gastropoda: Muricidae) from Papua New Guinea, Zootaxa 5723 (2), pp. 245-267 : 259-261

Chicoreus ( Triplex) microphyllus ( Lamarck, 1816)

Fig. 5A; F–R

Murex microphyllus Lamarck, 1816 : pl. 415, fig. 5.

Murex microphyllus Lamarck, 1822: 1822: 163 .

Chicoreus poirieri Jousseaume, 1881: 349 .

Murex jousseaumei Poirier, 1883: 58 , pl. 6, fig. 1.

Type Material. Lectotype of Murex microphyllus . INDO-WEST PACIFIC • dd; unknown locality; MHNG 1099/22, designated by Houart (1992: 59).

Lectotype of Chicoreus poirieri . NEW CALEDONIA • dd; unprecised locality; MNHN-IM-2000-863 , designated by Houart (1992: 59).

Lectotype of M. jousseaumei . NEW CALEDONIA • dd; unprecised locality; MNHN-IM-2000-981 , designated by Houart (1992: 59).

Material Examined. Dozens of lots not assessed genetically or without a readable protoconchs, examined by us during the years, are not listed here.

NEW CALEDONIA • 1 lv, juv; secteur de Touho, MONTROUZIER stn 1240; 20°47'S, 165°15' E; 0–2 m; ( Fig. 5H–J ); MNHN-IM-2018-1787 • 1 lv, juv; Belep Islands ; 16.9 mm; ( Fig. 5P–R ); RH .

VANUATU • 1 lv, ad; E Aoré Island , Mambeto Point, SANTO 2006, stn DR09; 15°34' S, 167°13' E; 12 m; ( Fig. 5K–L ); MNHN-IM-2009-4998 .

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • 1 lv, ad; Hansa Bay , Laing Island; 61.4 mm; ( Fig.5M–N ); RH .

PHILIPPINES • 1 lv, ad; Balabac Island ; 10–30 m; 57.6 mm; ( Fig. 5O ); RH .

Distribution. Throughout the Tropical Indo-West Pacific.

Description. Shell up to 90 mm in length, stout. Spire high, with 1.75–2.5 protoconch whorls and up to 9 rounded teleoconch whorls. Protoconch paucispiral, whorls rounded, glossy.

Last whorl with 3 frondose varices, each with 5 or 6 short, open, frondose spines, intermediate spinelets short. Adapical spines usually short to obsolete but specimens with long shoulder spine not uncommon. Other axial sculpture of 3 or occasionally 2 low intervarical, nodose ridges. Spiral sculpture of 6 or 7 squamous cords, P1–P6 or P1–s6, flanked by squamous secondary cords and threads. Small nodules formed where primary cords cross axial sculpture.

Aperture ovate. Columellar lip fully adherent, usually bearing series of weak denticles along the edge. Moderately strong callus delineating large, deep anal sulcus. Outer lip crenulate, strongly lirate for short distance within. Siphonal canal moderately short, narrowly open, abaperturally bent at tip, bearing 2 or 3 short, frondose, open spines.

Colour pale brown with darker spiral cords and dark brown siphonal canal. Aperture glossy white or bluish-white. Columellar lip peach, pale orange or bluish-white.

Remarks. Similar to the case of Chicoreus brunneus , none of the type specimens examined for C. microphyllus and its synonyms has a preserved protoconch. For the sake of stability and in accordance with previous authors ( Radwin & D'Attilio, 1976; Houart, 1992; Merle et al. 2011), we restrict the concept of Chicoreus microphyllus to the lineage with paucispiral protoconch, and keep the two synonyms Chicoreus poirieri Jousseaume, 1881 and Murex jousseaumei Poirier, 1883 , within the same concept.

Figures

FIGURE 5 A–B. Detail of the columellar lip. A. Chicoreus microphyllus (Lamarck, 1822), Papua New Guinea, Hansa Bay (Madang Province), Laing Island, RH; B. Chicoreus torrefactus (G.B. Sowerby II, 1841), PAPUA NIUGINI, stn PR111, Papua New Guinea, 05°08' S, 145°49' E, 10-37 m, MNHN, 45.7 mm. C–E. Chicoreus torrefactus (G.B. Sowerby II, 1841), PAPUA NIUGINI, stn PR111, 05°08' S, 145°49' E, 10-37 m, MNHN, 45.7 mm. F–R. Chicoreus microphyllus (Lamarck, 1822). F–G. Locality unknown, lectotype MHNG 1099/22, 61.2 mm (reproduced from a slide by J. Dajoz); H–J. MONTROUZIER stn 1240, New Caledonia Sector of Touho, between Touho Bay and Atit Island, 24°47' S, 165°14–15' E, 0–2 m, MNHN-IM-2018-1789; K–L. SANTO 2006, E Aoré Island, Mambeto Point, 15° 34' S, 167°13' E, 12 m, MNHN-IM-2009-4998, 50.0 mm; M–N. Papua New Guinea, Hansa Bay (Madang Province), Laing Island, RH, 61.4 mm; O. Philippine Islands, Balabac Island, 10–30 m, RH, 57.6 mm; P–R. Belep Islands, North New Caledonia, RH, 16.9 mm. Red dot: specimen with protoconch examined. Scale bars: 2 cm (A, B), 0.5 mm (C, J, R).