Leptoconchus, Ruppell, 1834

Oliverio, Marco, 2009, Diversity of Coralliophilinae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda, Muricidae) at Austral Islands (South Pacific), Zoosystema 31 (4), pp. 759-789 : 781-782

Leptoconchus sp.

[ L. peronii ( Lamarck, 1818) group]

( Fig. 11B )

Magilus peronii Lamarck, 1818: 374 .

Leptoconchus striatus Rüppell, 1835: 259 , pl. 35, figs 9, 10.

Leptoconchus schrenkii Lischke, 1871a: 40 ; 1871b: 45, pl. 4, figs 9, 10.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Magilus peronii : lectotype ( MNHN 20694 [ Massin 1990: 24]) and paralectotypes ( MNHN 20685, 20686).

Leptoconchus striatus: Repository unknown.

Leptoconchus schrenkii : “ type most probably in St Petersburg Museum” ( Cosel 1998: 29).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Magilus peronii : Mauritius Island. Leptoconchus striatus: Red Sea.

Leptoconchus schrenkii : Nagasaki, Japan.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — The type material of Magilus peroni and:

BENTHAUS, stn DW 1888, Marotiri Is., 27°51.4’S, 143°31.4’W, 120- 100 m, 1 dd ( Fig. 11B ).

DISTRIBUTION. — The species of this group are known from Red Sea and tropical Indo-West Pacific, 3-7 m in faviid corals ( Massin 1990). New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands, shells in 2-55 m, alive (one juvenile) in 55-80 m ( Oliverio 2008b). Austral Islands, a single empty shell in 120- 100 m, possibly drifted from shallower habitat.

REMARKS

According to Gittemberger (2006), a large number of previously undetected, mostly unnamed, cryptic species that are difficult to identify are included in this group, with a largely misguiding shell morphology. At present only good data of association with the coral host species and diagnostic molecular markers can help in identification. It is here stressed, that at present it would be very hard (if not impossible), to identify with certainty empty shells or even specimens collected alive but not properly fixed.

Figures

FIG. 11. — A, Leptoconchus lamarckii Deshayes, 1863, N of Raivavae, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1943, 23°48.7’S, 147°39.1’W, 950 m; B, Leptoconchus sp. [peronii (Lamarck, 1818) group], Marotiri Is., BENTHAUS, stn DW 1888, 27°51.4’S, 143°31.4’W, 120-100 m; C-E, Rapa sp. cf. R. incurva (Dunker, 1852), Banc Président Thiers, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1926, 24°38.2’S, 146°00.8’W, 50-90 m; F, G, Magilus antiquus (Montfort, 1810), Hiri Bay, ATELIER RAPA 2002, stn 9, 27°37.3’S, 144°22.2’W, 3-24 m (inside the faviid coral). Scale bars: A, 10 mm; B-E, 5 mm; F, 30 mm; G, 20 mm.