Septifer cumingii Récluz, 1849

Raines, Bret & Huber, Markus, 2012, 3217, Zootaxa 3217, pp. 1-106 : 12-13

Septifer cumingii Récluz, 1849

Figures 4 A–H (juvenile specimens), Figures 5 A–F (adult specimens)

Septifer cumingii Récluz, 1849: p. 117 , fig. 3.

Septifer cumingii Récluz, 1849 — Huber, 2010: p. 115, fig. 9; Spencer et al., 2011: p. 1; Severns, 2011: p. 438, pl. 200, fig. 6

Septifer furcillata Gould, 1861: p. 39 .

Congeria bryanae Pilsbry, 1921: p. 323 .

Septifer bryanae ( Pilsbry, 1921) — Dall et al. 1938: p. 51, pl. 9, figs. 1–4; Kay 1979: p. 512, figs. 164 P–Q; Rehder, 1980: p. 107, pl. 13, figs. 9–12; Preece, 1995: p. 350; Tröndlé & Boutet, 2009: p. 4.

Septifer sp. cf. bryanae ( Pilsbry, 1921) — Brook & Marshall, 1998: p. 211.

Material examined. Over 50 single valves (3.1 to 11.4 mm) from EI and SyG (BK), plus specimens from the Hawaiian Islands ( MHU) and Pitcairn Island (BK).

Diagnosis. Shell small (rarely in excess of 11 mm), rather solid, only moderately inflated, equivalve, elongatepyriform. Surface sculptured with numerous, fine divaricating, nodulose riblets. Ligament situated in a long narrow groove. Small, subumbonal tooth-like tubercles. Inner margin distinctly crenulated. The characteristic triangular, calcareous septum at the anterior end. Thin periostracum with a few fine unbranched hairs. Highly variable in color and in shape.

Remarks. This is a typical, small Septifer species widely distributed from the eastern Mediterranean and throughout the entire Indo-Pacific. Septifer cumingii is extremely variable in color ( Figs. 4 A–H) and in shape ( Figs. 5 A–F). In EI and SyG the reddish white colors were most commonly encountered.

Comparable in size, shape and sculpture is S. rudis Dall, Bartsch & Rehder, 1938 , which is widely distributed as well. However, S. rudis has fewer and broader radiating riblets, and the colors are more subdued, or often just cream colored. This species was not encountered in any of the Septifer lots studied from Easter Island.

Habitat. Commonly found at many locations around EI and SyG, in sand, from 20–100 m.

Distribution. Septifer cumingii was originally described from the Anaa Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia, but widely distributed from the eastern Mediterranean to the Hawaiian Islands, including the Society Islands, Austral Islands, Pitcairn Islands, eastern Australia, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, northern New Zealand, Kermadec Islands, Easter and Salas y Gómez Islands— E5.