Babelomurex japonicus (Dunker, 1882)

Oliverio, Marco, 2008, Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 481-586 : 523-525

Babelomurex japonicus (Dunker, 1882)

Figs 61, 62

Rapana japonica Dunker, 1882: 43 , pl. 13, figs 24-25.

Synonym:

Latiaxis sallei Jousseaume, 1884: 186-187 , pl. 10, fig. 3.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Rapana japonica : holotype ZMB 103.966 , figured by Kosuge & Suzuki 1985: pl. 27, fig. 1 . — Latiaxis sallei : holotype MNHN 0897 , figured by Kosuge & Suzuki 1985: pl. 27, fig. 2 .

TYPE LOCALITY. — R. japonica: Seto Inland Sea , Japan. — L. sallei : Japan.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Japan. Tosa Bay (Kōchi Prefecture), — HALIPRO 1: stn CP 851, 21°43’S, 166°37’E, 314-364 m, 2 dd; 146 m, 2 lv ( MO). stn CP 852, 21°44’S, 166°36’E, 253-266 m, 2 lv, 1 dd; stn CP Philippines. Panglao, Bohol, tangle net, 40-80 m, many lv and 853, 21°45’S, 166°37’E, 241-250 m, 7 lv, 2 dd .

dd, ( MO, obtained from a dealer). Norfolk Ridge. SMIB 5: stn DW 96, 23°00’S, 168°19’E, 245 m, 1 Coral Sea. MUSORSTOM 5: stn 381, Plateau des Chesterfield, dd . — SMIB 3: stn DW 1, 24°56’S, 168°22’E, 520 m, 1 dd. — BA- 19°38’S, 158°47’E, 620 m, 1 dd. THUS 3: stn DW 827, Banc Jumeau Ouest, 23°22’S, 168°01’E, 381- North of New Caledonia. BATHUS 4: stn 902, Grand Passage, 469 m, 1 dd; stn DW 838, 23°01’S, 166°56’E, 400-402 m, 1 dd. 19°01’S, 163°15’E, 341-351 m, 4 dd . — LITHIST: stn DW 11, 24°47’S, 168°08’E, 254-283 m, 1 dd.

New Caledonia proper. BATHUS 1: stn DW 641, Passe du Loyalty Ridge. BIOCAL: stn DW 08, 20°34’S, 166° 54’E, 435 Kouakoué, 21°52’S, 166°49’E, 240-258 m, 1 dd; stn CP 667, m, 1 dd . — MUSORSTOM 6: stn DW 391, 20°47’S, 167°06’E, Passe de Cap Baye , 20°57’S, 165°35’E, 205-212 m, 1 dd; stn 390 m, 1 dd; stn DW 398, 20°47’S, 167°06’E, 370 m, 1 dd; stn CP 668, 20°57’S, 165°35’E, 205-219 m, 1 dd; stn CP 669, DW 406, 20°41’S, 167°07’E, 373 m, 3 dd; stn DW 418, 20°42’S, 20°57’S, 165°35’E, 255-280 m, 2 dd; stn CP 707, Passe SE de 167°03’E, 283 m, 1 dd; stn CP 438, 20°23’S, 166°20’E, 780 m, Ngoe, 21°43’S, 166°36’E, 347-375 m, 2 dd; stn DW 691, Passe 1 dd . — SMIB 5: stn DW 88, 22°19’S, 168°40’E, 350 m, 2 dd; stn de Hienghène , 20°35’S, 164°59’E, 227-250 m, 1 dd . — BATHUS DW 91, 22°18’S, 168°41’E, 340 m, 1 dd.

2: stn DW 730, 23°03’S, 166°58’E, 397-400 m, 1 dd; stn DW Vanuatu. MUSORSTOM 8: stn DW 978, 19°23’S, 169°27’E, 731, 22°49’S, 166°45’E, 300-370 m, 1 dd . — MUSORSTOM 4: 408-413 m, 1 dd.

stn CC 248, 22°09’S, 167°10’E, 380-383 m, 1 dd. — BATHUS 4: New Hebrides Arc. VOLSMAR: stn DW 17, 22°23’S, 171°41’E, stn CP 955, Passe du Solitaire, 21°46’S, 166°38’E, 242-250 m, 5 260-300 m, 1 dd .

lv, 3 dd (Figs 61, 62). — BIOCAL: stn CP 108, 22°03’S, 167°06’E, Tonga. BORDAU 2: stn DW 1625, 23°28’S, 176°22’W, 824 m, 1 335 m, 2 dd; stn CP 646, 21°53’S, 166°50’E, 255-360 m, 1 dd. dd; stn CP 1638, 21°05’S, 172°23’W, 469-520 m, 1 dd .

DISTRIBUTION. — West Pacific ( Kay 1979), “subtidal to 400 fms” [732 m] ( Cernohorsky 1978: 73). From Boso Peninsula, Japan, southward to the South China Sea, Philippines, Australia and through the Pacific to Hawaii, “coarse sand and gravel bottom in 50-200 m ” (Tsuchiya 2000: 407), “ 30-360 m, coarse sand and stones” (Higo et al. 1999: 218). Coral Sea, New Caledonia, Norfolk Ridge, Loyalty Ridge, Vanuatu, New Hebrides Arc and Tonga, live in 250- 253 m, empty shells down to 824 m.

REMARKS.— Diagnosis of the nominal taxa (see under B. fusiformis ( Martens, 1902) below) included in the Babelomurex japonicus group is traditionally based on the direction of the spines, the scabrousness of the spiral sculpture, the slenderness of the shell and the presence or absence of a scabrous ridge on the shoulder. There is some dimensional variation among the protoconchs of species in the group but any relationship between protoconch type and juvenile (postmetamorphic) characters has not been ascertained. Since appropriate information on protoconch morphology cannot be obtained from the relevant type material, it is difficult to assign available names unequivocally to the present material. Names employed herein have been used in the traditional sense, but this group needs careful revision.

Features of specimens of Babelomurex japonicus from Japan and the Philippines are as follows. Multispiral protoconch of 3.2-3.3 conical whorls, 760 µm high and 720 µm wide at the base. Protoconch-I of about 1 whorl covered with pustules; protoconch-II of about 2.2 whorls, with 2 spiral keels, sculptured with a series of subsutural prosocline threads and a series of tubercules over each keel, tending to fuse at the end of the protoconch giving rise to collabral riblets. The specimens studied herein show the same characteristics, as well as the following features. Teleoconch slender, with rather coarse sculpture; the second cord on the juvenile (end of second whorl or beginning of third whorl) becomes the peripheral keel bearing the broad spines at the shoulder. The juveniles are turriculate with no shoulder angle, whereas the adults bear 1 or 2 scabrous spiral ridges on the sutural ramp. Spines in this species tend to be directed upwards. Specimens from the southwest Pacific are smaller than those from the Philippines.