Lophiotoma unedo

Li, Baoquan & Li, Xinzheng, 2008, Report on the turrid genera Gemmula, Lophiotoma and Ptychosyrinx (Gastropoda: Turridae: Turrinae) from the China seas, Zootaxa 1778, pp. 1-25 : 21

Lophiotoma unedo ( Kiener, 1839 –1940)

(Pl. 3, figs. 4–5)

Pleurotoma unedo Kiener, 1839 –1940: 19, pl. 14, fig. 1; Reeve 1843, pl. 2, fig. 12; Tryon 1884: 165, pl. 3, fig. 20.

Gemmula unedo .— Kira 1971, pl. 35, fig. 17.

Gemmula (Unedogemmula) unedo .— Powell 1964: 269, pl. 175, figs. 1, 6, pl. 208, figs. 1, 2; Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971: 223, pl. 57, fig. 6.

Lophiotoma (Unedogemmula) unedo .— Olivera, 2004a: 15, fig. 5.

Material examined. Beibu Gulf. 1 spm, CN K218B-15, 19 °00’N, 108°30’E, silty mud, 18 m, AT, 8. VII. 1960; 1 spm, CN Q195-34, 20 °45’N, 109°30’E, sandy mud, 19 m, AT, 20. IV. 1960. Measurements (mm).

Distribution. Beibu Gulf; Persian Gulf, East Indies and Japan.

Remarks. Olivera (2004a) discussed the taxonomic position of Lophiotoma unedo ( Kiener, 1839 –1940) and indicated that the Lophiotoma unedo complex “is one of the most confusing groups of the large Turrinae ”. The complex can be divided into two distinct forms based on the whole, the typical form and the typical Japanese form. Olivera (2004a) doubted the taxonomic positions of the two forms: “feel that it would be premature to separate them at the subspecific or specific level, or to conclude that they are conspecific”. Our specimens agree well with the typical Japanese form which are quite different from Kiener’s (1839–1940) type form. We discussed with Dr. Kilburn about the position of our specimens, he suggested that they are Lophiotoma unedo (personal communication). We accepted his suggestion and assign our specimens as L. unedo here.