Kermia melanoxytum ( Hervier, 1896 )

Kilburn, Richard Neil, 2009, Genus Kermia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea: Conidae: Raphitominae) in South African waters, with observations on the identities of related extralimital species, African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 217-217 : 228

Kermia melanoxytum ( Hervier, 1896)

Figs 27–29

Glyphostoma melanoxytum: Hervier 1896 a: 150 ; 1896 b: 78, pl. 3, fig. 19. Type locality: Lifou.

Kermia melanoxytum (Hervier) : Kay 1979: 361, figs 117F (protoconch), 118J; Zhang 1995: 290, pl. 4, figs 23–24; Chang 2001: 72, figs 65, 65b, and p. 212, figs 19–16a, b.

Type material: Originally ten syntypes from Hervier collection in SML ; three probable syntypes now in MNHN , one labelled by Fischer-Piette as “Type” 4.6×2.0 mm, early part of protoconch missing; unconfirmed syntypes AMSA C.7019.

Regional locality data: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal : E of Kosi Bay , - 50 m, fine sand (Kilburn et al.; NMSA E5348 ) ; Kosi Bay , 1–4 km S of mouth, - 20–22 m (D. Herbert & K. Bloem; NMSA S775 ) ; off Island Rock , - 62 m, sandstone, coral (Kilburn et al.; NMSA E5551 ) ; Leadsman Shoal , 1–2 km N of Leven Point, - 9–14 m, mixed algal and coral reef (D. Herbert; NMSA E5375 ) ; off Sodwana Bay , talus slope, - 46 m (Marine Geoscience Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban; NMSA V5072 ) ; Aliwal Shoal, off Scottburgh , - 10 m, reef debris (D. Herbert; NMSA S9237 ) ; same data but - 25–27 m (D. Herbert; NMSA S7131 ) ; off Park Rynie , - 35–40 m, offshore reef (G. Smith; NMSA S9857 ) . Beach-worn shells also seen in private collection from Mzamba, Eastern Cape .

Distribution: New Caledonia to Hawaii, and west to south-eastern Africa, as far south as Eastern Cape.

Remarks: Specimen NMSA S775 ( Fig. 29 ) has been compared with one of the “ syntypes ” ( Figs 27, 28 ) in the MNHN.

Figures

Figs 27–33. Kermia melanoxytum (Hervier, 1896) and Kermia edychroa (Hervier, 1897): (27–29) K. melanoxytum: (27, 28) syntype of Glyphostoma melanoxytum, MNHN, Lifou, apertural and side views, 4.6×2.0 mm; (29) specimen NMSA S775 from Kosi Bay, 4.0×1.9 mm; (30–33) K. edychroa: (30) probable syntype of Clathurella edychroa, MNHN, Lifou, apertural view, 4.1×1.3 mm; (31) syntype of Mangelia anxia Hedley, 1909, AMSA C.27446, Hope Is., Queensland, 5–10 fath. [-9– 18 m], apertural view, 3.3×1.1 mm (photo courtesy of Des Beechey); (32) specimen NMSA V2284 from Kosi Bay, apertural view, 3.2×1.3 mm; (33) ESEM of protoconch, specimen from Réunion I.