Turris yeddoensis (Jousseaume, 1883)

Plate 31, figs A–E

Pleurotoma yeddoensis Jousseaume, 1883: 196, pl. 10, fig. 7. Type loc.: Yedo [= Tokyo, Japan].

Turris crispa yeddoensis; Powell 1964: 331, pl. 181, fig. 13; pl. 254, fig. 3, pl. 255 (protoconch); Higo, Callomon & Goto 1999: 303; Olivera 2000: 304, pl. 5, two on left.

Turris crispa form yeddoensis; Oyama 1966: 17; Hasegawa et al. 2000: 631, pl. 314, fig. 62.

Turris yeddoensis; Vera-Peláez et al. 2000: pl. 6, figs 13–14; Olivera 2000: pl. 1, fig. 4.

DESCRIPTION: Shell fusiform, with b/l 0.24–0.25, a/l 0.39–0.47. Fasciole sometimes strong; anal sinus deep and narrowly linear.

Spiral cords relatively low, uniform and close. Subsutural cord not raised, comprising 2–3 equal spiral lirae, sometimes with a few intermediary threads; sulcus very shallow, as wide as sinus cord, roughened by 3–5 scaly spiral threads. Peripheral cord slightly angular but barely stronger than the others; sinus cord flat-topped (slightly concave), as strong as peripheral cord or stronger; base of penultimate whorl with 3–6 weakly angular, ridges, subequal or not, and with an occasional intermediary. Base of last whorl with 22–25 ridges, with an occasional intermediary thread, main ridges becoming progressively weaker anteriorly, fine near end of rostrum.

Pale brownish to cream, spiral ridges with numerous small dark brown to black dots and dashes.

Protoconch (after Powell 1964) of 2 whorls, domed, smooth, edge of lip concave.

Attains 86 mm in length.

TYPES: Two syntypes (figured type of 85.8 x 20.8 mm and a juvenile), in MNHN .

DISTRIBUTION: Reportedly endemic to southern Japan and adjacent islands, 20–90 m on sand, but also recorded from Marinduque, Philippines, by Vera-Peláez et al. (2000).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: JAPAN: Nada, and Nada-Cho, Wakayama Prefecture, 30–50 fath. [55–91 m]; Sakai, Minabe, Wakayama Pref., 30 fath. [55 m]. off Tosa, 30–50 fath. [55–91m], ex Masao Azuma (all BO colln); Kusui, Nada-cho, Wakayama Pref., 60–90 m (NMSA G967: S. Akita); off Kii, 30–50 m (NMSA J3685) and Kusui, Nada-Cho, Wakayama Pref., 55–90 m (NMSA G967), both ex M. Azuma) .

REMARKS: Differing from Turris crispa in the finer, markedly more even spiral ridges and weaker peripheral cord, anterior ridges more numerous and more weakly angulate, colour pattern finer but denser, of brown dots and dashes, in young examples not forming wavy axial lines as in T. crispa .

Although it is possible that yeddoensis evolved as a peripheral isolate of Turris crispa, it evidently cannot be treated as a subspecies of that, as there is some indication that they are partially sympatric. Thus, according to Higo et al. (1999) the range of crispa s.s. extends as far north as the Amami Islands, yet conversely Powell (1964) cites a record of yeddoensis from further south in Okinawa. Even wider sympatry is suggested by the Philippine specimen illustrated by Vera-Peláez et al (2000). Hasegawa et al. (2000) cite yeddoensis as a “forma” of T. crispa .