Coralliophila nodosa (A. Adams, 1854)

Oliverio, Marco, 2008, Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 481-586 : 516-517

Coralliophila nodosa (A. Adams, 1854)

Fig. 46

Rapana (Latiaxis) nodosa Adams, 1854: 98 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Two syntypes BMNH 1984114 , figured by Kosuge & Suzuki (1985: pl. 25, fig. 8, pl. 46, fig. 10) .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Philippines.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Norfolk Ridge. CHALCAL 2: stn DW 71, 24°42’S, 168°10’E, 230 m, 1 dd (Fig. 46) .

Fiji. BORDAU 1: stn DW 1472, 19°40’S, 178°10’W, 262-266 m, 1 dd.

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Pacific : Philippines to Hawaii ( Kay 1979). Norfolk Ridge and Fiji, empty shells in 230- 262 m.

REMARKS. — Protoconch brown (partly eroded, last 1.8 whorls remaining) 680 Μm wide at the base, with 2 keels and axial nodulose threads. The referral of the present shells to Adams’ taxon is not definitive. The general outline is similar to that of Coralliophila crebrilamellosa , the main difference being the less scabrous spiral sculpture. However, the two specimens listed here seem constant in their characters. Rhombothais arbutum Woolacot, 1954 , from Australia, and Latiaxis rosaceus Smith, 1903 , from South Africa, are very similar. All are commonly placed in Mipus , and possibly represent a complex with an Indo-West Pacific distribution.