Coralliophila robillardi (Liénard, 1870)

Oliverio, Marco, 2008, Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 481-586 : 518

Coralliophila robillardi (Liénard, 1870)

Figs 48, 49, 164-166

Leptoconchus robillardi Liénard, 1870: 305 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Syntype figured MNHN 1610 .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Mauritius.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.— New Caledonia proper. EXPÉDITION 167°02.7’E, 15-20 m, 3 dd; stn 1459, 20°47’S, 167°03’E, MONTROUZIER: stn 1318, Secteur de Koumac, 20°41.4’S, 55-80 m, 1 dd (Fig. 49); stn 1460, 20°52.4’S, 167°08’E, 40- 164°14.8’E, 20-30 m, 1 dd; stn 1319, Secteur de Koumac , 60 m, 3 dd, 2 dd juv (Figs 164-166); stn 1463, 20°55.05’S, 20°44.7’S, 164°15.5’E, 15-20 m, 1 dd (Fig. 48). 167°03.35’E, 20-30 m, 2 dd; stn 1464, 20°54.05’S, 167°05.9’E, Loyalty Islands. Lifou. LIFOU 2000: stn 1422, Baie du 35-50 m, 4 dd .

Santal, 20°47.1’S, 167°07.4’E, 4 m, 1 dd; stn 1455, 20°56.8’S,

DISTRIBUTION. — From the Indian Ocean, through the entire tropical Pacific, to the eastern Pacific. Present material, shells only in 4- 55 m.

REMARKS. — The name Coralliophila robillardi is used here, considering Campulotus cumingii H. & A. Adams, 1863, which is often used for the eastern Pacific populations (e.g. Keen 1971), as a nomen dubium, possibly included in Magilus (see Massin 1982). Protoconch of 1.5 conical whorls, 420 Μm high, 510 Μm wide at the base. The first 0.5 whorls are sculptured with pustules over the entire surface. The final part of the protoconch (about 1 whorl), develops 2 spiral keels, the abapical one appearing before the adapical one. Three series of oblong tubercles are present, one subsutural and one over each keel. A diffuse granulation is present in the interspaces. This description is based on a single specimen with the protoconch intact, and contrasts with the “3 whorls” referred to by Massin (1987). It is possible that more than one species is involved, in a complex with different larval shells. Coralliophila robillardi is the type species of Reliquiaecava Massin, 1987 .