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Dr. Chong CHEN

Dr. Chong CHEN

Deep-sea biologist. Malacologist. Evolutionary biologist. "Mollusc collector", photographer.

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The C. Chen Collection: “Kogkhulion”

“Kogkhulion” (Greek: “Conch”) is a photographic reference to world molluscs using specimens from the C. Chen Collection; continually updated. Mouse-hover over an image will display the scientific name, clicking/tapping reveals the full image with a detailed species account. For a searchable version, click here.

Haustellum kurodai (Shikama, 1964)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -80~100m, By tangle nets, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines, 2007/xi, 111.4mm<br /> The "Kuroda's Snipe's Bill" is an elegant Western Pacific muricid with a long siphonal canal, ranging from the Arafura Sea to the Philippines. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it is nocturnal and inhabits sandy bottoms around -10~80m deep. Though some authors used to consider it a synonym of Haustellum haustellum (Linnaeus, 1758), it is actually clearly separable from that species based on shell characteristics, especially the protoconch which is characteristic of lecithotrophy in H. kurodai and planktotrophy in H. haustellum. It is most similar and sometimes confused with another Philippines species, H. vicdani, which differs by having a completely smooth siphonal canal with no spines, as well as having a generally more purple colouration. Typical shell length around 120mm, very large specimens may exceed 145mm.
Ginebis crumpii (Pilsbry, 1893) <br /> CALLIOTROPIDAE<br /> -300~350m, Trawled off Tosa, Kōchi Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan, 1990/x, 31.5mm<br /> The "Crump's Margarite" is a striking calliotropid with a pearly surface attractively ornamented by rows of spiny knobs. Ranging from Honshu, Japan to East China Sea to Taiwan, it is a deposit feeder inhabiting sandy to gravely bottoms of rather deep water around -50~300m. Although an uncommon species, its supplies have recently increased significantly as specimens are frequently turning up as by-catch from Chinese fishing vessels. A rather small Ginebis, its typical shell length is around 30mm with very large specimens exceeding 40mm. The genus name Ginebis literally means "silvery top" in Japanese.
Timbellus miyokoae (Kosuge, 1979) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -50m, By Dave Aque from tangle nets, Samal Island, Davao Region, Mindanao, Philippines, 2008/i, 61.4mm<br /> <br /> The "Miyoko Murex" is a highly sought-after muricid with spectacular wing-like varices. First described from Mactan Island, Philippines, almost all known records are from within the Philippines; although specimens attributed to the same name have been found as far as the Solomon Islands. The normal colouration of the Philippines shells is rusty brown overlaid by some white hands, but the Solomon shells are pure white. When first described and few speciemns were available, many considered it as a form of the superficially similar Pterynotus loebbeckei (Kobelt, 1879). As more specimens surfaced, however, its status as a distinct species became undeniable. Today it is no longer rare, in fact it is known to be quite common in the Philippines and even specimens with very good wings have become easily obtainable. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on bivalves and other invertebrate animals, it inhabits rather deep water around -50~200m in depth. Typical shell length around 60mm, very large specimens may reach 75mm. Though originally described in the genus Pterynotus, it was recently moved to Timbellus, its current genus.
Mikadotrochus hirasei (Pilsbry, 1903) <br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -200m, Off Ukujima, Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, 98.1mm, 2001/x<br /> <br /> The "Hirase's Slit Shell" is a thick-shelled pleurotomariid with flamboyant flame-like patterns, native to the Western Pacific. It generally ranges from central Honshu, Japan to East China Sea and Taiwan, though very rare records exist from as far south as the Philippines. A carnivorous grazer feeding on sponges and soft corals, it is found in rather deep water around -50~300m. As it is a relatively common species especially from Japan to East China Sea and frequently brought up as by-catch in this area, it is a famous species and perhaps the most easily obtained species of the slit shells, most species of which are very rare and difficult to obtain. Quite variable in shell form especially the height/width ratio and the swollenness of whorls though rather consistent in sculpture and pattern, the name M. h. yamamotoi Yamamoto, 1993 is a synonym given to a compressed form. An uncommon albinistic form is known across its range. Typical shell diameter is around 70mm, very large specimens may exceed 120mm. It is most similar to the much rarer Mikadotrochus beyrichii (Hilgendorf, 1877) endemic to Japan, but they are easily distinguished by boths sculpture and pattern.
Lobatus goliath (Schröter, 1805) <br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> Dived, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, 305.0mm<br /> With an average shell length of 300mm and a staggering record size of 380mm, the aptly named "Goliath Conch" is the largest strombid species alive today. A herbivorous gastropod living in shallow water down to about -50m deep, it is found mostly on sandy bottoms and primarily feeds on algae and seagrass. Although generally considered to be endemic to Brazil, recent findings reported the presence of two small populations in Barbados as well, presumably recently settled through a rare dispersal event. Its handsome shell is distinctively adorned with a very extensively flared outer lip and thin layer of golden brown periostracum. During recent years it has been moved around a few genera as part of the extensive revision of the family Strombidae, including Strombus, Eustrombus, Titanostrombus, before finally settling in Lobatus, its current genus. Though a locally common species in Brazil, it is not easy to acquire a large and operculated specimen with a perfect, unfiled lip.
Pseudovertagus nobilis (Reeve, 1855) <br /> CERITHIIDAE<br /> -20m, Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines, 127.5mm<br /> The "Noble Creeper" is a lovely and large cerithiid widely ranging in the Indo-West Pacific region from Mozambique / Madagascar to Tahiti and best known from the Philippines. A common species feeding on algae and detritus, it inhabits sandy to rubbly bottoms around -10~80m deep. It is a little-varied species and its shiny, smooth surface and the delicate columellar lip behind the rather long, elegantly recurved siphonal canal renders it unmistakable even among other Pseudovergatus species. Typical shell length around 130mm, very large specimens may even exceed 170mm. That makes it not only the largest Pseudovergatus species, but also one of the largest extant members of the family Cerithiidae.
Calliostoma springeri Clench & Turner, 1960<br /> CALLIOSTOMATIDAE<br /> -500m, Florida, USA, 29.0mm, F+, Ex-coll. Andrea Nappo<br /> The "Springer's Top" is an attractively beaded and showy calliostomatid native to the Carribean region ranging from Florida, USA to the Gulf of Mexico. An uncommon to rare species much sought-after by collectors, it inhabits relatively deep water around -200~500m. Although presumably a carnivorous grazer like most other deep-water calliostomatids, little is known about its ecology. Somewhat variable in form especially according to age, small specimens usually have much stronger keel on their body whorl. The shell surface carries a golden iridescence and is quite shiny. Typical shell diameter around 20~25mm, very large specimens may exceed 30mm. Though often treated as a subspecies or form of Calliostoma benedicti Dall, 1889, the holotype of C. benedicti is quite different in being much smaller (17.5mm shell diameter) than the average C. springeri and has a much smaller umbilicus. It is also much lighter in colouration, though this may be due to status of preservation. Most specimens sold as C. benedicti on the market match C. springeri well and do not match C. benedicti; the true C. benedicti appears to be extremely elusive. It is possible that the holotype of C. benedicti is an unusual form of the same species as C. springeri, but more investigation is needed to decide the true relationship between these two names.
Vasula melones (Duclos, 1832) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Lowtide on rocky substrate inside reef crevice, Jacó, Costa Rica, 1972, 41.8mm, F++<br /> The "Gourd Rock Shell" is a common muricid inhabiting intertidal to shallow littoral rocky shores of Pacific Ocean, ranging from Mexico to Peru including the Galápagos Islands. A carnivorous gastropod, it preys upon a wide variety of other invertebrates such as bivalves, gastropods, and polychaetes. Although generally spherical in form with a very inflated body whorl, morphology of the shoulder is rather variable and some individuals have angled, raised shoulder. The colouration consists of variable amount of dark brown to black blotches on a cream background, and is very variable among individuals. Typical shell length around 40mm, very large specimens may exceed 60mm.
Cancellaria indentata Sowerby I, 1832 <br /> CANCELLARIIDAE<br /> -37m (-20 fms), From shrimp fisherman, Gulf of California, Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico, 31.2mm<br /> The "Toothed Nutmeg" is an attractive cancellarid with strong axial and radial ridges forming raised mesh-like sculpture, typical of the family. An eastern Pacific species, its distribution ranges from Gulf of California to Ecuador (including the Galápagos Islands) and is a suctorial-feeding carnivorous gastropod inhabiting hard surfaces from -10m down to about -100m deep. A locally common species, the shell length averages at about 30mm but extremely large examples may exceed 40mm. The strength of sculpture is somewhat variable but overall it is a little-varied and easily recognised species.
Guildfordia triumphans (Philippi, 1841) <br /> TURBINIDAE<br /> -100~200m, Ilan County, Taiwan, 58.4mm<br /> The "Triumphant Star Turban" is a striking turbinid with a 'star-burst' arrangement of spines. Though its wide range extends from Japan to south as far as Queensland, Australia, it is often regarded as a symbolic species of Japan and is depicted on the logo of the Malacological Society of Japan. It is a hervivorous / detritivorous gastropod inhabiting sandy to muddy bottoms of moderately deep water around -100~300m. A common species throughout its range, although specimens with all spines intact are uncommon. Typical shell length around 45mm, very large specimens may exceed 65mm. In genus Guildfordia it usually has an intermediate spine length between the other two common species G. aculeata Kosuge, 1979 and Guildfordia yoka Jousseaume, 1888; and is usually easily recognised from the spine length.
Epitonium ancillotoi Cossignani & Cossignani, 1998 <br /> EPITONIIDAE<br /> -100~150m, From tangle nets, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 26.5mm<br /> Epitonium ancillotoi is a lovely wentletrap with delicate varices known from Philippines to Australia, with vast majority of specimens originating from Philippines. A moderately common carnivorous gastropod, it feeds exclusively on sea anemone like many epitoniids do. It inhabits sandy bottoms around the depth of -10~150m and is found closely associated with the sea anemone species which it feeds on, such as Heteractis crispa (Ehrenberg, 1834) and Macrodactyla doreensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833). It closely resembles Epitonium irregulare (Sowerby II, 1844) and often mistaken for it, but E. irregulare has smooth intervarical spaces lacking the dense fine spiral lines that characterise E. ancillottoi. The shell is most often uniformly white in colour, although some specimens carry irregular brown patches (as shown). Typical shell length around 30mm, very large specimens may exceed 40mm.
Coronium acanthodes (Watson, 1882) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Trawled from deep water, Argentina, 65.1mm, F<br /> The "Watson's Trophon" is a prickly muricid native to the temperate southwestern Pacific ranging from southern Brazil to Falkland Islands to Chile, with some records off the Antarctic Peninsula also. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits soft bottoms of rather deep water around -80~400m. The yellowish white colouration, general form, and sculpture is usually consistent but development of varices varies among individuals. Originally placed in the genus Trophon, it was recently reassigned to Coronium based on protoconch and egg capsule morphology, both of which resemble Coronium coronatum (Penna-Neme & Leme, 1978). It is a large trophon, perhaps the largest in the region, with an average shell length of 80mm and giants may reach 120mm.
Triplodon corrugatus (Lamarck, 1819)<br /> HYRIIDAE<br /> -2m, By local divers, Amazon River, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil, 76.8mm<br /> Triplodon corrugatus is a marvelously shaped unionoid freshwater mussel native to northern South America, ranging from Brazil to Peru to Venezuela, including the Amazon basin. Although characterised by the raised wing-like projections in both posterior and anterior parts of both valves, the extent of these projections actually vary greatly among individuals. It is a locally common filter-feeding bivalve inhabiting soft sediments of shallow freshwater habitats. As is the norm in unionoids it is known to go through a glochidia larval stage parasitising fish gills/fins before settling down to assume an adult life style. Typical shell length around 80mm, very large specimens may exceed 120mm.
Calliostoma canaliculatum (Lightfoot, 1786) <br /> CALLIOSTOMATIDAE<br /> -1.5~3m (-5~10 ft), SCUBA dived on kelp (Macrocystis sp.) growing from seabed -10.5m (-35 ft) deep, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 30.2mm, F+<br /> Characterised by numerous strong spiral cords and a sharply keeled base, the "Channeled Top Shell" is a handsome eastern Pacific calliostomatid ranging from southern Alaska, USA to Baja California, Mexico. A moderately common omnivorous gastropod mainly feeding on hydroids and bryozoans, it is part of the kelp forest community and is usually seen in the shallow canopy of kelp plants to about -20m deep. Its main predator is seastar and it is known to secrete a toxic, yellowish mucus as a defence mechanism upon contact with a seastar. Typical shell length around 30mm, very large specimens may exceed 40mm.
Boreotrophon xestra Dall, 1918 <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -80~200m, From shrimp nets, Jumunjin, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea, 48.1mm, F++<br /> Boreotrophon xestra is a delicately beautiful muricid ranging from Sea of Japan and the northern half of Pacific Japan to Kuril Islands and Bering Sea. A somewhat uncommon predatory gastropod, it inhabits sandy to muddy bottoms of rather deep water around -100~400m. The shell, especially the shouldered varices, are very fragile and susceptible to erosion; good quality specimens are therefore quite hard to obtain. The siphonal canal may be straight or curved to left. Typical shell length around 30mm, extremely large specimens sometimes exceed 45mm.
Boreotrophon pacificus Dall, 1902<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -80~200m, From shrimp nets, Jumunjin, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea, 40.5mm, F++<br /> The "Northwest Pacific Trophon" is an attractively scultpured muricid supposedly ranging widely from Sea of Japan to Bering Sea to Pacific coast of USA, but best known from the northwest Pacific including Japan and Russia. A predatory gastropod inhabiting sandy to muddy bottoms, it is found from shallow subtidal waters down to about -200m deep. The colouration varies from white to yellowish, and it is also varable in number of varices per whorl as well as direction of the anterior siphonal canal. Though locally rather common, the shell is fragile and often eroded, making quality specimens uncommon. Typical shell length around 20mm, very large specimens may exceed 40mm.
Turriconus excelsus (Sowerby III, 1908) <br /> CONIDAE<br /> -150~200m, From tangle net, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 73.5mm, F++<br /> The "Illustrious Cone" is one of the most coveted rare cones of all, and surely one of the most attractive. It is a very famous species included in S. Peter Dance's fifty "Rare Shells" (1969), only three specimens were known then and none of them fresh. A predatory gastropod feeding on polychaete worms living in rather deep water of about -100~400m, it has a wide distribution range in the Indo-Pacific ranging from Burma to Philippines to Japan to northern Australia to Solomon Islands. Most specimens seen on the market today comes from Balut and Aliguay islands of Philippines. Average shell length around 75mm, gigantic specimens may exceed 100mm. Its colour and pattern are both quite variable and the now synonymised name T. nakayasui (Shikama & Habe, 1968) was given to a form with less patterns than usual. It is the rarest of the trio of three famed cones characterised by tall, stepped spires; the other two being Cylinder gloriamaris and Leptoconus milneedwardsi.
Conchocele bisecta (Conrad, 1849) <br /> THYASIRIDAE<br /> -250~350m, On mud bottom, By tangle nets, Off eastern South Korea, 20.2mm, F++<br /> The "Giant Cleftclam" is an extremely large (probably the largest extant) thyasirid very widely distributed in the northern Pacific Ocean, ranging from East China Sea to Russia to Oregon, USA. It is a chemosymbiotic bivalve hosting both methane and sulfur oxidising endosymbionts in a much enlarged gill, and relies on these for energy. Although it is a well-documented member of the Pacific methane seep community often co-occuring with other chemosymbiotic bivalve genera such as Calyptogena and Acharax, it is also found in reducing sediments rich in methane and sulfides outside seeps. It occurs across a wide bathymetric range from -50m down to more than -1500m deep. Both the specific epithet and common name comes from the deep ridge or cleft on the posterior end of the shell, a feature common in Thyasiridae but most prominent in genus Conchocele. The shell shape changes drastically throughout life stages; the anterior shell margin protrudes beyond the beak in young specimens (as shown here), but becomes flat to strongly concave in adults. Adult shells are also more elongated and much thicker. Typical shell length is around 90mm but extremely large specimens exceeding 165mm are known. Recent specimens are very rare due to its restricted habitat, especially large live-taken ones, although virtually identical Cenozoic fossils are not uncommon. Conchocele disjuncta Gabb, 1866 described from Pliocene fossil of California, USA is widely regarded as a synonym.
Ceratostoma burnetti (Adams & Reeve, 1849) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -25m, Dived on mussel bed, Busan, South Korea, 99.8mm, F++<br /> The "Burnett's Murex" is a showy muricid with extensive wing-like varices. Ranging from Yellow Sea to the Russian Aleutians, it is most famously known from South Korea for which it has become a symbolic species. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on bivalve molluscs such as oysters, it inhabits hard substrates and bivalve beds from intertidal waters down to about -40m deep. Though once considered a classic rarity, it is now known to be rather common in its local habitat especially in South Korea and Japan. It is actually very variable in varice development, fine quality specimens with wide and intact varices (mostly from South Korea) are uncommon; the short-winged form has been described as f. coreanica (Adams, 1854) and is considerably rarer. The colouration is usually beige but may vary from whiteish to very dark brown, a banded form also occurs but only very rarely. Typical shell length around 90mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed 130mm.
Carinaria cristata (Linnaeus, 1767) <br /> CARINARIIDAE<br /> Shallow water, southern part of Mozambique, 39.0mm, F<br /> The elegant "Glassy Nautilus" is a classic rarity of historical fame in shell collecting, chosen by S. Peter Dance as one of the four famous rarities in his "Shell Collecting: An Illustrated History" (1966). Its strange form and beauty attracted attention of conchologists at once since its description and for more than 100 years from the mid-18th to 19th Century it was one of the most coveted species of all, comparable to Cylindrus gloriamaris (Chemnitz, 1777), with prices reaching 3,000 livres. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, however, it has become much forgotten by the collecting community. The extremely fragile and highly translucent shell is minute compared to the impressively sized animal that is not only the largest Carinaria but also the largest heteropod of all, attaining a body length over 680mm. A holoplanktic (i.e., planktic for its entire life) pelagic gastropod with a very wide range covering the entire Indo-Pacific, it is an active predator of a variety of zooplankton, mainly thaliaceans, chaetognaths, copepods, and other planktic gastropods. Like most planktic gastropod it migrates vertically through the water column diurnally and may thus be found from the sea surface down to a few hundred metres deep. The shell is still rarely seen in the market today especially with intact protoconch and decent aperture, but much of this apparent rarity is due to the lack of attention and demand it had once received as the animal is not uncommon in its natural environment. Typical shell length around 35mm, very large specimens may exceed 70mm. The protoconch is tightly coiled but the teleoconch relaxes to a slightly curved pyramidal cap; it can be distinguished from other Carinaria species by the less curved shell and the extremely low keel.
Pandora pulchella Yokoyama, 1926 <br /> PANDORIDAE<br /> -250~350m, On mud bottom, By tangle nets, Off eastern South Korea, 47.5mm, F/F+<br /> Pandora pulchella is a pandorid ranging from Sea of Japan to Russia with intriguing form and sculpture; it can be distinguished from other pandorids in the region by the strongly recurved shape and large size. It is in fact better known from Cenozonic fossils which are practically identical to the recent specimens, and was originally described from such fossils originating from oil-fields in Akita Prefecture, Japan. Unlike the fossils which are relatively common in especially in Japan, recent specimens (particularly live-taken ones) appear to be very scarce. A burrowing bivalve, in life it positions itself with the convex left valve down inside muddy substrates, and is a filter-feeder inhabiting rather deep water around -100~400m. It is often placed in the subgenus Heteroclidus, which many authors consider to be a full genus. Typical shell length around 45mm, very large specimens may exceed 55mm.
Scaphella dohrni (Sowerby III, 1903) <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Gulf of Mexico, 55.1mm, F/F+, Ex-coll. Carol Brunner<br /> The "Dohrn's Volute" is an attractively patterned volute with about eight rows of almost equally spaced dark square patches on the body whorl. Ranging from eastern Florida to Gulf of Mexico to southern Cuba, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod inhabiting sandy bottoms of rather deep water around -100~500m. An uncommon species, it is usually dredged dead and prone to growth scars; live-taken specimens in good quality are rare. The early whorls may be shouldered, bearing a single row of closely spaced nodules. Typical shell length around 70mm, very large specimens may exceed 130mm.
Scutellastra cochlear (Born, 1778) <br /> PATELLIDAE<br /> Low tide, On rocks, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 48.5mm, F+<br /> The "Pear Limpet" (or "Spoon Limpet") is a patellid ranging from river mouth of the Orange River and across the Cape Province to Durban, South Africa; aptly named for its very distinctive shape resembling a pear. It is a locally abundant species forming prominent dense colonies on the eulittoral zone of rocky shores, preferring exposed shores with strong wave motion. A herbivorous gastropod, each individual establishes a limpet scar on the rock and occupies the same position throughout the life; juveniles commonly establish on the shells of adult limpets until they are large enough to establish their own limpet scar. It primarily feeds on the coralline algae Spongites yendoi (Foslie) Chamberlain, 1993 and individuals are known to farm S. yendoi in algae gardens around the limpet scar, and protect these gardens territorially. The limpet-algae relationship may be mutualistic as S. cochlear excludes other alga species from the shore in favour of S. yendoi and the limpet excretions provide additional nitrogen for the algae, increasing its productivity. Exterior of the shell bears radial ribs but is often strongly encrusted, the interior is white with a varying strength of blue, the muscle scar is black. Typical shell length around 50mm, very large specimens may exceed 70mm.
Spondylus tenellus Reeve, 1856 <br /> SPONDYLIDAE<br /> -80~200m, Trawled from sand/mud bottom, Off Lakes Entrance, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 63.6mm, F++, 1986<br /> The "Scarlet Thorny Oyster" is a lovely spondylid endemic to Australia, widely ranging across the entire southern coast from Jurien Bay, Western Australia to southern Queensland, including Tasmania. A sessile filter-feeding bivalve living attached to hard substrates, it is found in subtidal and offshore waters of moderate depths around -20~80m and often inhabits rock crevices. Like many spondylids it is a very variable species in spine development, shell form, and colouration: from white to pink to orange to wine red. Typical shell length around 70mm, very large specimens may exceed 110mm. An uncommon species, it takes some luck to find a high-quality specimen with long spines.
Cymatium femorale (Linnaeus, 1758) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -3~6m, Dived, La Tortuga Island, Venezuela, 117.4mm, F+, 2013<br /> The "Angular Triton" is a handsome ranellid instantly recognisable by its strongly raised shoulder. It is native to the Caribbean Sea and adjacent waters, ranging from southern Florida, USA to Brazil. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod primarily feeding on echinoderms, it typically inhabits shallow water from extreme low-tide down to about -50m and is locally common. Typical shell length around 120mm, very large specimens may exceed 170mm. Its range partly overlaps with the closely related Cymatium raderi D'Attilio & Myers, 1984 and is often confused with it. The two are in fact easily separable, however, as C. raderi is much larger on average (commonly exceeds 200mm which C. femorale never reaches) and the varices of C. raderi are much more smooth and less angulate, lacking in strong protuberances seen on the varices of C. femorale.
Cymatium ranzanii (Bianconi, 1850) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -12m (-40 ft), Somalia, 160.2mm, F++, 1975<br /> The "Ranzani's Triton" is a famous rarity among the ranellids and one of S. Peter Dance's fifty Rare Shells (1969). Although described in 1850, it has a remarkable history of being "lost" for more than a century in literature until re-discovered by K. J. Grosch when diving in Mozambique in 1953. The remarks on Grosch's find was published by William K. Emerson and Anthony D'Attilio, who identified the species, in 1962. The angular but low shoulder and two distinct dark patches on the parietal callus together separates it from other Cymatium species without difficulty. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits shallow water to about -40m depth and ranges from Northern Arabian Sea to Mozambique including Southern Red Sea. It appears to be most common in Somalia where vast majority of specimens originate, and is still moderately rare today as a result from the difficulty in obtaining material from the area due to piracy and political instability. The average shell length is about 160mm, but giants are known to exceed 240mm.
Septa marerubrum (Garcia-Talavera, 1985) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -15m, Dived, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, 38.0mm, F++<br /> The "Red Sea Triton" is a striking ranellid endemic to the Red Sea. Originally described as a full species but in the earlier years many considered it to be a Red Sea subspecies of the certainly closely related Septa rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758); today it is generally accepted as a full species. Although indeed similar to S. rubecula, S. marerubrum can be easily distinguished from the more coarse sculpture as it has wider and taller spiral cords bearing much more irregular and larger gemmae. General form of the shell is very variable though the sculpture less so. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits very shallow water from low tide down to about -20m deep. Typical shell length around 35mm, very large specimens may reach 50mm. Though uncommon on the shell trade market due to its restricted distribution, it is locally a common species in its natural habitat.
Biplex perca Perry, 1811 <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -350m, Trawled from sand/gravel/mud bottom, East China Sea, Off Zhejiang, China, 83.5mm, F++, 2014<br /> The "Maple Leaf Triton" is a most eccentric ranellid widely dirstributed across the Western Pacific region, from Japan to northern Australia and across the central Western Pacific islands. It is replaced by its sister species Biplex bozzettii Beu, 1998 with a consistently wider shell from southern India and westward into the Indian Ocean. A common carnivorous species, it is mostly found on sandy to gravely bottoms around -50~200m deep although occasionally deeper. The shell is much compressed in the dorsal-ventral direction and has regular wing-like varices every 180 degrees, resulting in a flat and wide leaf-like shell; aptly described as "maple leaf" in the English vernacular name. The varices are fragile and prone to damage, it is difficult to find a large specimen with intact varices. The intervarical space carry beaded sculpture but the beading is normally not consistent throughout, unlike B. bozzettii. Typical shell length around 65mm but it is very variable in size and giant specimens may reach even 100mm.
Bayerotrochus westralis (Whitehead, 1987) <br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -600~1000m, Trawled on sand and mud, Off Rowley Shoals, Western Australia, Australia, 103.2mm, F+, 1983<br /> The "Western Australian Slit Shell" is a pearly pleurotomariid best known from the northern half of Western Australia, Australia where vast majority of specimens originate from. Its definitive range extends northwards to the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, although there are records from as far north as southern Japan. The shell surface has a characteristic iridescent pearly sheen, and is usually pale white to yellowish brown and decorated with occasional axial flammules. Young specimens often have a strongly angulate body whorl. Dark coloured specimens with dense orange flammules are also occasionally found. The slit is typical of the genus Bayerotrochus: short but rather wide and occupying around one-fifth of the circumference of the body whorl. An uncommon species, it is a carnivorous grazer primarily feeding on sponges and inhabit sandy to muddy bottoms of quite deep water around -300~1000m, averaging around -500m. Typical shell length around 85mm, very large specimens are known to exceed 130mm.
Chicomurex globus Houart Moe & Chen, 2015<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -200m, By tangle nets, Surigao Straits, Mindanao, Philippines, 35.7mm, F++, PARATYPE<br /> Chicomurex globus is a medium sized Chicomurex ranging from Okinawa, Japan to Philippines to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Named for its rounded outline, it has long been confused with C. gloriosus (Shikama, 1977) [C. gloriosus is the species often referred to s 'C. venustulus' from Philippines and elsewhere, the true C. venustulus (Rehder & Wilson, 1975) is restricted to the Marquesas]. It differs from C. gloriosus by the globous shape resulting from broader shell with shorter siphonal canal, more shouldered and smaller shell; it also has a very distinctive dorsally recurved spine on the siphonal canal. The shell is variable in colouration, from cream to tan to white. Often carry dark blotches, and may be banded like C. gloriosus. Presumably a carnivorous species like other congeners, it inhabits moderate depths around -20~200m. Typical shell length around 40mm, very large specimens may reach 53mm.
Mikadotrochus gotoi (Anseeuw, 1990) <br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -200m, By tangle net, Taguin, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 44.5mm, F++<br /> The "Goto's Slit Shell" is a lovely and gemmate western Pacific pleurotomariid ranging from Amami Islands, Japan to Philippines. A carnivorous grazer feeding mainly on sponges, it inhabits hard substrates of rather deep water around -150~400m. Vast majority of specimens are less than 50mm in shell length, averaging at about 45mm. In the Philippines these young specimens are only uncommon, although large specimens in excess of 55mm are rare. Outside the Philippines it is a rare species in any size, although this is likely due to lack of tangle net deployments. Extremely large specimens may exceed 65mm. Young specimens have strongly keeled whorls, while large specimens have noticeably more inflated and round whorls. Always has alternating reddish and white patches under the selenizone, although the overall colouration may vary slightly. It is named in honour of Mr Yoshihiro Goto of Japan, an enthusiastic conchologist with a speial interest in the Pleurotomariidae in which he named several new species, for example Perotrochus anseeuwi Kanazawa & Goto, 1991 and P. metivieri Anseeuw & Goto, 1995.
Simnia patula (Pennant, 1777) <br /> OVULIDAE<br /> -50m, Trawled, Off Devon, Southwest England, United Kingdom, 25.4mm, F++<br /> The "Poached Egg Shell" is a beautiful and frail ovulid ranging from Norway to Canary Islands, and into the Mediterranean Sea. A carnivore and ectoparasite of octocorals and hydroids, it lives in moderately deep sublittoral water around -20~120m. Its most common hosts are the soft coral Alcyonium digitatum L., 1758 ("Dead Man's Fingers"), the sea fan Eunicella verrucosa (Pallas, 1766), and the hydroid Tubularia indivisa L., 1758. The shell is variable in colouration from white to cream to dark orange as well as shape of the extremities, while the mantle is decorated with brown streaks and spots. Although a common species in its natural environment, it is an uncommon to rather rare species on the shell trade especially in good condition. Typical shell length around 20mm, very large specimens like the one shown may exceed 25mm. Its type locality is Weymouth, Dorset, England.
Arrhoges occidentalis (Beck, 1836) <br /> APORRHAIDAE<br /> -100m, Trawled, Off Chebucto Head, Nova Scotia, Canada, 53.0mm, F+<br /> The "American Pelicanfoot" is graceful aporrhaid and the only extant species native to the western Atlantic, ranging from Greenland to Nova Scotia, Canada to North Carolina, USA. It is also the only extant species in the genus Arrhoges, although many do not consider this a full genus and still place it in Aporrhais. Compared to the other living aporrhaids its outer lip is simple with only a single projection, while others have multiple spines. It is a herbivorous and detritivorous species feeding on microalgae and detritus, and inhabits sandy to muddy bottoms of a rather wide bathymetric range around -10~400m deep. It is a rather rare species in the shell trade, especially live collected specimens of good quality as it is usually a rough shell; most specimens are trawled off Atlantic Canada. It is very variable in spire height; specimens with slender spire bearing relatively few axial ridges has been described as f. mainensis (Johnson, 1930), while those with very high spire has been named f. labradorensis (Johnson, 1930). Typical shell length around 50mm, very large specimens may exceed 65mm.
Beringius turtoni (Bean, 1834) <br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> -150m, Flanden Ground, North Sea, Scotland, United Kingdom, 127.8mm. F++<br /> The "Turton's Whelk" is a large and elegant circum-arctic cold-water buccinid best known from North Sea off Yorkshire, United Kingdom to the west coast of Norway. It was first discovered and described by William Bean, using material dredged from deep water off Dogger Bank, North Sea. It is named after a British conchologist of the time, William Turton. A carnivorous / scavenging gastropod, it inhabits rocky to muddy bottoms of moderately deep water around -20~250m. It is a rather rare species, especially in large and good condition like the specimen shown; as most specimens have obvious growth scars, apex knocked off, or have lost the periostracum. Although the sculpture is quite consistent, the shell form varies greatly; especially in terms of the shell breadth to height ratio. Typical shell length around 110mm, very large specimens may exceed 140mm. Beringius ossiania (Friele, 1879) is currently considered a junior synonym.
Septa closeli (Beu, 1987) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -3~5m, By SCUBA diver, Nacala Bay, Mozambique, 47.8mm, F++<br /> The "Closel's Triton" is a rather dusky coloured Septa species endemic to the Indian Ocean, ranging from Sri Lanka to South Africa. It is the most common Septa species in Indian Ocean where other members of the genus are rare. Presumably carnivorous like other ranellids, it inhabits very shallow to moderate depths from lowtide zone down to about -20m in the coral reefs. Very similar to the closely related S. hepatica (Röding, 1798), which it was initially considered a variety of. It is differentiated from S. hepatica by its darker varices without distinct stripes and more dissolved, less distinct dark bands between spiral cords. The overall colouration however is quite variable from cream to dark brown, though is on average darker and less vivid than S. hepatica. A layer of hairy periostracum covers the shell when alive. A large Septa species, very large specimens may exceed 60mm although most specimens average at around 45mm.
Septa bibbeyi (Beu, 1987) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -10~15m, Olango Island, Central Visayas, Philippines, 39.1mm, F++<br /> The "Bibbey's Triton" is an intensely crimson ranellid that appears to be endmic to the Philippines. A rather common carnivorous gastropod, it inhabits moderately shallow water in reefs around -10~30m deep. When alive it is covered by a layer of hairy periostracum as is typical in Ranellidae. Although similar to the closely related S. rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) which it was initially confused, it has a more inflated and more coarsely beaded body whorl with a much longer anterior siphonal canal. In addition the white spiral band and the adjoining white patch on varices always cover two spiral ribs or more, which is wider than that of a typical S. rubecula. A medium-sized Septa, the typical shell length is around 40mm although giant specimens may exceed 50mm. It is named after Loyal J. Bibbey who first noticed its distinctiveness from S. rubecula.
Septa hepatica (Röding, 1798) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -20~25m, Eastern Samar, Samar Island, Eastern Visayas, Philippines, 44.8mm, F+<br /> The "Black Striped Triton" is a strikingly coloured ranellid very widely distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. A common carnivorous gastropod, it inhabits shallow to moderate depths of around -10~40m in the reefs. The signature black colouration in the interspaces of spiral ribs always present throughout to the body whorl, but the background colouration vary from cream to red. Although in the closely related species S. rubecula (L., 1758) the black intercord characteristic is also sometimes present, S. rubecula always has a pronounced white patch on the upper part of each varix and can be easily distinguished. A thick hairy periostracum conceals the brilliant colouration when the animal is alive, making it surprisingly difficult to locate. It is the second largest Septa species, with giant specimens exceeding 65mm. Typical specimens however averages at around 45mm. It is renowned as one of the "Three Beautious Snails" in Japan, along with S. rubecula and S. flaveola (Röding, 1798).
Septa flaveola (Röding, 1798) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -25m, Olango Island, Central Visayas, Philippines, 43.1mm, F+<br /> The "Golden Triton" is a beautiful ranellid widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, best known from the Philippines. It is moderately common in the Philippines but uncommon in the rest of Western Pacific, and very rare in the Indian Ocean. A carnivorous gastropod, it inhabits rocky surfaces and among coral rubbles in the reefs of moderate depths around -10~50m. The live animal carry a rather thick layer of bristly periostracum, characteristic of the family Ranellidae. It is probably the largest species in genus Septa with gigantic specimens reaching 80mm, although vast majority averages at around 45mm. It is a renowned species in Japan where it is known as one of the "Three Beautious Snails", along with congeners S. rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) and S. hepatica (Röding, 1798).
Septa rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758)<br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> -10~15m, Dived, Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines, 43.8mm, F++, 2012<br /> The "Robin Redbreast Triton" is a common but lovely ranellid with a very wide distribution throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. A carnivorous gastropod like other Septa species, it lives beneath or among corals of the reefs in shallow to moderate depths of around -5~30m. When alive the brilliant intense red colour is hidden under a layer of bristly periostracum, rather thick and chestnut yellow in colour. There is usually a diffused white band around the fifth spiral cord. Typical shell length around 40mm, very large specimens may exceed 55mm. It is similar to a number of other Septa species such as S. bibbeyi (Beu, 1987) and S. hepatica (Röding, 1798), and is sometimes confused with them. In Japan it is reknowned as one of the "Three Beautious Snails", along with S. flaveola (Röding, 1798) and S. hepatica.
Septa mixta (Arthur & Garcia-Talavera, 1990) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> Philippines, From old collection, 32.3mm, F++<br /> Septa mixta is perhaps the most enigmatic species of the ranellid genus Septa. Due to its superficial similarity to the closely related S. rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) and S. occidentalis (Mörch, 1877) it has been much confused with them (hence 'mixta'). Compared to S. rubecula it has 1. an absolutely sharp and crisp white band covering the entire length of the fifth (and only the fifth) spiral cord; this band is usually more diffused and spread out to intercord space and adjascent spiral cords in S. rubeculum (sharp band similar to S. mixta is not unknown but rare). 2. The spiral cords are much stronger with larger beads and more coarsely sculptured dorsum. 3. The form is more angulate in appearance. Compared to S. occidentalis, S. mixta's dorsum is less scabrous in sculpture and there is usually only one strong intervarice node; the very sharp white band is often still a good indicator. Widely distributed from the northern Indian Ocean to New Caledonia, it is presumably a carnivorous gastropod like its congeners and inhabits moderate depths around -20~50m. Many specimens identified as S. mixta are misidentified S. rubecula, and true specimens of S. mixta appear to be very rare. Typical shell length around 30mm, very large specimens may exceed 45mm.
Chicomurex gloriosus (Shikama, 1977)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -100~200m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 51.5mm, F++, 2013/xi<br /> Chicomurex gloriosus is a medium sized Chicomurex ranging widely across the Indo-West Pacific region ranging from Reunion and Mauritius to Indonesia to Philippines to Japan to Papua New Guinea. It has been considered a junior synonym of C. venustulus (Rehder & Wilson, 1975) and confused with that species for a long time but recently after careful comparison with C. venustulus from the Marquesas, its type locality, a number of consistent and reliable features was found to differentiate them (Houart Moe & Chen, 2015). These include C. gloriosus being much larger, not as stocky, and has longer siphonal canal as well as higher intervarical nodes. Furthermore, C. gloriosus is much less scabrous and the two differ in positions of the coloured spiral bands when they are present. Houart Moe & Chen (2015) reinstated the name C. gloriosus, and the true C. veustulus is now considered to be endemic to the Marquesas. It is a common carnivorous gastropod inhabiting moderately deep water around -50~200m, and is very variable in colouration from cream to pink to red to brown. Darker coloured spiral band often present. Typical shell length around 45mm, very large specimens may reach 60mm.
Chicomurex pseudosuperbus Houart Moe & Chen, 2015<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -200m, Off Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 64.5mm, F++, PARATYPE<br /> Chicomurex pseudosuperbus is a large Chicomurex ranging from Okinawa, Japan to Philippines to New Caledonia and Queensland, Australia. Majority of specimens have come from the central Philippines where it is common, outside Philippines it is uncommon to moderately rare. It was named pseudosuperbus because it has been misidentified as C. superbus in the recent literature. It has been confused with C. lani Houart Moe Chen, 2014 [which was thought to be C. superbus (Sowerby III, 1889) until the rediscovery of its holotype, C. superbus is now a senior synomym of C. problematicus (Lan, 1981)] but has a larger shell, more adressed suture, longer siphonal canal, more obvious axial nodes, and a more scabrous shell. It differs from the true C. superbus by having a narrower, higher spired shell with narrower secondary cords; also importantly the spiral cords are not as clearly overlaid with brown line as in C. superbus. It is presumably a carnivorous gastropod like other Chicomurex and inhabits moderate depths around -60~200m. Typical shell length around 65mm, very large specimens may reach 85mm.
Chicomurex globus Houart Moe & Chen, 2015<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -150m, Trawled, Lipata, Surigao, Philippines, 39.5mm, F++, 2013 (specimen examined for description but not in the type series)<br /> Chicomurex globus is a medium sized Chicomurex ranging from Okinawa, Japan to Philippines to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Named for its rounded outline, it has long been confused with C. gloriosus (Shikama, 1977) [C. gloriosus is the species often referred to s 'C. venustulus' from Philippines and elsewhere, the true C. venustulus (Rehder & Wilson, 1975) is restricted to the Marquesas]. It differs from C. gloriosus by the globous shape resulting from broader shell with shorter siphonal canal, more shouldered and smaller shell; it also has a very distinctive dorsally recurved spine on the siphonal canal. The shell is variable in colouration, from cream to tan to white. Often carry dark blotches, and may be banded like C. gloriosus. Presumably a carnivorous species like other congeners, it inhabits moderate depths around -20~200m. Typical shell length around 40mm, very large specimens may reach 53mm.
Septifer bilocularis (Linnaeus, 1758) <br /> MYTILIDAE<br /> Low tide, Attached to rocks, South China Sea, China, 31.2mm, F++<br /> The "Ledge Mussel" is an abundant mytilid widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, ranging from Japan to Australia to Red Sea. A filter-feeding species, it lives attached to hard substrates such as rock or dead coral using byssus threads in very shallow to shallow water ranging from intertidal zone to about -15m deep. Extremely variable in colouration and pattern, the colour may be anything from black to blue to green to red. The most stunning form is possibly the almost entirely bright blue form as shown, although this colour is by no means rare in this species. The shell form, especially the convexness, is variable too and influenced by environmental factors. Individuals subjected to strong wave action generally have more convex shells than individuals in sheltered areas. Typical shell length around 40mm, although extremely large specimens may exceed 65mm.
Provanna nassariaeformis Okutani, 1990 <br /> PROVANNIDAE<br /> -3500m+, Hydrothermal vent site, Mariana Trough, off Northern Mariana Islands, 11.5mm, F+<br /> Provanna nassariaeformis is a deep-sea provannid endemic to hydrothermal vents of the western Pacific Ocean. A detritus grazing gastropod, it is known from both Mariana Trough and Manus Back-Arc Basin where it inhabits great depths up to -3700m. The shell is very squat and wide for the genus, the white ostracum is covered by a golden brown periostracum which is usually further coated by a thick layer of hydrothermal deposits. The body whorl of adults carry about 20 axial ribs which crosses with four to five spiral ribs of similar strength, forming a cancellate and beaded sculpture. The apex is always corroded, leaving only two to three whorls in the adults. Typical shell length around 10-12mm, there appears to be little variation in size of adult specimens. Although it is only uncommon in the vent fields where it inhabits, the extreme depths make it very inaccessible and difficult to obtain.
Tenorioconus mappa ([Lightfoot], 1786) granarius (Kiener, 1847) <br /> CONIDAE<br /> -50m, North coast, Colombia, 46.4mm, F+, 1996/vi<br /> Tenorioconus granarius ranging from Panama to Venezuela is widely accepted as a subspecies of the beautiful Caribbean cone T. mappa; although sometimes considered a full species. It can be differentiated from other subspecies of T. mappa by its reduced colour patches, whitish grey to violet base colouration, high spire; and usually strong granulation as the name suggests. The deeper water specimens tend to have a taller spire (shown). It is a carnivorous and predatory vermivorous gastropod which mainly feeds on polychaete worms, such as fireworms (family Amphinomidae). A somewhat uncommon species, it inhabits sandy to muddy bottoms around -3~50m deep. Individuals aggregate to mate and spawn in the summer months of June to August, then depositing egg masses on hard substrates such as rocks or dead corals. Typical shell length around 50mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 70mm.
Bathybembix aeola (Watson, 1879) <br /> CALLIOTROPIDAE<br /> -450~550m, Trawled, Off Futaba-cho, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, 41.2mm, F, 2013/iv<br /> The "Changing Margarite" is a beautiful 'trochid' now classified in Calliotropidae, best known from Japan where it ranges from Aomori Prefecture to the Kyushu Island but supposedly the distribution extends to East China Sea. A deposit feeding gastropod, it inhabits sandy to muddy bottoms of deep water around -300~1200m. It is known to have the ability of selectively ingesting fine particles, using the extraordinarily fine and long marginal teeth of its rhipidoglossate radula as a rake-like apparatus to filter out larger particles from ingestion. This is an effective and energetically efficient adaptation in deposit feeding as the gastropod digests the organic coating on grain surface, and finer grains have a larger surface area to volume ratio. Although only uncommon in Japan, but it is rarer and difficult to find in the international market. The shell carries a yellowish green periostracum, the apex is always corroded. Typical shell length around 40mm, very large specimens may exceed 50mm.
Pterynotus pellucidus (Reeve, 1845) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Off Sakai Harbour, Minabe-Cho, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, 50.2mm, F+, 2011/iv<br /> The "Pellucid Murex" is a delicately winged muricid with a very wide range throghout the Indo-West Pacific, from east Africa to New Caledonia to southern Japan. The shell is white to pinkish, carries three varices on each whorl with lamellose ventral surface and scalloped edge. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on sessile animals, it inhabits rocky substrates in shallow to moderate depths around -10~100m deep. Although a common species, most adult specimens tend to have severely damaged varices and fine examples are uncommon. Typical shell length around 45mm, giant specimens may exceed 60mm.
Oenopota sagamiana Okutani & Fujikura, 1992 <br /> MANGELIIDAE<br /> -1170m, Methane seep site, Off Hatsushima Island, Sagami Bay, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, 20.1mm, F++<br /> Oenopota sagamiana is a peculiar mangeliid "turrid" endemic to a single deep-sea cold seep off Hatsushima, Sagami Bay, Japan. It is found in extremely dense aggregations on patches of bacterial mat and metachromatic seabed strongly influenced by methane seepage, around -1170m deep. Although Oenopota species have toxoglossate radula and are generally carnivorous / scavenging gastropods, it is uncertain what exact this species feeds on. Considering its strange habitat it probably feeds on microbial mat, but may also be preying on other seep fauna. The spindle-shaped shell is white and thick, carries about a dozen axial ribs (may form nodules on the shoulder) and is covered by a thin pale tan periostracum. Typical shell length around 20mm, there is little size variation among adults of this species and even very large specimens rarely exceed 25mm. It has been observed to travel in large groups, although details and intentions behind this behaviour is unknown.
Alcithoe tigrina Bail & Limpus, 2005 <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -450m (-1500ft), Trawled by a prawn boat, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand, 118.1mm, F+, 1993/iii<br /> The "Tiger Volute" is an elegant volute endemic to the northeastern New Zealand, with a restricted range from Bay of Plenty to Cape Kidnappers. It is an uncommon species in Bay of Plenty, though is very rare south of it. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod inhabiting muddy bottoms, it is known from a rather wide bathymetric range from -100~600m. Typically uniformly cream or straw in colouration but sometimes has 'lightning' pattern composed of thin brown axial bands like the holotype, hence the name 'tigris'. Typical shell length 110mm, very large specimens may exceed 130mm. It was originally described as a subspecies of Alcithoe larochei Marwick, 1926, but as the range of two overlap (A. larochei ranges from northen South Island to North Island) they are now recognised as separate species. The two are quite similar but A. larochei is much broader, more solidly built and shouldered, and never carry the 'lightning' pattern.
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