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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.

Bullata bullata (Born, 1778)<br /> MARGINELLIDAE<br /> -50~60 m, By lobster traps, Off Guarapari, Espirito Santo, Brazi, 2019/ii, 92.3 mm <br /> <br /> A marginellid with an unusually broad range of mature adult sizes, the "Bubble Margin" averages at around 60 mm in shell length but can be from anywhere between about 35~100 mm. Recently, two species previously considered to be the largest species of Marginellidae -- Marginellona gigas (von Martens, 1904) and Afrivoluta pringlei Tomlin, 1947 -- were shown to belong to a separate lineage outside of Marginellidae and thus moved to Marginellonidae (previously thought to be a subfamily under Marginellidae). This means B. bullata now grows to be the largest marginellid species in the world. Endemic to Brazil and inhabiting sandy bottoms of shallow to moderate depths between about -5~50 m, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on invertebrate animals though the exact diet is unclear. <br /> <br /> A common species, although most specimens have been collected from octopus dens with drill holes and live-taken individuals are actually uncommon. Vast majority of specimens have been taken in either Espirito Santo or Bahia states of Brazil. The mantle and head-foot share a much more extravagant colour pattern consisting of fine, intricate zebra patterns; the mantle also possesses numerous thick papillae. It is not a variable species in terms of shell characters except size and clarity and thickness of the spiral bands, but over the years a number of synonymous names have been proposed, such as Marginella bellangeri Kiener, 1834 and Marginella glauca Fischer, 1807.
Morum macdonaldi Emerson, 1981<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -20~30 m, Dived on coral sand, Oceanside, Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, 1992/x, 16.7 mm <br /> <br /> The "MacDonald's Morum" is a small-sized harpid characterised by a regular, coarsely cancellate shell sculpture with the spiral ribs almost as strong as the axials, and a narrow, pustulated parietal shield confined to the columella wall. First recognised as new by a shell collector named D. J. MacDonald who collected about a dozen specimens on Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, the specimens were forwarded to the shell dealer Robert William Morrison (1929-2012), and then to the malacologist Dr William K. Emerson (1925-2016) based at the American Museum of Natural History. Emerson later described the species, naming it after MacDonald. Later, it was also recorded from Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia, as well as the Caroline Islands, Micronesia. Partly due to its limited distribution on small Pacific islands and its minute body size, it has remained a very rarely seen species from the time of its discovery until today. <br /> <br /> A carnivorous and predatory gastropod most likely feeding on small crustaceans like other Morum species, it inhabits sand to rubble bottoms of shallow waters around -10~30 m deep. Typical shell length around 15 mm, very large specimens may reach 20 mm. Morum janae Monsecour & Lorenz, 2011 appears to have been described based on a beachworn empty shell of M. macdonaldi from Tuamotus, and should be treated as a junior synonym unless convincing evidence can be presented showing that the Tuamotus population is a distinct evolutionary lineage from the Marshall Islands population.
Neopetraeus binneyanus (Pfeiffer, 1857)<br /> BULIMULIDAE<br /> +1260 m, Collected on bush, Pataz, Pataz Province, La Libertad Region, Peru, 21.4 mm <br /> <br /> Immediately recognisable by its unusual and distinctive shell shape with a very strong medial keel across the whorls, Neopetraeus binneyanus is a bulimulid landsnail endemic to La Libertaz Region of Peru. It inhabits highland limestone areas around +1200 m in elevation, where it has been collected on rocks, bushes, trees, and cacti. Though the exact diet is unknown, it presumably is a grazer of plant and algae. The development of the keel can vary somewhat among individuals, and similarly the spire height is also rather variable. Vast majority of specimens are uniformly ivory to yellowish in shell colouration, but some specimens carry brown axial stripes. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very large specimens can approach 30 mm. It occurs together with the congener N. arboriferus paucistrigatus (Weyrauch, 1967) which has a smooth shell lacking in carination, and some individuals appear to be intergrades between the two. Whether these specimens represent hybrids or if the two taxa involved are actually just two names given to morphological extremes of the same evolutionary lineage require further investigation.
Drupa speciosa (Dunker, 1867)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -15~20 m, Dived under coral at night, Taiohae Beach, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, 32.5 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a deep magenta aperture fringed by white, the “Splendid Drupe” is a shallow water muricid endemic to island groups within a small area of the South Pacific: Tuamotus Islands, Marquesas Islands, and Pitcairn Islands. Inhabiting hard substrates of shallow waters from low intertidal down to about 30 m deep, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod. Typical shell length around 30 mm, but very large specimens sometimes exceed even 55 mm. Although its specific diet is not known, its sister species Drupa rubusidaeus Röding, 1798 feeds on polychaete worms and it likely does the same. <br /> <br /> Despite being only uncommon locally, it is a rather rarely seen species due to its restricted range and also confusion with the morphologically similar D. rubusidaeus. These two species have largely overlapping distribution ranges due to D. rubusidaeus being a very widely distributed species across the warm Indo-West-Central Pacific, genetic analyses agree that they are two distinct lineages that diverged around six million years ago and likely speciated through allopatric speciation. Though superficially similar, the two species can be separated with good confidence by observing the aperture of mature specimens through the following two features: 1) D. speciosa has an inner ring of strong magenta always fringed by a white rim, whereas D. rubusidaeus typically exhibits a yellow to orange rim; 2) The white teeth on both the outer lip and columellar are stronger in D. speciosa leading them to stand out very clearly from the magenta ring, whereas in D. rubusidaeus the teeth are smaller and less crisp in appearance.
Calliotropis chunfuleei Chino, 2014<br /> CALLIOTROPIDAE<br /> -300~400 m, Taken on sand by shrimp trawler, Off Pratas Islands, South China Sea, 32.0 mm <br /> <br /> The "Chunfu Lee's Toothed Top" is a large calliotropid with an unmistakable shell morphology, with a pearly-white, depressed trochoid shape and ornamented by two very strong, nodulous peripheral keels and a few weaker ones on the base. Due to these keels the shape of the aperture appears twisted and is very striking, reinforced by the presence of a wide lateral extension of the inner lip which almost completely covers the wide umbilicus in mature adult specimens. Most of the shell lacks significant axial ribbing, except the narrow area between and around the two peripheral keels, where numerous intricate axial lamellae are present. <br /> <br /> Only known from soft bottoms of rather deep waters between -200~600 m off Pratas Islands in the South China Sea, its restricted and deep habitat may explain why such a remarkable species was not discovered and named until the early 2010's. Its description was based on three shells obtained by Chunfu Lee, a Taiwanese conchologist and its namesake, who forwarded them to the Japanese conchologist Mitsuo Chino for examination and description. Since then it has remained a very rare species, most specimens collected were empty shells inhabited by hermit crabs and often with black stains on the shell; live-taken specimens take some luck to find. Although its specific diet is not known, it is probably a deposit-feeding species. A little-varied species, though individuals may vary in the number of clearly visible spiral ridges on the base. Typical shell width around 25 mm, very large specimens may reach 35 mm.
Rostellariella lorenzi Morrison, 2005<br /> ROSTELLARIIDAE<br /> -200~400 m, Trawled on sand and mud, Arafura Sea north off Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, 2000's, 94.5 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a nearly straight-sided spire carrying numerous weak spiral sculpture and a reddish-brown, flammule-like axial pattern that is unusual for the family, the "Lorenz's Tibia" is a rostellariid known exclusively from the Arafura Sea. An extremely rare species, it was first described from several empty shells trawled by Indonesian fishermen. Only a few specimens appeared around the time of its description, likely from the same sampling event, and then virtually none have been collected since. The known specimens have been trawled on soft bottoms of rather deep waters between 200~400 m deep, but likely no live-taken specimens have been collected. Though the exact diet of this species is unclear, it is probably a herbivorous to detritivorous gastropod feeding on algae and other organic material in the detritus. Typical shell length around 90 mm, very large specimens may exceed 100 mm. <br /> <br /> The supposedly Pliocene fossil species Rostellariella perlonga (Koperberg, 1931) from Timor has been noted to potentially represent the same species and may be a senior synonym, but no known specimens of R. perlonga retain a mature aperture and this cannot be confirmed with certainty as of yet. The recent Rostellariella barbieri Morrison, 2008 described from the Philippines is almost identical to R. lorenzi except it carries four dentitions on the outer lip instead of five, a character known to vary in other rostellariellid species. As such, it has been suggested that R. barbieri is likely just a junior synonym representing a Philippines population of R. lorenzi. The specific epithet 'lorenzi' honours Felix Lorenz, a well-known shell collector and dealer best known for his extensive expertise in cowries and allied-cowries.
Bursa luteostoma (Pease, 1861)<br /> BURSIDAE<br /> -80~120 m, By lobster trap, Mano Reef, Hawaiian Islands, U.S.A., 1994, 62.3 mm <br /> <br /> Endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago, the "Yellow-Mouthed Frog Shell" is a bursid snail with a rather tall spire carrying strong nodules and a yellow aperture. It is among the rarest bursid species in the world, and is a greatly sought-after species by collectors; most specimens have been taken crabbed in loster traps and live-taken specimens are exceedingly rare. It has been found from very shallow waters less than 1 m deep down to about 100 m depth, and is thought to be a predatory and carnivorous gastropod feeding on other invertebrate animals. Typical shell length around 60 mm, very large specimens may exceed 85 mm. <br /> <br /> It is very similar to the common Bursa bufonia (Gmelin, 1791) which is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific. Typical specimens of B. luteostoma (shown) exhibit a narrower and taller spire ornamented with deeply sculptured, rugged nodules and can be distinguished relatively easily from typical B. bufonia. Some specimens attributed to B. luteostoma, mostly from shallower depths, exhibit weaker sculpture and broader spire than normal, making them difficult to distinguish from B. bufonaria. Different authors have expressed varying opinions on these broad B. luteostoma individuals, including 1) they are variations within B. luteostoma and B. bufonia does not occur in Hawaii, 2) they are B. bofonia and both species co-occur in Hawaii, and 3) B. luteostoma is a regional form and thus a junior synonym of B. bufonia. Though this debate is not settled completely, recent authors generally agree that at least the typical form of B. luteostoma is distinct from B. bufonia. <br /> <br /> The shell colouration of B. luteostoma is somewhat variable, the base colour can be light yellow to orange-tan and the amount of dark brown speckles vary greatly among individuals. The aperture is yellowish in vast majority of specimens, though it may also rarely exhibit whitish aperture with only a faint hint of yellow.
Ancillista fernandesi Kilburn & Jenner, 1977<br /> ANCILLARIIDAE<br /> -75~100 m, Trawled, Among small rocks on sandy-muddy bottom, Off Quissico, Inhambane, Mozambique, 2003, 66.4 mm <br /> <br /> A white shell strikingly enamelled by chocolate callous characterises the "Fernandes' Ancilla", an ancillariid known exclusively from southern Mozambique. It is an unusual member of the genus in terms of shell morphology, because in adults the spire is very heavily overlaid by two layers of callous that completely conceals the suture. The first layer of callous is yellowish brown and lighter in colouration, covering parts of the body whorl in addition to the spire; the second layer is dark reddish brown and is concentrated on the spire. These features mean it cannot be confused with any other congeners which typically only exhibit thin callous. Though a little-varied species, the extent of callous coverage on the body whorl varies somewhat among individuals. <br /> <br /> Originally described from three shells collected ex pisce from fish stomach between Inhaca Island and Zavora by the prominent Mozambique-born Portuguese collector and dealer César Pasos Fernandes (1930-2007), who contributed to our understanding of malacological diversity of Mozambique and the Cape Verde Islands by discovering numerous new species. This species was named after Fernandes in recognition of his efforts in collecting the types and offering them to KwaZulu-Natal Museum for study and description. Today it remains an extremely rare species, very few specimens have been collected alive since its description and even dead-taken shells are scarce. Live specimens have been collected on soft bottoms between -50~150 m deep, either by trawl or in traps. Though the diet of this species has not been studied, it is presumably a predatory and scavenging gastropod like other ancillariids. Typical shell length around 60 mm, very large specimens may exceed 85 mm.
Cocculina aurora Chen, Hilário, Rodrigues & Ramirez-Llodra, 2022<br /> COCCULINIDAE<br /> -3883 m, Hans Tore Vent chimney (82°53.8307'N, 6°15.3251'W), Aurora Vent Field, Gakkel Ridge, Central Arctic Ocean, ROV Aurora dive no. 12, 2021/x/08, R/V Kronprins Haakon cruise HACON21: Holotype (NHMUK 20220343), 4.5 mm <br /> <br /> An unusual cocculinid limpet only known from surfaces of dead chimney structures in the Aurora Vent Field, Central Arctic Ocean, Cocculina aurora is currently the only member of its family restricted to hydrothermal vent ecosystems and the second vent-inhabiting member of the family. Located >3880 m deep at a very high latitude of 82°53.83'N, Aurora is the world's northernmost deep-sea vent known so far. As it is under permanent sea ice cover, sampling there was extremely difficult and took multiple cruises with ice breakers before finally specimens could be retrieved. Cocculina aurora is perhaps the most dominant animal found there, occurring at high densities on chimney structures just meters away from high-temperature venting orifices. Like other Arctic vents explored so far, Aurora was devoid of typical large-bodied Atlantic vent fauna like vent shrimps or mussels and instead was mainly colonised by small gastropods and amphipods. <br /> <br /> Molecular phylogeny reconstruction showed that C. aurora evolved from ancestors living on sunken wood. Though this is similar to the only other vent cocculinid Cocculina enigmadonta Chen & Linse, 2020 from Antarctic vents (and also a whale fall), the phylogeny shows clearly that the two species adapted to hydrothermal vents independently. The shell of C. aurora is very high-profiled for the genus and the radula is unique with broad, multi-cuspid rachidian where the outermost lateral is reduced compared to typical cocculinids. This is considered to be an adaptation to grazing on bacterial mat instead of picking up wood pieces -- the major function of massive outer laterals in typical cocculinids. Typical shell length around 4 mm, very large specimens can reach 6.5 mm. The name "aurora" carries triple meaning alluding to Aurora, the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology, the type locality Aurora Vent Field, and the ROV Aurora that collected the type specimens.
Thalassocyon bonus Barnard, 1960<br /> THALASSOCYONIDAE<br /> -1200 m, Dredged, Off Hawke’s Bay, East of North Island, New Zealand, 52.4 mm <br /> <br /> Thalassocyon bonus is an enigmatic deep-water caenogastropod species and certainly one with some history — its familial assignment has undergone a number of dramatic revisions over the years. It was originally described under Cymatiidae in 1960 from South Africa, with the genus Thalassocyon newly established to house this species which clearly did not fit in any known genera. A few years later, T. tui Dell, 1967 was described from off New Zealand; the New Zealand malacologist Alan Beu rectified the family placement to Ficidae based on shell, radula, and periostracum characters. This was unusual as Thalassocyon looks completely different from species of Ficus, the type genus of Ficidae. Neverthelss, a study of its anatomy by the malacologists Anders Warén and Philippe Bouchet followed in 1990, concluding that its placement in Ficidae is likely correct. They also synonymised T. bonus and T. tui, rendering T. tui as junior synonym of T. bonus, since the two only differ in spire height and specimens found off Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean in-between the two localities also exhibited intermediate spire height. <br /> <br /> The German malacologist Frank Riedel disagreed with this view, however, and described the Amsterdam Island population as new species T. wareni, 2000 while proposing all three populations should be treated as distinct species. The debate of synonymy is still not settled yet with different authors having different opinions, though the other names were listed as synonyms of T. bonus in the comprehensive review of Ficidae later in 2000 by the conchologists Marcel Verhaeghe and Guido Poppe and is the opinion followed here. Back in 1995, Riedel also attempted to elevate the genus to family level, Thalassocyonidae, but was not accepted by other authors at the time. So for many years, this species was considered to be a wonderous singular “outlier” species of Ficidae. <br /> <br /> Everything changed again in 2018, however, when Smithsonian's Ellen Strong and colleagues published the first molecular phylogeny that included this species. Their results rather shockingly placed Thalassocyon as closely related to Personidae, the distorsios, in the superfamily Tonnoidea (i.e., not even in Ficoidea, the superfamily containing Ficidae). Even more surprisingly, Distorsionella, a genus traditionally placed in Personidae and morphologically similar to other personids, actually came out more closely related to Thalassocyon than other personids. Based on these evidence, Strong and colleagues concluded that Thalassocyon must be an unusual genus highly modified from personid-like ancestors, united by features such as a small corneous operculum and very long proboscis that become coiled when retracted. They resurrected Thalassocyonidae to house this genus and also Distorsionella. Interestingly, this actually corrobrates the results of a phylogeny based on morphological data by the Brazilian malacologist Luiz Simone in 2011 which also placed it next to Personidae, indicating anatomical similarities between Thalassocyon and Ficidae are likely superficial. At last, after more than half a Century since its discovery, we might finally know where Thalassocyon bonus stands in the tree of life. <br /> <br /> Inhabiting great depths between about -1000~2700 m and ranging from South Africa to Amsterdam Island to Australia to New Zealand, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod whose stomach contents suggest the primary prey to be annelid worms. Though its distinctive shell morphology means it cannot be confused with any other species, it is somewhat variable in terms of spine development and spire height. The shell colour is fawn to reddish brown, with living specimens displaying a purplish colour inside the aperture that fades after death. Mature specimens usually have worn shells that are chalky white in appearance. It is an extremely rarely seen species due to the great depths it inhabits. Typical shell length around 50 mm, very large specimens can exceed even 75 mm.
Sthenorytis pernobilis (Fischer & Bernardi, 1857)<br /> EPITONIIDAE<br /> -265~275 m (-145~150 fms), Dredged, De Soto Canyon, Gulf of Mexico, Florida, U.S.A., Leg. J. Riley & Donna Black, 1970's, 27.8 mm <br /> <br /> With exquisitely raised blade-like axial ribs, the "Noble Wentletrap" is an incarnation of elegance and one of the most sought-after epitoniids of all by collectors. Widely distributed from southeastern U.S.A. around Florida to throughout Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea to Brazil; it is a deep-water species with most specimens have been taken between -200~400 m deep and the deepest record going down to around 1400 m. Majority of specimens circulating today have surfaced from dredgings by the renowned J. Riley and Donna Black, who dredged deep habitats off western Florida during 1960's-1970's and sold the specimens yielded by the bucket -- it was luck of the draw whether one got something rare like Sthenorytis pernobilis. Other specimens have been collected here and there throughout its range, but these were extremely rare. Since the Blacks Dredgings stopped it has become a very scarce species, until today. <br /> <br /> Though a little-varied species, individuals do vary somewhat in shell characters such as the density of varices and the extent of blade-like extension. Most specimens have damaged varices, specimens displaying the full glory of the species are truly difficult to come by. Like other epitoniids it is a suctorial feeder on cnidarian animals, and it is considered to be a specialist on sea anemones and is likely semi-parasitic on them. Typical shell length around 30 mm, extremely large specimens can exceed even 50 mm. <br /> <br /> It is the only Atlantic species of the genus and can only be confused with its Pacific sister-species S. turbina (Dall, 1908) which occurs in similar depths and latitudinal ranges but in a different ocean, where it is best known from the Galápagos Islands. In intact specimens the two species are easily distinguished as the varices of S. pernobilis lacks the strong angulation typical of S. turbina. Another Pacific species of the genus is S. dianae (Hinds, 1844) ranging between Costa Rica and Galápagos Islands, but S. dianae exhibits much fewer varices per whorl and cannot be confused with S. pernobilis.
Colubrellina condita (Gmelin, 1791) <br /> BURSIDAE<br /> -20 m, Dived, Bungin Island, Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, 2022/vii, 105.2 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a high spire and very finely granulose sculpture, the "Tall Frog Shell" is perhaps the rarest of all living bursid species. Despite being quite widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, ranging from Amami Islands, Japan to Vietnam to eastern Australia and New Caledonia, it appears to be extremely rare across the entire range. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits coral rubble bottoms in moderate depths around -10~100m and is most likely a vermivorous species feeding on polychaete worms like other bursids. The reasons behind its apparent rarity is unclear, and searches for the 'jackpot' locality continues. The fact that it can be found in shallow water well into the diving depths only adds to its mythical image. More specimens are known from the Philippines than other localities, almost certainly due to the great magnitude of shelling activity there. Typical shell length around 85mm, extremely large specimens may exceed even 115mm. <br /> <br /> Large, tall spired form of the very common Dulcerana granularis (Röding, 1798) is often (inadvertently or intentionally) mis-identified as C. condita, but the granulate sculpture of D. granularis is so much coarser that there is really no room for confusion. The spiral cords in B. granularis are also less numerous and wider (generally), plus the varices occur regularly every 180 degrees (in B. condita the varices are slightly offset every whorl). Part of the confusion is probably due to the great variability in form and size displayed by B. granularis, which is usually only around 40mm in shell length but occasionally exceed 80mm. In contrast, B. condita is actually a very little-varied species both in form and sculpture, although the colouration is somewhat variable from almost completely white to carrying extensive flame-like streaks of brown. <br /> <br /> In many adult specimens the early whorls are eroded or broken off, producing a 'truncated' appearance. The specific epithet is sometimes mis-spelt as 'conditina', probably due to Dr. Tadashige Habe using this spelling in his "Shells of the Western Pacific in Color Vol. 2" (1964). Two well-known synonyms are Ranella candisata Lamarck, 1822 (has been mis-spelt as 'candista' and 'caudisata') and Tritonium candisatum Röding, 1798. When species traditionally placed in genus Bursa was revised using molecular data and split into a few genera, this species was not available for study and its generic assignment remains uncertain; it is thus for the time being placed in the genus Colubrellina, for which it is the type species.
Raybaudia joycae (Clover, 1970)<br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -150~200 m, Trawled, East China Sea, 49.7 mm <br /> <br /> Only found in a small part of the western Pacific ranging between Japan and Taiwan, the "Joyce's Cowrie" is a deep water cypraeid living in depths between about -100~300 m. The first specimen was collected in 1968 from 280 m deep in Taiwan Strait by a Taiwanese fishing vessel; it was recognised as a new species by the American conchologist and dealer Phillip W. Clover who soon described it in 1970 based on this single specimen. Since then it has become widely recognised as a classic rarity, being one of the rarest cowries of the region. Majority of specimens in the early years surfaced from Taiwan, supplemented by a few from southern Japan. Around 2010s, Chinese trawlers operating in the East China Sea yielded the first reliable source of this species, though they remained rare. Recently, reduction in the activity of the Chinese trawlers has led this species to become elusive as before once again. For some reason the shell in this species is very prone to growth lines and damage and the pattern development is extremely variable, with many specimens nearly patternless. As such, fine specimen shells with no major growth scar and decent colouration plus pattern remains very scarce. Though its diet is not known specifically, it is probably an omnivorous grazer feeding on sponges and other overgrowth. Typical shell length around 50 mm, very large specimens can exceed 65 mm. <br /> <br /> It is very similar in appearance to its sister species R. porteri (Cate, 1966), and for some years since its description many authors treated it as a subspecies of R. porteri. Today, the two are generally accepted to be distinct at the species level. The most obvious difference between the two is the teeth -- R. joycae exhibits much coarser teeth which extends significantly to either side of the aperture, while R. porteri has fine teeth that do not extend. Furthermore, the shell height of R. joycae is much greater than R. porteri of the same size; the dorsal spotting is also typically much more sparse in R. joycae than R. porteri. Though the distribution of the two species overlap in Taiwan, the distribution of R. porteri extends greatly to the south, ranging to the Philippines and even Queensland, Australia and Fiji. For many years these two species were placed in the genus Lyncina, until 2017 when they were separated out in their own genus Raybaudia, a name honouring the Italian conchologist Luigi Raybaudi Massilia (1913-2003). The specific epithet of R. joycae was dedicated to Joyce Clover, wife of the author Phillip W. Clover at the time of its description.
Bayerius knudseni (Bouchet & Warén, 1986)<br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> -6465 m, Aleutian Trench (51°55.94'N, 166°51.84'W), By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293, 2022/viii/18, 22.0 mm (Senckenberg Natural History Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> Widely distributed in abyssal plains and trench habitats throughout Pacific Ocean, Bayerius knudseni is a small buccinid specialising in very deep waters between about 4700-6500 m deep. First described from the Kermadec Trench off New Zealand in the southern Pacific, morphologically indistinguishable individuals were later also found in and around Kuril-Kamchatka Trench in the northwestern Pacific. The specimen shown was captured by an Agassiz Trawl on-board our recent R/V SONNE SO293 "AleutBio" expedition from 6465 m deep in the Aleutian Trench, extending its distribution further north. An inhabitant of muddy bottoms, it is a carnivorous, predatory, and often scavenging gastropod. Though it is common where it occurs, the great depth of its habitat means it is rarely brought to the surface. Typical shell length around 15 mm, the largest known specimens approach 25 mm. Originally described in the genus Calliloncha, which is now considered to be a junior synonym of Bayerius. It is named in honour of Jørgen Knudsen (1918-2009), a Danish malacologist who was the curator of Mollusca at the Natural History Museum of Denmark between 1957-1986.
A super exciting find from our RV SONNE AleutBio expedition — a mythical “living fossil” monoplacophoran!<br /> <br /> Veleropilina oligotropha (Rokop, 1972)<br /> NEOPILINIDAE<br /> -6465 m, Aleutian Trench (51°55.94'N, 166°51.84'W), By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293, 2022/viii/18, 5.4 mm (Senckenberg Natural History Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> Long thought to be extinct since nearly 400 million years ago, the discovery of the first living monoplacophoran mollusc in May 1952 -- Neopilina galatheae Lemche, 1957 from 3750 m deep off Costa Rica -- was a truly sensational moment in zoology. Though superficially similar to limpets, monoplacophorans have a completely different anatomy such as lacking a true head and possessing multiple pairs of ventral, external gills, making them a distinct class of molluscs. Today, more than 35 living species have been described in seven genera, all contained in the family Neopilinidae; though many argue that the smaller genera united by a series of shell and anatomical features should be placed in a separate family, Micropilinidae. They are the rarest class of living molluscs, with each species known from only one or few collecting events.<br /> <br /> Veleropilina oligotropha is among the deepest living monoplacophorans and was first described from a single specimen collected 6065-6079 m deep in the Central Pacific, north of Hawaiian Islands. The specific epithet 'oligotropha' is a reference to its nutrient-poor, near-hadal habitat. In the last decade, it was rediscovered from about 4000 m depth in a section of the Pacific abyssal plain rich in manganese nodules known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, located roughly between Hawaii and Mexico. There it apparently lives on the manganese nodules, suggesting that it prefers hard substratum. It probably feeds on the surface biofilm covering the substrate, as has been observed for other monoplacophorans.<br /> <br /> The specimen shown was captured by an Agassiz Trawl on-board our recent R/V SONNE SO293 "AleutBio" expedition from 6465 m deep in the Aleutian Trench. Though it matches V. oligotropha in key characteristics of both shell morphology and external anatomy, this is far north of its known distribution and would be a significant range extension. Furthermore, its shell length of 5.4 mm is much larger than the few other known specimens that are typically around 2-3 mm. The apex of our specimen projects more anteriorly than the smaller specimens, but this likely reflects an ontogenetic change due to its larger size. This identification is therefore tentative, and further anatomical and genetic work in the laboratory is required for confirmation. Either way, this is a super exciting find!<br /> <br /> Original photographs by Julia D. Sigwart, Post-processing, composition, and text by Chong Chen.
Bayerius arnoldi (Lus, 1981)<br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> -6465 m, Aleutian Trench (51°55.94'N, 166°51.84'W), By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293, 2022/viii/18, 42.8 mm (Senckenberg Natural History Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> A large buccinid inhabiting very deep abyssal waters between approximately 4500 m to 6500 m depth, Bayerius arnoldi is among the deepest members of the family. Originally described from specimens collected by the Soviet research vessel RV Vityaz in Japan Trench, it was subsequently also found from the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench and the Aleutian Trench as well as the surrounding abyssal plains, making it a very widely distributed species in the northern Pacific. A carnivorous, predatory, and often scavenging gastropod, it typically inhabits normal muddy bottoms but in Japan and Aleutian trenches it has also been reported from hydrocarbon seeps where they likely feed on large, symbiotic, vesicomyid clams. Though this species is not uncommon in its natural habitat, due to the abyssal depth it is a very difficult species to collect. The specimen shown was captured by an Agassiz Trawl on-board our recent R/V SONNE SO293 "AleutBio" expedition from 6465 m deep in the Aleutian Trench, within its known distribution range. Typical shell length around 40 mm, very large specimens can reach 55 mm. It is most similar to the congener Bayerius holoserica (Lus, 1971) known only from Kuril-Kamchatka Trench and its surrounding abyssal plain, but the two can be distinguished by B. arnoldi having twice as many spiral cords. The spiral cords of B. arnoldi vary in strength, with some becoming strongly raised primary cords which are lacking in B. holoserica.
An amazing find from our ongoing “AleutBio” expedition on-board R/V SONNE!<br /> <br /> Grimpoteuthis imperator Ziegler & Sagorny, 2021<br /> OPISTHOTEUTHIDAE<br /> -6279 m, Aleutian Trench (53°33.42'N, 161°14.99'W), By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293, 2022/viii/30, c. 290 mm (Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> The majestic "Emperor Dumbo" is a cirrate 'dumbo' octopus native to abyssal depths of northern Pacific Ocean. Described from a single male adult serendipitously dredged between 3913-4417 m deep in the Bering Sea portion of the Emperor Seamount Chain on-board the R/V SONNE cruise SO247, its discovery made the headlines worldwide and it was selected as one of the "Ten remarkable new marine species from 2021" in the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). A carnivorous and preadatory cephalopod, it is thought to capture small invertebrate animals (mainly annelid worms, bivalves, and small crustaceans) in its webbed arms and then use cirri on the arms to transfer the prey into the mouth. Known specimens have mantle length around 100 mm and body length around 300 mm.<br /> <br /> The specimen shown was captured by an Agassiz Trawl on-board our recent R/V SONNE SO293 "AleutBio" expedition from 6279 m deep in the Aleutian Trench, not far from the type locality of G. imperator. Though gross morphological features appear to match the holotype, further confirmation of its identification will be carried out in a laboratory post-cruise using finer anatomical features and molecular data. Our record is much deeper than the type locality, but perhaps not unexpected as dumbo octopuses in the genus Grimpoteuthis are known to be the deepest-living octopuses, with the deepest confirmed record being a sighting at 6957 m depth in the Java Trench. Earlier on our expedition, we also spotted a living individual of presumably the same species in about 5300 m depth on the southern wall of Aleutian Trench. Intact Grimpoteuthis specimens are very scarce due to the great depths they inhabit and also that majority of the specimens collected are heavily damaged, since dredges and trawl gears typically obliterate gelatinous animals. It is truly surprising that both the holotype and this specimen were recovered intact – an amazing feat for which we are grateful!
Cardiomya filatovae Scarlato, 1972<br /> CUSPIDARIIDAE<br /> -3463 m, Bering Sea (54.55°N, 172.58°W), By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293 "AleutBio", 2022/vii/27, 35.2 mm (Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> The "Filatov's Cuspidaria" is a large cuspidariid characterised by numerous radial ribs on the shell extending into the rostrum, with the interspaces being much wider than the ribs themselves. First described from a single empty shell found by the Gagara expedition in 3350 m deep in the Kuril Basin, it has since been recorded from Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea to the Aleutian Islands between the bathyal depths of 3260-3900 m. Despite numerous research expeditions to this wide range of northern Pacific over the years, only about 20 specimens have been collected, making it a very rarely seen species. The specimen illustrated here was collected by Agassiz Trawl from our recent 2022 "AleutBio" expedition on-board R/V SONNE in the Bering Sea, within the known range of the species. Like other cuspidariid bivalves, it is presumably a carnivorous and predatory bivalve feeding mainly on small crustaceans, capturing them by a sudden dramatic extenion of the siphon aided by a muscular septum that characterise the group. Typical shell length around 30 mm, very large specimens may reach 40 mm. Though it is similar in shell characters to closely-related congeners such as C. behringensis (Leche, 1883) and C. nipponica (Okutani, 1962), the radial sculpture with wider interspaces makes it clearly separable. It was named in honour of the Russian malacologist Zinaida Alexeyevna Filatova (1905-1984), Head of the Benthic Laboratory at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, who worked extensively on deep-sea molluscs.
Another deep-water species from our ongoing R/V SONNE “AleutBio” cruise!<br /> <br /> Aforia abyssalis Sysoev & Kantor, 1987<br /> COCHLESPIRIDAE<br /> -5280 m, Aleutian Trench (50°37.70'N, 169°46.72'W), By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293. 2022/viii/08, 57.5 mm (Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> Widely distributed in the lower abyssal depths of northern Pacific (3800-5500 m deep) approximately between Hokkaido, Japan and Alaska, U.S.A., the "Abyssal Aforia" is a cochlespirid "turrid" snail characterised by a shell sculpture consisting of high density of narrow spiral ribbing. In adult specimens the earlier whorls are almost always corroded away, due to its habitat being typically below the carbonate compensation depth. Generally a little-varied species, though individuals do vary slightly in their shell height to width ratio and the strength of the shoulder keel. In most specimens the keel is weak and hardly noticeable, but a few known specimens appear to carry considerably stronger carination.<br /> <br /> Although it is not uncommon in its natural habitat, the bathyal depth makes it a very challenging species to collect. The specimen shown here was obtained by the means of an Agassiz Trawl on the German R/V SONNE. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod inhabiting muddy bottoms, it most likely feeds on other invertebrate animals. Typical shell length around 50 mm, very large specimens may exceed 65 mm.<br /> <br /> Follow us here:<br /> https://aleutbio.sgn.one/en/
Something special from our current expedition: <br /> <br /> Tropidofusus aequilonius (Sysoev, 2000)<br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -3463 m, Bering Sea, By Agassiz Trawl, R/V SONNE Expedition SO293 "AleutBio", 2022/vii, 50.0 mm (Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt Collection)<br /> <br /> Only known from abyssal depths between around 3500-3900 m deep in the Bering Sea, the "Northern Pagoda" is not only the deepest-dwelling member of the family but also the single species inhabiting waters north of central Japan. In the literature it is only known from two specimens, collected on two occasions in the Bering Sea, comprising the type series -- making it an extremely rare species, attributable to its remote range and the very deep habitat. The specimen illustrated here was collected by Agassiz Trawl from our expedition on-board R/V SONNE. Living on muddy bottoms, though its exact diet is not known it is almost certainly a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on polychaete worms like other columbariids. Typical shell length around 50 mm, the largest known specimen is 61.8 mm in length (the holotype).<br /> <br /> Originally described in the genus Fulgurofusus, it was later included in Tropidofusus when that genus was proposed based on low spire with a strong peripheral keel combined with very thin shell that lacked any axial sculpture. Currenly only three species are included in Tripidofusus, the other two being T. ypotethys Harasewych, 2019 from New Zealand and T. benthocallis (Melvill & Standen, 1907) from Scotia Sea. This makes Tropidofusus a genus with a disjunct distribution in high latitudes of the two hemispheres, and T. aequilonius is more closely related to two far-south species than numerous other columariid species in habiting subtropical to tropical waters. From the two southern species, T. aequilonius differs by having a weaker anterior carina and the presence of numerous weaker spiral striae anterior of the anterior carina.<br /> <br /> Though apparently a little-varied species judging from the known specimens, specimens do differ in the number of weaker spiral striae, and sometime an additional striae is present between the anterior carina and the peripheral keel. The specific epithet 'aequilonius' means northern in Latin, referring to its far-north distribution compared to all other columbariids.
Scaphella junonia butleri Clench, 1953<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -76 m (-250 ft.), Trawled on silty sand by shrimp fisherman, Off Cabo Catoche, Quitana Roo, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, 2018/i, 135.2 mm<br /> <br /> Characterised by a shell pattern with distantly and regularly spaced large brown dots, the "Butler's Volute" is a subspecies of the "Juno's Volute" Scaphella junonia (Lamarck, 1804) restricted to the Yucatán Peninsula area in Mexico, ranging between Tabasco State to Quintana Roo State. An uncommon subspecies, most specimens carry heavy growth mends on the shells and fine specimens are not easy to find especially with unfiled lips.<br /> <br /> Although the nominal subspecies S. j. junonia has a wide range from North Carolina, U.S.A. throughout the Gulf of Mexico, the two subspecies are supposedly separated in their bathymetric range where S. j. junonia occurring only in waters deeper than 100 m around the Yucatán Peninsula compared to S. j. butleri which typically inhabits shallower waters between -5~50 m. The recently described subspecies S. j. curryi Petuch & Berschauer, 2019 also partly shares the geographic range, occurring to the edge of Campeche Escarpment off Cappeche Bank, Mexico, but is said to inhabit an intermediate depth between S. j. junonia and S. j. butleri. Though these three subspecies have been hypothesised to be reproductively isolated, no genetic evidence has been provided to support this and whether they are truly divergent at subspecies level remains a topic for future studies.<br /> <br /> Compared to S. j. butleri, S. j. junonia has larger, squarish brown dots that are closer spaced, which is even more extreme in S. j. curryi where they usually fuse together to form large rectangles. All subspecies of S. junonia are carnivorous and predatory gastropods feeding on other invertebrates and live on soft bottoms. The typical shell length of S. j. butleri is around 100 mm, though extremely large specimens may exceed 140 mm.
Conus spiceri Bartsch & Rehder, 1943<br /> CONIDAE<br /> -60 m (-200 ft.), Dredged, Off Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1998, 109.6 mm<br /> <br /> A moderately large conid with a simple yellowish shell, the "Spicer's Cone" is endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago -- its type locality is in the Midway Atoll and it is found throughout the southern Hawaiian Islands as well. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on annelid worms, it inhabits sand and rubble bottoms of shallow to moderate depths down to about 60 m deep. It is a rare species, and usually the shell carries growth marks with heavily corroded spire making finding fine specimens rather challenging.<br /> <br /> The base colouration of the shell is typically lemon yellow, but the saturation is somewhat variable among individuals. The adult body whorl is covered in weak, closely spaced spiral striae, becoming stronger anteriorly. A thin periostracum is present on the shell when alive. The spire height is rather variable among individuals, which also influences how angulate the shoulder appears to be. Typical shell length around 110 mm, very large specimens can exceed 160 mm. Individuals from the northern Hawaiian Archipelago such as the Midway Atoll are typically smaller and rarely exceed 80 mm.<br /> <br /> It is a member of the Virgiconus group which some authors treat as a subgenus of Conus while others prefer to treat as a full genus. Closely related to Conus coelinae Crosse, 1858 from the western Pacific ranging around New Caledonia and the Philippines, for some time it was treated as a subspecies of C. coelinae, as C. c. spiceri. Today C. spiceri is generally considered to be a separate species in its own right, the two primarily differ by C. coelinae having a violet base colouration instead of lemon yellow. It is named after the American conchologist Vernum Dennis Philip Spicer (1897-1968), a member of the Pacific Northwest Shell Club.
Coluzea radialis (Watson, 1882)<br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -200 m, Trawled, Walvis Bay, Namibia, 78.9 mm <br /> <br /> The "Radial Pagoda" is a robust columbariid inhabiting rather deep waters around -200~400 m of southwestern Africa, ranging between Namibia and South Africa -- the first known specimen was collected off Cape of Good Hope in South Africa during the HMS Challenger expedition. The sculpture is characterised by a strong keel around mid-whorl bearing short spines resulting in a serrated appearance when viewed from the apex, there are numerous further spiral ribs all over which cross with irregular, much weaker axial ribs. The axial ribs are stronger on the earlier whorls, becoming almost obsolete in the adult body whorl. The number of spiral and axial ribs vary significantly across specimens but the median keel is always prominent. A rare species inhabiting muddy bottoms, its diet is not specifically known but it is likely a carnivorous gastropod feeding on polychaete worms like other columariid species. Though the average shell length is around 60 mm, very large specimens may reach 90 mm. <br /> <br /> Originally described in the fasciolariid genus Fusus, it was moved to Columbarium in 1959 by the South African biologist Keppel H. Barnard (1887-1964), and finally to Coluzea based on the protoconch morphology by Thomas A. Darragh of National Museum of Victoria, Australia. It is most often confused with the congener Coluzea rotunda (Barnard, 1959) with which it co-occurs in South Africa, but the two are not actually difficult to separate due to C. rotunda lacking a raised median keel. Another similar species is Coluzea angularis (Barnard, 1959) which again occurs in South Africa, the two species are similar especially when comparing juvenile specimens but can be separated by the strongest keel on C. angularis being located more posteriorly than C. radialis. The keel is also weaker in C. angularis, with even shorter spines than C. radialis.
Some individuals of Provanna exquisita exhibit an extra row of spiral keels, like this one…. <br /> <br /> Provanna exquisita Chen & Watanabe, 2022<br /> PROVANNIDAE<br /> -1606 m, Gold Lip hydrothermal vent site, Northwest Eifuku Volcano (21°29.2567'N, 144°02.4813'E), Mariana Arc, ROV JASON II dive #799, 2014/xii/14, R/V Roger Revelle cruise RR1413: Paratype #1 (NSMT-Mo 79360), 11.6 mm <br /> <br /> So far only known from a hydrothermally active area 1606 m deep on the summit of the Northwest Eifuku Volcano on the Mariana Arc, Provanna exquisita is a provannid snail characterised by unusually strong shell sculpture, notably the raised, flange-like spiral keels. It lives on the surface of sulfide vent chimney structures and apparently feeds on bacterial films that grow on the chimneys. Though photographs indicate it is locally common in the vent site, only a few specimens have been collected through the limited opportunity for sampling biological material there. Due to the very acidic environment at Northwest Eifuku associated with CO2 discharge from the vents, the spire is always heavily corroded in adults and the snail secretes a secondary layer of secretion to 'plug' the hole. With a typical shell length around 10 mm and reaching 15 mm if spire is intact, it is one of the largest Provanna species known. <br /> <br /> Morphologically it is closest to Provanna fenestrata Chen, Watanabe & Sasaki, 2019 known from hot vents in Okinawa Trough, Japan and a methane seep in the South China Sea, which also exhibits a similar lattice-like sculpture. The sculpture of P. fenestrata, especially the spiral keels, are much weaker than P. exquisita and the two are clearly discernable. Furthermore, the periostracum of P. fenestrata is greenish whereas P. exquisita remarkably carries a deep golden brown periostracum. The specific epithet 'exquisita' refers to the exquisite shell sculpture.
Provanna exquisita Chen & Watanabe, 2022<br /> PROVANNIDAE<br /> -1606 m, Gold Lip hydrothermal vent site, Northwest Eifuku Volcano (21°29.2567'N, 144°02.4813'E), Mariana Arc, ROV JASON II dive #799, 2014/xii/14, R/V Roger Revelle cruise RR1413: Holotype (MNHN-IM-2000-37945), 10.4 mm <br /> <br /> So far only known from a hydrothermally active area 1606 m deep on the summit of the Northwest Eifuku Volcano on the Mariana Arc, Provanna exquisita is a provannid snail characterised by unusually strong shell sculpture, notably the raised, flange-like spiral keels. It lives on the surface of sulfide vent chimney structures and apparently feeds on bacterial films that grow on the chimneys. Though photographs indicate it is locally common in the vent site, only a few specimens have been collected through the limited opportunity for sampling biological material there. Due to the very acidic environment at Northwest Eifuku associated with CO2 discharge from the vents, the spire is always heavily corroded in adults and the snail secretes a secondary layer of secretion to 'plug' the hole. With a typical shell length around 10 mm and reaching 15 mm if spire is intact, it is one of the largest Provanna species known. <br /> <br /> Morphologically it is closest to Provanna fenestrata Chen, Watanabe & Sasaki, 2019 known from hot vents in Okinawa Trough, Japan and a methane seep in the South China Sea, which also exhibits a similar lattice-like sculpture. The sculpture of P. fenestrata, especially the spiral keels, are much weaker than P. exquisita and the two are clearly discernable. Furthermore, the periostracum of P. fenestrata is greenish whereas P. exquisita remarkably carries a deep golden brown periostracum. The specific epithet 'exquisita' refers to the exquisite shell sculpture.
Umbilia capricornica Lorenz, 1989<br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -90~125 m, Trawled, Off Swains Reef, Queensland, Australia, 68.0 mm <br /> <br /> A northern member of the Australian-endemic cypraeid genus Umbilia, the "Capricorn Cowrie" is restricted to Queensland and ranges from around Hydrographers Passage to the Capricorn Group of islands. Initially considered to be a northern form of U. hesitata (Iredale, 1916), discussions on its distinctiveness started in early 1980s leading to its formal description in 1989. With an average shell length of around 70 mm and the largest specimens only reaching 95 mm, the smaller size in addition to less inflated shell with much stronger rostration in the extremities and calloused tubercles on the anterior extremity sets this species apart. <br /> <br /> Currently, two geographical subspecies have been proposed. The southern and nominal subspecies U. c. capricornica ranges between Rockhampton and south towards the Capricorn Group, chracterised by darker colouration and less calloused margins. This subspecies was not uncommon in the early days of its discovery indicating that it is likely common in the natural habitat, but due to recent restrictions on bottom-fishing in Queensland it is now somewhat rarely offered in the shell trade. The northern subspecies U. c. thorni Daughenbaugh & Beals, 2014 was proposed for specimens with paler shells and more pronounced marginal callous which are also more tuberculated, taken between Hydrographers Passage to Pith Reef. Though this population is very rare, with more materials it has become clear that intermediates with the nominal subspecies are present and the need for such a subspecific division is therefore questionable. A spongivorous gastropod, it inhabits sand and rubble bottoms where the sponges occur, in moderate depths between around -80~200 m. <br /> <br /> It is very similar to U. petilirostris Darragh, 2002 with which it co-occurs in the southern part of its range (albeit U. petilirostris is slightly deeper, down to -300 m), and the presence of intermediates poses questions to whether the two species are truly distinct. Typically, U. petilirostris is differentiated from U. capricornica by having a much more inflated, globular shell with reduced tuberculation on the more narrowed anterior extremity. Another closely related, problematic, taxa is U. oriettae Lorenz & Massiglia, 2005 which superficially appears to be an intermediate between U. capricornica and U. hesitata; corroborated by its range around the Cape Moreton area -- just inbetween the ranges of U. capricornica and U. hesitata. Though interpreted as a separate species for now, the status of U. oriettae remains uncertain. The shell of U. oriettae is typically characterised by narrowing of the labrum towards the anterior extremity and it also exhibits much reduced marginal callous compared to U. capricornica.
Cymbiola intruderi (Poppe, 1985)<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -100~120 m, Trawled, Off Swain Reefs, Queensland, Australia, 77.5 mm <br /> <br /> An attractive volutid with a richly patterned shell, the "Southern Intruder's Volute" is an endemic species of Queensland, Australia where it inhabits sandy bottoms of rather deep waters around 100~400 m in depth, between around Cairns to Capricorn Channel and Swain Reefs. It is a very variable species in terms of shell form, especially the spire height and shoulder knob development, as well as shell size. This variation appears to be largely geographically constrained, leading to the separation of the southern and northern populations into two subspecies. <br /> <br /> The southern population around Capricorn Channel and Swain Reefs is the nominal subspecies C. i. intruderi (shown), which usually exhibit short spires with strongly developed shoulder knobs that draw out into short spines in the adult body whorl. This subspecies is smaller with a typical shell length around 75 mm, the largest specimens can exceed 105 mm. The northern population found off Townsville and northwards (type locality being Pith Reef), on the other hand, was named C. i. rowseorum Bail & Limpus, 2015 and is characterised by a tall spire with a smooth shoulder that is devoid of shoulder knobs. This subspecies is much larger, with a typical shell length around 110 mm and the largest specimens may reach even 175 mm. The nominal subspecies is moderately rare today while C. i. rowseorum is very rare and supposedly only known from fresh dead, empty shells. Both are carnivorous and predatory gastropods feeding on other invertebrate animals. <br /> <br /> The shell pattern is typically characterised by a richly patterned shell with dense, regular, axial lines crossing three broad spiral bands of diffusing rectangular patches; in exceptional cases the axial lines can become discontinuous and diffused, resulting in a pattern superficially similar to Cymbiola houarti Bail & Limpus, 1998. The species was named in honour of the trawler ship "Southern Intruder" owned by Mr. Paul Gardner, who first discovered this species. The subspecies C. i. rowseorum was named in honour of the australian conchologist Keith Rowse of Townsville.
Harpa kajiyamai Habe in Habe & Kosuge, 1970 <br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -150~180 m, By tangle nets, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 60.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Kajiyama's Harp" is a flamboyant harpid characterised by a light-weight, delicate shell with bright yellow and pink flushes. The naming of this species involved much convolution and confusion. First, the Japanese malacologist Tadashige Habe (1916-2001) received specimens from Hikotaro Kajiyama (1909-1995), an amateur conchologist from Osaka, Japan. Not recognising the specimens to represent an undescribed species at the time, Habe with his co-author Sadao Kosuge (1933-) illustrated it in the first edition of the book "Shells of the World in Colour, Vol. II" as Harpa cancellata Röding, 1758 (today considered to be a junior synonym of Harpa davidis Röding, 1798). The American malacologist Harald A. Rehder (1907-1996) read the book and realising the species being unnamed, contacted Habe to access the specimens for description. Habe replied that he had also recognised it as new and has provisionally decided to name it after Kajiyama, but said that he would be happy for Rehder to describe the species as long as he agrees to keep the provisional name and also lent him three specimens taken from the Philippines. Rehder proceeded with the description using these specimens and published it as Harpa kajiyamai Rehder, 1973 as part of his review of Harpidae. However, the twist is that in the mean time, Habe and Kosuge had published a new edition of their book in 1970 Habe included a description of the same species using the same name, as Harpa kajiyamai Habe in Habe & Kosuge, 1970. It is unclear why this duplication of efforts occurred, but it is apparent that Rehder was unaware of Habe's description at the time of publishing his review paper. Eitherway, Habe's description has precedence and renders Rehder's name a junior homonym. <br /> <br /> An uncommon species inhabiting sandy bottoms of moderate depths around 20~200 m deep, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on small crustaceans such as crabs. Other Harpa species are known to capture their prey with the foot, engulfing them in mucus, then injecting it with saliva containing digestive enzymes and feed suctorially on the juice, and Harpa kajiyamai is considered to do the same. Though most specimens are collected from the Philippines, its range extends northwards to southern Japan, up to Wakayama Prefecture. Specimens collected from the Philippines (typical shell length around 45 mm) are on average smaller than those from Japan (typically around 60 mm), but populations from both localities appear to reach a similar maximum size of about 75 mm. <br /> <br /> It is most similar to the Hawaiian endemic Harpa goodwini Rehder, 1993, some authors have even considered H. goodwini to be a form or subspecies of H. kajiyamai. The two species are, however, distinguishable from shell morphology in that: 1) H. goodwini has a much heavier, more stout shell than H. kajiyamai; 2) H. goodwini typically has a broader shell with thicker and more angulated varices than H. kajiyamai; 3) In the spire of H. goodwini the nacreous overglaze is less developed, it just reaches the spines but never extends across the subsutural plateau, whereas in H. kajiyamai the overglaze frequently reaches across the subsutural plateau. The two species are certainly closely related as they share a relatively deep water habitat compared to other Harpa species and exhibit similarities in shell colouration, but fully resolving the true relationship between them requires future studies.
Austroharpa exquisita (Iredale, 1931)<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -120~200 m, Trawled, Off Cape Moreton, Queensland, Australia, 18.6 mm <br /> <br /> A regular, cancellate sculpture formed by crossing low axial and spiral ribs characterises the "Exquisite Harp", a small harpid endemic to Australia where it ranges from Queensland to Victoria and Tasmania. A rather rare species inhabiting sand and rubble bottom of moderate depths between around 30~250 m deep, its diet is not specifically known but is likely a carnivorous and predatory snail feeding on small crustaceans like other harpids. Base colour ranges from light pink to orange, overlaid with patches of reddish brown which is distributed regularly on the subsutural ramp and unevenly on other parts of the body whorl. Specimens can vary considerably in the length to width ratio as well as the strength of sculpture, though the ribs are never sharply raised. Most specimens have been collected as empty shells faded in colouration, live-taken specimens remain scarce. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very large specimens may reach 30 mm; specimens from the southern populations appear to be generally larger than those from the northern populations. Though it was confused with Austroharpa loisae Rehder, 1973 from western and southern Australia for some years, A. loisae always exhibits sharply raised axial varices and the two species are actually easily separable.
Morum lorenzi Monsecour, 2011<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> Dived in coral rubble, Saint Brandon, Mauritius, Leg. Felix Lorenz, 21.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Lorenz's Morum" is a small harpid only known from the remote Saint Brandon archipelago (Cargados Carajos Shoals), over 400 kms northeast of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. This secluded habitat prevented its discovery for a long time, until it was finally collected during a diving expedition led by Dr Felix Lorenz of Germany, best known for his extensive works on cowries and allied-cowries, the namesake of this species. For now it remains a very rarely seen species only known from a handful of specimens, most of which are empty shells found in coral rubble and very few live specimens have been collected. Inhabiting sandy bottoms of shallow waters down to about -30 m, the diet is unknown but it is most likely a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on small crustaceans. <br /> <br /> The shell colour ranges from white to light yellow; the dorsal face of the outer lip (the terminal varix) carry two large brown blotches as well as numerous brown speckles, though these are often no longer evident on dead-collected shells. In fresh specimens the shell is overlaid by a thin, brittle calcified layer with a dullish surface, this is apparently a secondary secretion and has been termed the 'intracalyx'. Though overall the shell form is little-varied, the development and number of round nodules on the shell differs among individuals. The head-foot of a live specimen was diffused with white and pink, peppered with brown specks. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very large specimens can exceed 25 mm.
Harpa gracilis Broderip & Sowerby I, 1829<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> Dived in shallow water, Apataki Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia, 23.4 mm <br /> <br /> A small shell with a whitish protoconch and a complete lack of dark blotches on the parietal shield makes the "Polynesian Harp" distinctive from all other described Harpa species. Originally described from a single specimen collected from the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia, this is also the locality where most specimens have been collected since the description. Its distribution, however, is much wider and ranges from Guam to Marshall Islands to various islands in the French Polynesia and there are even a couple of records from the Clipperton Island, an uninhabited atoll administered by France in the eastern Pacific over 1000 kms southwest off Mexico. It inhabits sandy bottoms of shallow waters down to about 30 m deep and is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on small crustaceans. A rare species, vast majority of specimens are collected on the beach or dead in coral rubble and typically with holes, live-taken specimens are very scarce. The colouration typically ranges from light chestnut brown to purplish brown. <br /> <br /> With a typical shell length around 25 mm and very large specimens exceeding 40 mm, it is the smallest extant species of genus Harpa. Populations in different parts of its range appear to vary in size, for example specimens from the Tuamotu Archipelago are typically only around 20 mm but those from Guam average around 30 mm. It is sometimes confused with small specimens of the abundant and widely-distributed Harpa amouretta Röding, 1798, but H. amouretta has a purplish protoconch and two to three dark parietal blotches and the two species are actually easily distinguished. Harpa gracilis also has a thinner shell and lacks distinct spines on the shoulder which H. amouretta typically carry.
Morum bruuni (Powell, 1958)<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -200~300 m, Dredged, Near Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, 1985, 32.8 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a light peach-brown shell with a dark brown patch on the inner lip and strong axial ribs crossed only by indistinct spiral cords, the "Bruun's Morum" is a handsome harpid native to the southern Pacific. Typically, the dorsum carries four darker spiral bands and some bright yellow flushes; the outer lip carries numerous dark brown dots on the dorsal surface. Originally described from a single specimen dredged from 50-85 m deep off Raoul Island of Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, it was later also discovered from New Caledonia and off New South Wales, Australia. An extremely rare and sought-after species, majority of specimens have been collected from seamounts of New Caledonia. <br /> <br /> Inhabiting sand and rubble bottoms of moderate depths around 50~250 m deep, though the diet of this species is not known it probably feeds on small crustaceans like other harpids. The digestive system is reduced and it lacks a radula, suggesting it most likely first liquify the prey's tissue and then feed suctorially on the juice as is known for other harpids. Typical shell length around 30 mm, very large specimens may exceed 40 mm. <br /> <br /> The specific epithet was dedicated to Dr Anton F. Bruun, chief scientist of the Galathea Expedition that collected the holotype. It was first placed in the genus Oniscidia and the Australian population was first described as Pulchroniscia delecta Garrard, 1961 with the genus Pulchroniscia being newly established for it at the time of Garrard's description. Today, both Oniscidia and Pulchroniscia are considered to be junior synonyms of Morum, and P. delecta a synonym of M. bruuni.
Austroharpa loisae Rehder, 1973<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -35 m, Dived on sandy reef at night, Frenchmans Bay, Western Australia, Australia, 30.0 mm <br /> <br /> The "Lois' Harp" is spectacular harpid characterised by a pinkish shell patterned with red blotches and ornamented with a regular cancellate sculpture where sharply raised, delicate, lamellate axial varices cross with rather strong spiral ridges. Like other Austroharpa species it is endemic to Australia, where it ranges between Esperance and Kalbarri in Western Australia. Inhabiting sandy bottoms of moderate depths between about 30-200 m deep, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on small crustaceans. A rather rare and highly sought-after species, it is very difficult to find a specimen in good condition due to the varices being extremely fragile. Though a little-varied species in terms of shell form and sculpture, the base colouration can range from whitish to pinkish to rarely yellowish, and the coverage of reddish blotches vary greatly among specimens. Typical shell length around 35 mm, a fragment of a large shell collected off Rottnest Island indicate that the largest specimens can exceed 45 mm. <br /> <br /> Harald A. Rehder (1907-1996), an American conchologist at the Smithsonian Institute, described the species in 1973 as a part of his revision of Harpidae, naming it after his wife Lois Corea Rehder (1911-1988) who was also a malacologist and published on deep water molluscs from the Puerto Rico Trench. For some years before its description it has been confused with Austroharpa exquisita (Iredale, 1931), but that species lacks the sharply raised axial varices and the two species are actually easily distinguished.
Harpa goodwini Rehder, 1993<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -125~130 m, In lobster trap, Necker Island, Leeward Islands, Hawaii, U.S.A., Leg. Robert B. Moffitt, 1996/vi, 61.9 mm <br /> <br /> Endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago including Midway Atoll, the "Goodwin's Harp" is a characterised by a shell vibrantly coloured with hues of pink, orange, and yellow. An extremely rare species inhabiting moderately deep waters between -80~250 m, it is typically crabbed in lobster traps and very few live-taken specimens have been collected. First discovered by the conchologist and shell dealer Daniel R. Goodwin of Honolulu, Hawaii, he accumulated 13 crabbed specimens and sent them to the eminent conchologist Donald Dan for study. Dan then forwarded the specimens to the malacologist Harald A. Rehder (1907-1996) of the Smithsonian Institute, who used the material to name this species in honour of Goodwin. Although virtually nothing is known about its ecology, it is presumably a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on crustaceans and inhabit sandy bottoms like other Harpa species. Normally this species exhibits three parietal blotches on the ventral side of the shell, though the small blotch at the anterior is sometimes completely obscured by nacreous overglaze. Typical shell length around 65 mm, very large specimens can exceed 75 mm. <br /> <br /> It is most similar to the western Pacific congener Harpa kajiyamai Habe, 1970 which ranges between Japan and Philippines, and some authors have even considered H. goodwini to be a form or subspecies of H. kajiyamai. The two species are, however, distinguishable from shell morphology in that: 1) H. goodwini has a much heavier, more stout shell than H. kajiyamai; 2) H. goodwini typically has a broader shell with thicker and more angulated varices than H. kajiyamai; 3) In the spire of H. goodwini the nacreous overglaze is less developed, it just reaches the spines but never extends across the subsutural plateau, whereas in H. kajiyamai the overglaze frequently reaches across the subsutural plateau. The two species are certainly closely related, however, as they share a relatively deep water habitat compared to other Harpa species and exhibit similarities in shell colouration; but fully resolving the true relationship between them requires future studies.
Babelomurex kuroharai (Habe, 1970)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Trawled, Tosa Bay, Off Kochi Prefecture, Japan, Early 1970s, 22.2 mm <br /> <br /> A highly unusual, disjunct shell whose coiling increasingly loosens with growth makes the "Kurohara's Latiaxis" an unmistakable species among the subfamily Coralliophilinae. The first two specimens known (later holotype and paratype) were discovered in Tosa Bay, Japan by the eminent Japanese painter and conchologist Kazuo Kurohara (1928-) who examined molluscs collected as by-catches by coral fishing boats. Realising that the specimens were unlike any described coralliophilines, Kurohara forwarded the specimens to the malacologist Tadashige Habe (1916-2001) who described the species in honour of Kurohara. At first Habe thought the specimens might represent a freak, disjunct form of another species, but the identical morphology of the two specimens convinced him to describe it as a new species. The few specimens found after the description were also nearly identical to the types, suggesting that this is likely indeed a distinctive species. Habe initially placed it in a new genus named Tarantellaxis, alluding the 'dancing' shell form to the southern Italian folk dance Tarantella. Today, the disjunct whorl is not widely considered to be a trait warranting genus-level distinction and Tarantellaxis is generally treated as a junior synonym of Babelomurex. <br /> <br /> An exceedingly rare species, perhaps not more than a couple dozens of specimens are known. This rarity combined with its unique morphology makes it one of the 'holy grails' for collectors of latiaxis or 'coral shells'. Though the distribution supposedly extends from Tosa Bay southwards to South China Sea, virtually all specimens with reliable data have come from southern Japan and its presence outside Japanese waters remains dubious. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very large specimens can exceed 25 mm. The known specimens are all very similar in shell morphology, though there are slight variations in the strength of secondary spines on the peripheral spines as well as the colouration, which can range from all white to a light reddish brown. There is always only a single row of delicate peripheral spines, the whorls lack significant sculpture otherwise. The only species that it can be confused with is Babelomurex juliae (Clench & Aguayo, 1939), an Atlantic species ranging from Caribbean Sea to Brazil and the only other coralliophiline that exhibits disjunct coiling. The two species are easily differentiated, however, as B. juliae has much more robust peripheral spines that develop into varices, and the coiling is also less loose compared to B. kuroharai.
Buccinum hydrophanum Hancock, 1846<br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> -900 m, Dredged, WNW off Muckle Flugga (61°07'N, 02°53'W), Faroer-Shetland Channel, Scotland, U.K., 2018/ix, 50.1 mm <br /> <br /> With a very thin shell characterised by an extensive, glossy, purplish-bronze perietal overglaze, the "Hydrophane Whelk" is an arctic cold-water buccinid with a wide range in the subarctic Atlantic towards the Arctic Ocean. Originally described from Davis Strait between Greenland and Nunavut, Canada, it is found from the northern Atlantic coast of Canada to Shetland Islands, United Kingdom and northwards, to about 80°N. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits soft bottoms of moderate to deep waters between -100~1200 m, and apparently more typically seen in the deeper part of the range around -700~1200 m. Although a locally common species in its natural habitat, the arctic range and the deep habitat means it is challenging to collect and as a result it is a very rarely seen species in collections. The thin, fragile nature of the shell means most individuals become badly damaged during sampling, making intact specimens scarce. <br /> <br /> The name 'hydrophanum' refers to hydrophane opal, a type of opal that readily absorbs water due to its porous nature and exhibits changes in colour and transparency according to the water content. In the description paper, the British naturalist Albany Hancock (1806-1873) remarked that the most striking feature of the species is that the shell's chalky, opaque, porous outer layer quickly becomes semi-transparent when submerged in water to reveal the deep purplish-bronze colour of the layer beneath, a feature similar to hydrophane opals. Typical shell length around 50 mm, very large specimens can exceed 70 mm. Though a little-varied species, the shell height to width ratio varies slightly among individuals and the strength of spiral cords also vary, though usually stronger in younger individuals.
Spondylus fauroti Jousseaume, 1888<br /> SPONDYLIDAE<br /> Dived in underwater cave, Northern Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines, 82.4 mm <br /> <br /> The "Faurot's Thorny Oyster" is an unusual spondylid characterised by a shell with deep orange to reddish purple colouration and spine development typically biased to one side of each valve. Living a sessile life attached to hard substrates such as corals or rocks, it is usually attached only by the umbo, resulting in the right valve becoming strongly concave and protruding from the substrate as it grows. The earlier shell carry numerous short spinelets that do not project into true spines; sparse, spatulate true spines only start to appear later, with the longest spines usually appearing near the shell edge. As with most Spondylus species the shell shape is variable and influenced by the substrate, individuals also differ significantly in spine development with some almost completely lacking in true spines. An uncommon filter-feeding bivalve, it occurs on hard substrates, sometimes in underwater caves, in shallow to moderate depths approximately between 10~50 m deep. Typical shell length around 70 mm, very large specimens may exceed 110 mm. <br /> <br /> Originally described from Djibouti using several disarticulated valves collected by the French scientist Dr. Lionel Faurot (1853-1934), the species' namesake. Faurot collected mostly left valves, only one right valve was available to Dr. Félix Pierre Jousseaume (1835-1921) who studied molluscan specimens collected by Faurot and named many new species including this one. It appears to have a wide distribution across the Indo-West Pacific ranging from Red Sea to Philippines to northern Australia to even Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, but whether or not these morphologically similar populations all truly represent one species is an unsettled question. A well-known synonym is Spondylus smytheae Lamprell, 1998. The most similar described species is Spondylus morrisoni Damarco, 2015, recently described from Indonesia and later also found in the Philippines. Generally the two species are easy to distinguish as S. morrisoni usualy has very dark brown to black spines rather than reddish spines in S. fauroti, and the shells of S. morrisoni are mostly orange in colouration compared to mostly reddish purple in S. fauroti. There are supposedly other, more robust, differences in several aspects of the shell morphology such as the periauricolar ridges (much thicker in S. fauroti) and auricular crenulations (7-12 in S. morrisoni and 15-18 in S. fauroti) that can be used to distinguish the two species in more difficult cases.
Cymbiola vespertilio (Linnaeus, 1758)<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -5~10 m, From fishing net, Off Banggai Island, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, 111.7 mm <br /> <br /> Perhaps the most widely-recognised volutid of all, the "Bat Volute" is an abundant species widely distributed in the western Pacific where it ranges from Taiwan to the Philippines to Indonesia to northern Australia. A canivorous and predatory snail feeding mostly on other molluscs, it dwells in shallow sandy bottoms from low intertidal zone down to about 30 m deep, often in seagrass beds. <br /> <br /> It is an extremely variable species in terms of shell morphology, colouration, and pattern. The shell can be narrow and almost entirely lacking in shoulder spines or very wide with thick, well-developed shoulder spines; pure white to red to dark brown; and from carrying numerous lightning-like axial zigzags forming tent-like patterns combined with wide colour bands, to lacking patterns entirely. The heavily ribbed, bulbous protoconch always remains consistent, however, and provides a reliable way to distinguish this species from other species in the genus Cymbiola. The foot is dark brown in colouration and usually carry numerous yellow dots or streaks that vary greatly among individuals. The head and cephalic tentacles have the same colour sheme but is often more heavily patterned than the foot. Typical shell length around 80 mm, extremely large specimens may exceed even 160 mm. <br /> <br /> Recently, a population with reddish shells typically displaying particularly attractive fine tent-like patterns and dark bands was found around Banggai Islands in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (shown) and given the subspecies name C. v. peterstimpsoni Cossignani & Allary, 2022. Considering the extreme variation displayed by this species, however, even this population falls within the known variability and this subspecies name is unlikely to represent an evolutionary lineage truly divergent from the nominal subspecies, instead it is mostly likely a regional form. In fact, specimens from this locality themselves exhibit a high level of variation that intergrades with specimens known from other parts of Indonesia as well as the Philippines. Future research, particularly using molecular methods, will be helpful in shedding light to the true relationship between this and other populations of the species.
Cassis patamakanthini Parth, 2000<br /> CASSIDAE<br /> -80~100 m, From lobster pot, Northern Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia, Australia, 1974, 33.6 mm <br /> <br /> The "Patamakanthin's Helmet" is a small cassid best known for its vibrant and variable shell colouration that can range from milky white to yellow to pink to red. An endemic species of Western Australia, the first specimens were collected as early as the 1970s but it remained unrecognised and undescribed for more than two decades until finally receiving a name in 2000. It inhabits soft sandy bottoms of moderately deep waters around -75~150 m and is nocturnal, though its diet is not specifically known it is almost certainly a carnivorous and predatory gastropod specialising on echinoderms like other Cassis species. A very rare species that used to be known from just a handful of specimens mostly serendipitously collected from lobster traps, more recently some specimens have surfaced through collecting efforts using commercial remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in expeditions by shell enthusiasts and dealers mainly targeting cypraeids in the genus Zoila. <br /> <br /> With an average shell length around only 25 mm and the largest specimens approaching 35 mm, it is among the smallest species in the genus Cassis whose larger members can exceed 400 mm in shell length. Shells of smaller individuals typically carry darker colouration than the larger ones, which are usually pastel-hued. In addition to the colouration, specimens also vary in the development of shell sculpture, especially with regards to the strength of the nodules. It was named in honour of Somnuek Patamakanthin, a renowned thai conchologist and shell dealer based in Rawai, Phuket Island, Thailand who was among the first to recognise this species as undescribed. He is also known as the founder of the Phuket Sea Shell Museum — today the family's museum and shell dealer business is mostly run by his second son, Somwang Jom Patamakanthin, also well-recognised as a highly active and prominent figure in conchology.
Melo aethiopicus (Linnaeus, 1758)<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> By local fisherman, Banggai Island, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, 351.2 mm <br /> <br /> With an inflated shell ornamented by regular, short, open shoulder spines, the "Crowned Baler" is a very large volutid native to the southwestern Pacific, ranging between Malaysia to Papua New Guinea with most specimens originating from Indonesia. The most striking character that makes it stand out among all Melo species is the extensive flaring of the the outer lip to cover the spire in adults, although the extent of this vary considerably among individuals and only in some gerontic specimens it is so extreme that from the aperture view the lip completely conceals the spire (shown). Another remarkable feature is that the aperture often carrys strong colouration ranging from yellow to very dark orange, though again the colouration vary among specimens; shells with strong, dark aperture colour are known informally as "sunrise baler" and are highly sought after. <br /> <br /> The shell dorsum is typically a rather dark reddish brown and in young specimens alternating broad spiral bands of lighter and darker brown are often evident. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on other invertebrate animals, it inhabits soft bottoms of shallow waters from low intertidal down to about 50 m deep. Though a locally common species, finding specimens with desirable features such as strongly flared lip or "sunrise" aperture is no easy task. Typical shell length around 200 mm, extremely large specimens may reach 400 mm. <br /> <br /> It is often confused with Melo broderipii (Gray, 1833), a congener best known from the Philippines, but the two can be distinguished by the following features: 1) M. broderipii typically carry dark brown axial patterns and speckles, especially when young, which is completely lacking in M. aethiopicus; 2) M. broderipii has a much more inflated shell compared to M. aethiopicus of a similar size; 3) The dorsum colour of M. broderipii is much lighter than that of M. aethiopicus; and 4) M. broderipii never develops the strongly flared lip often seen in mature shells of M. aethiopicus.
Profundiconus dondani (Kosuge, 1981)<br /> CONIDAE<br /> -200 m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Mindanao, Philippines, 2022/ii, 35.5 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a slender, high-spired shell with finely tented, reticulate patterns positioned in three spiral bands (at shoulder, center, and near the base) as well as a number of axial streaks over a chestnut brown ground colouration, the "Donald Dan's Cone" is a small conid known only from the central Philippines. Inhabiting moderately deep waters around 100~200 m in depth, it is typically collected by tangle nets but is a very rare species. The diet of this species is not known specifically, but it is probably a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding mainly on polychaete worms like other Profundicous species. Though easily recognisable, individuals do differ in shell patterning in terms of prominence and coverage of the tent-like reticulated patterns, and shell form where the extent of shoulder angulation varies considerably (i.e. the sutural ramp can be almost flat or concave) among individuals. The shell also carry numerous spiral lines with alternating brown dashes and white dots, but in larger specimens these are often less distinct. Typical shell length around 25 mm, very large specimens can sometimes exceed 35 mm. <br /> <br /> The first specimen known (now the holotype) was discovered from the collection of the conchologist Victor Dan of the Philippines, and it was named in honour of his brother Donald Dan -- also a conchologist and also a very prominent shell dealer. It is most similar to the congener Profundiconus lani (Crandall, 1979) with which it co-occurs in the Philippines, but is readily distinguished from that species by the prominent reticulate pattern which P. lani completely lacks, as well as the smaller size (P. lani averages at about 45 mm in shell length and can reach even 70 mm). Another interesting congener that it can be confused with is the extremely rare P. pacificus (Moolenbeek & Röckel, 1996) described from Wallis and Futuna, which has a similar shell profile and pattern as P. dondani but primarily differs by having a slightly taller spire with very strong tubercles on the shoulder of earlier teleoconch whorls. The straight-sided profile of the body whorl and the chestnut brown background colouration serve to differentiate P. dondani from most other congeners such as P. smirna (Bartsch & Rehder, 1943).
Profundiconus lani (Crandall, 1979)<br /> CONIDAE<br /> -200~250 m, By tangle net, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Mindanao, Philippines, 37.6 mm <br /> <br /> A slender, high-spired shell overall dyed in dark reddish brown characterises the "Lan's Cone", a medium-sized western Pacific conid ranging from East China Sea to the Philippines to New Caledonia. A classic rarity made famous by the eminent Taiwanese conchologist and its namesake Tzu Chiao Lan (ex-president of the Malacological Society of Taiwan) as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979), it inhabits moderate to deep waters between -75~500 m. Like other conids it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod, most likely primarily feeding on polychaete worms. Today, most specimens are taken by tangle nets in the Philippines between 100~250 m deep and an increase in number of specimens taken using this method in the past few years means it is now best described as uncommon. Nevertheless, this species is extremely prone to growth scars and specimens without major mends are still very rarely seen. Many specimens on the shell trade market have been doctored with growth scars painted over or even filled with resin. <br /> <br /> Though overall a little-varied and instantly recognisable species, the number and distribution of white speckles on the shell vary greatly among individuals; the darkness of the base colouration also varies. Typical shell length around 45 mm, extremely large individuals can reach even 70 mm. Larger specimens tend to have relatively broader shells compared to smaller-sized ones. It is most similar to Profundiconus dondani (Kosuge, 1981) with which it co-occurs in the Philippines, but the heavily tented pattern of P. dondani makes it easy to distinguish the two species. The overall straight-sided shell profile and the uniform brown background colouration serve to distinguish P. lani from other similar congeners such as P. smirna (Bartsch & Rehder, 1943) which have a pyriform outline.
Trigonostoma scalare (Gmelin, 1791) <br /> CANCELLARIIDAE<br /> -150~160 m, Off Santander, Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines, 1999/xi, 38.9 mm <br /> <br /> The "Triangular Nutmeg" is a bizarre cancellariid characterised by staircase-like shell morphology with a very flat subsutural ramp. Once rare and known under the names Trigonostoma trigonostoma Lamarck, 1822 and T. pellucida (Perry, 1811), today it is moderate common and these two names are considered junior synonyms of T. scalare. Inhabiting shallow to moderate depths between -10~100 m, it ranges from Philippines to Sri Lanka to northern Australia in the Indo-West Pacific and most specimens are taken by tangle nets in the Philippines. Although its feeding ecology is not known, being a cancellariid it is probably a suctorial feeder living off the body fluids of other animals or a predator of eggs. The overall shell form and sculpture remain little-varied among individuals, but the height-to-width ratio exhibit considerable variation. Some specimens have clearly defined varices on the shell that indicate periods of rest in shell growth. Typical shell length around 30 mm, very large specimens can reach 45 mm. It is the type species of the genus Trigonostoma Blainville, 1827, which used to be known as Trigona Perry, 1811 until it turned out to be a junior homonym of the hymnopteran insect genus Trigona Jurine, 1807.
Latiaxis mawae (Gray, 1833)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -100~150 m, Trawled, Aliguay Island, Mindanao, Philippines, 51.5 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by an elegant shell with detached adult body whorl, the "Mawe's Latiaxis" is one of the most well-known coralliphiline muricids. Very widely distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific ranging from Japan to Philippines to Queensland, Australia to South Africa, it lives in a relatively wide bathymetric range between about -40~200 m and like other coralliophilines it feeds on the body fluid of cnidarians, particularly corals. A common species typically taken as trawl by-catch or by tangle nets, most specimens have badly damaged shell and intact specimens remain uncommon. It is very variable in shell form, especially in terms of the extend of whorl detachment, spine length, and size of fasciole -- the shell colour also differ widely among individuals from white to yellow to dark brown. Some of this appears to be related to the depth and locality, for example deep water specimens from the Philippines (shown) tend to have more delicate shells with longer spines and more colourful shells than those from Japan which are typically white and thick-shelled; there are intergrades, however. The Indian Ocean populations, best known from South Africa and Mozambique, have been known under the name Latiaxis kylix Barnard, 1959 due to the geographic distance, but this is now considered to be a junior synonym of L. mawae. Typical shell length around 50 mm, very large specimens may approach 70 mm. It was named in honour of the British mineralogist and conchologist John Mawe (1764-1829).
Bolma andersoni (Smith, 1902)<br /> TURBINIDAE<br /> -50 m, Dived, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 89.3 mm <br /> <br /> A turbinid endemic to South Africa, the "Anderson's Star" is a species known for its vivid and variable shell colouration. The colouration ranges from dark brown to pastel red to bright yellow, with some specimens exhibiting an array of colours on different parts of the shell. Ranging between northern KwaZulu-Natal Province and Eastern Cape Province off East London, it inhabits moderately shallow waters around 20~70 m deep and likely feeds on algae and detritus. The holotype was taken from a fish's stomach and was in the collection of the conchologist Alexander Anderson (1844-1938), the species' namesake, but its whereabouts is not currently known. <br /> <br /> Though used to be a rare species, today it is only uncommon with a steady supply available -- but finding a large, colourful specimen in good condition is still a challenge as most specimens suffer from heavy erosion and encrustation. Typical shell length around 75 mm, very large specimens can approach 110 mm. In addition to shell colour, the shell sculpture is also rather variable, especially in terms of spine development and the strength of 'wavy' sculpture on the base. The earlier whorls tend to have longer spines than the later ones. The operculum is white and smooth, lacking in sculpture, and sometimes carry patches of translucent areas.
Nicaisolopha tridacnaeformis (Cox, 1927) <br /> OSTREIDAE<br /> -120 m, Trawled on soft silty sand bottom, Off Cape Cleveland, Queensland, Australia, by Eddie Brown, 1995, 42.1 mm <br /> <br /> The "Poppe's Oyster" is an unusual ostreid characterised by very fragile, translucent valves exhibiting zig-zagged margins and extensively ornamented with foliaceous, concentric, sharply raised ribs. It is better known under the name Lopha poppei Bozzetti, 1996, which was described based on live-taken specimens collected off Queensland, Australia and also found in the nearby New Caledonia. This name was later deemed to be a junior synonym of Ostrea tridacnaeformis Cox, 1927 described based on fossils between Pliocene and Pleistocene from Zanzibar, Tanzania. Although Tanzania is very far from Australia, apparently conspecific fossils are also known from Iran and Pakistan and a valve of a recent specimen has been collected from Oman. Like majority of oysters, this species also exhibit some variations in shell morphology in each locality and the Indian Ocean specimens therefore appear to be morphologically indistinguishable from the Pacific ones, leading to their synonymisation. Future studies of both anatomical and molecular data are, however, warranted to test the alternative hypothesis that there may be two species with similar shell morphology. <br /> <br /> Almost certainly a filter-feeding bivalve, it seems to occur across a considerable bathymetric range between about -10~150 m deep and appears to be quite rare. Typical shell length around 40 mm, very large specimens can exceed 60 mm. Initially authors placed it in genus Lopha due to superficial similarities with the Cockscomb Oyster Lopha cristagalli (Linnaeus, 1758), but the clearly distinct shell structure and a complete lack of chomata led to its transfer to Nicaisolopha. Currently it is the only recognised living species of Nicaisolopha, the type species of which is the Cretaceous oyster Nicaisolopha nicaisei (Coquand, 1862)†.
Taphon childsi Scali & Liverani, 2020<br /> MELONGENIDAE<br /> -1.5 m, Dived, Sur Masirah, Masirah Island, Oman, 2020/i, 57.4 mm <br /> <br /> Numerous crisp, white, spiral ribs sharply contrasting with brown intervarical spaces characterises Taphon childsi, the second species in the melongenid genus Taphon recently separated from Taphon clavella (Reeve, 1847). The genus is currently only reliably known from Oman and although it has been noted for decades by the conchologist Donald T. Bosch (1917-2012) that there appears to be multiple forms of Taphon in Oman, they were all considered to represent variations of T. clavella. The recent resurgence of interests in seashells of Oman led to their rediscovery and also a considerable number of new specimens collected, including the finding of the distinctly patterned specimens later described as T. childsi. <br /> <br /> To date T. childsi has been found in both continental Oman (Bar Al Hikman) and Masirah Island, most specimens collected were beached empty shells, but a number of live-taken specimens have surfaced. Apparently living in shallow waters between intertidal depths down to 10s of metres, its feeding ecology is unknown but it is most likely a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on other invertebrates. It is a rare species, with only about 5-10% of Taphon specimens collected in Oman being T. childsi (the others being T. clavella which is already uncommon). The clear separation between colouration of the ribs and interspaces, largely uninterrupted by axial patterning, distinguishes this species from T. clavella, which also has less rounded spiral ribs. Generally a little-varied species, though the intervarical spaces can vary in colour from light reddish brown to very dark chocolate brown. Typical shell length around 55 mm, very large specimens can exceed 65 mm. It was named in honour of the conchologist Andrew Childs who first noted its distinctness from T. clavella. <br /> <br /> The morphology of genus Taphon is rather distinct from other melongenids, and thus the family placement is still uncertain, warranting future studies of radula, soft parts, and/or molecular data.
Charonia lampas (Linnaeus, 1758)<br /> CHARONIIDAE<br /> -50 m, Trawled, Nador, Morocco, 328.4 mm <br /> <br /> The "Knobbed Triton" is a very large caenogastropod that can reach over 410 mm in shell length. Long considered to be a nearly cosmopolitan species distributed in global warm to temperate waters -- although minor differences in shell morphology seen in specimens from different parts of the world have led to a bunch of names proposed, these have been thought to be mere regional forms as they appear to intergrade at the extremes. Such variation can occur in the overall shell form, shell sculpture such as strength of nodes and varices, as well as dramatic differences in the colouration and patterning. <br /> <br /> Just a few examples of such names exmplifying its vast range are sauliae Reeve, 1844 from Japan to East China Sea, pustulata Euthyme, 1889 from South Africa, and capax Finlay, 1927 from New Zealand; while the lampas sensu stricto is restricted to the Mediterranean Sea and West Africa (shown). Nevertheless, different authors have varying opinions on if each should actually be considered as valid subspecies or even species, for example recently the Brazilian population was described as a separate species -- Charonia marylenae Petuch & Berschauer, 2020 (was long known as weisbordi Gibson-Smith, 1976 but that name is actually based on a Pliocene fossil from Venezuela). In order to resolve this issue, molecular data of different populations around the globe are much needed. <br /> <br /> Generally a common species found in shallow to moderate depths between low intertidal to about -200 m deep, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on echinoderms. Some populations of the 'lampas complex' such as those from South Africa and New Zealand are somewhat rare, however. The sizes of specimens from the various localities also vary, with some rarely exceeding 30 cm; the lampas sensu stricto is one of the largest forms averaging at around 250 mm and very large specimens exceeding 400 mm. Following a recent study on the molecular phylogeny of Tonnoidea, Charoniidae has been separated from Ranellidae as its own family containing only the genus Charonia.
Tudivasum armigerum (Adams, 1856)<br /> TURBINELLIDAE<br /> Trawled, Off Swain Reefs, Queensland, Australia, 80.2 mm <br /> <br /> Ornamented with numerous spiral ribs carrying spines of various lengths, the "Armoured Tudicula" is a prickly turbinellid endemic to Queensland, Australia with a distribution range between Cape Cleveland and Moreton Bay. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits sandy bottoms between intertidal waters typically to about 50 m deep (though in exceptional cases it has been fished as deep as 200 m) and feeds mostly worms (polychaetes and sipunculans) but also bivalves and other invertebrates. The majority of specimens have been trawled from subtidal depths, where it is locally common. <br /> <br /> Though the shell form is little-varied, the sculpture and spine development vary dramatically among individuals. There are typically three rows of major spines, including one at the shoulder just above the suture and two on the anterior siphonal canal -- their lengths vary among individuals. Furthermore, spiral ribs carrying densely spaced minor spines can occur just anterior of the shoulder, but the number of these also differ among individuals (typically between one to three rows). The shell usually bears numerous reddish-brown axial streaks, whose density and arrangement is variable too. Typical shell length around 60 mm, extremely large specimens may reach even 100 mm. <br /> <br /> It is often confused with the much rarer Tudivasum kurtzi (Macpherson, 1964), also endemic to Australia but with a more western distribution extending to Rowley Shoals, off Western Australia. Tudivasum kurtzi is however usually found in greater depths, at least 70 m deep and more typically between 300~500m depth. Morphologically, the two can be separated in the following aspects: 1) T. kurtzi is white in colouration as adults and lack brown axial patterns; 2) T. kurtzi has more spiral rows carrying minor spines on the shell surface, typicall over 10 (compared to typically 1-3 in T. armigerum); 3) The shoulder spines are typically longer in T. kurtzi; and 4) The protoconch is larger in T. kurtzi (average of 3.85 mm vs 3.19 mm).
Talisman scrobilator (Linnaeus, 1758)<br /> BURSIDAE<br /> -16 m, SCUBA dived, Punta Prieta, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, 2021/v, 64.3 mm <br /> <br /> The "Pitted Frog Shell" is a medium-sized bursid ranging rather widely from Mediterranean Sea to the northeastern Atlantic to West Africa. Two living subspecies are recognised from both morphological and molecular data. The nominal subspecies (shown) ranges from Mediterranean Sea to the northeastern Atlantic and typically has smooth adult whorls with dark reddish-brown 'flame-like' patterns and diminutive intervarical sculpture such as striae and nodules. Although the sculpture is still somewhat variable in this subspecies, a key feature is that fine pustules on and between spiral striae are consistently absent. Some of the best known localities for the nominal subspecies include Italy, Portugal, Azores, Canary Islands, among others. The other subspecies, T. s. coriacea (Reeve, 1844), is restricted to West Africa between Senegal and Angola; it typically has heavier intervarical sculpture in adults including strongly raised nodules and spiral striae, as well as characteristic pustules on and between the spiral striae. The nominal subspecies is larger with a typical shell length of around 50 mm and extremely large specimens can reach 95 mm; T. s. crocea is typically about 40 mm in shell length though very large specimens can reach 65 mm. <br /> <br /> A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits rocky shores of shallow to moderate depths between -10~100 m and feeds on other invertebrate animals such as sea stars and sea urchins. An uncommon species, vast majority of specimens are crabbed or collected as empty shells -- live-collected specimens are rare and hard to come-by, especially large-sized ones with mature lip. Previously this species has been placed in Bursa or Bufonaria, but now it is housed in the monotypic genus Talisman.
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