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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.

Allonautilus perforatus (Conrad, 1847)<br /> NAUTILIDAE<br /> Trawled, Off Ambon Island, Maluku Islands, Indonesia, 160.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Bali Nautilus", sometimes also called the "Indonesian Nautilus", is one of only two nautilid species in the genus Allonautilus characterised by shells with large umbilicus and a thick, fuzzy periostracum. A very understudied species apparently restricted to Indonesian waters, in the past most known specimens have originated from around Bali; although recently it has surfaced from a range of localities between Madura Island and in the Banda Sea off the Maluku Islands (most recent specimens have originated around here). <br /> <br /> Unlike its sister species Allonautilus scrobiculatus (Lightfoot, 1786) from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands which has been sighted and caught alive by scientists (although only a handful of times), there is no formal record of live A. perforatus and the animal has not been available for study. Though sometimes dubbed the 'rarest living nautilus', a considerable number of its shells have actually appeared on the shell trade in the past years. At least the majority of these are, however, supposedly drift shells, and no definitively live-taken material has been reported. As such, nothing is known about its ecology -- although it is most likely a predatory and scavenging carnivorous cephalopod inhabiting moderately deep waters around -100~600 m like other living nautilids. Until recently it was not known if it possesses a thick periostracum like A. scrobiculatus, but the surfacing of fresh-looking, supposedly trawled, materials with nearly complete periostracum shows that it indeed does. These specimens may have even been live-taken, raising hopes that the animal may become available for study in the near future. <br /> <br /> Its most distinct known morphological feature is the series of strong undulating radial ribs on both flanks of its shell, such strong radial sculpture is unknown from any other living nautilids, though many extinct nautiloids possessed similar ornamentation. This feature distinguishes it from A. scrobiculatus, which lacks these radial ribs and instead possess numerous zigzagging spiral lirae. These cross with fine radial growth lines to form a finely reticulate sculpture that is missing in A. perforatus. Despite these morphological differences, many remain doubtful if A. perforatus is truly a separate species from A. scrobiculatus. In the literature some have treated it as subspecies of A. scrobiculatus, and some merely as a local form. Resolving the status of A. perforatus conclusively requires obtaining live animals to compare the anatomical and genetic differences with A. scrobiculatus in the future. The genus Allonautilus is considered to differ from Nautilus in having a wide umbilicus, quadrate whorl cross-sections, and fuzzy periostracum, but also some anatomical features such as larger and more randomised papillae on the hood and smaller gills. These are currently only based on A. scrobiculatus and it would be of interest to see if similar anatomical features are shared by A. perforatus. <br /> <br /> The name Allonautilus perforatus (Conrad, 1847) should not be confused with Nautilus perforatus Willey, 1896, which is a junior synonym of Nautilus pompilius Linnaeus, 1758 based on a freak specimen with a narrow open umbilicus. Since 2017 all nautilids, including A. perforatus, are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), thus curbing the international trade of nautiluses globally.
Allonautilus scrobiculatus (Lightfoot, 1786)<br /> NAUTILIDAE<br /> Off Ndrova Island, Admiralty Islands, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, 172.2 mm<br /> <br /> With a large umbilicus and a thick, hairy periostracal layer, the "Fuzzy Nautilus" is a member of the enigmatic living nautilid genus Allonautilus. "Fuzzy" refers to the thick periostracal layer, which is golden-brown in colour and has also inspired other common names such as "Crusty Nautilus" and "Golden Nautilus". With a typical shell diameter of around 170 mm, very large specimens may exceed 200 mm and females are larger than males. Best known from Bismark Sea in Papua New Guinea, its range extends eastwards to the Solomon Islands. A predatory and scavenging carnivorous cephalopod, it inhabits rather deep waters around -150~400 m and is much rarer than the Chambered Nautilus, Nautilus pompilius Linnaeus, 1758, with which it co-occurs with. Live Allonautilus scrobiculatus has only been seen a handful of times by scientists, most notably in 1984 off Manus, Papua New Guinea which led to the descriptions of its anatomy. In 2015, a live individual was found off Mait Island, Papua New Guinea and made news headlines under the title "This Fuzzy, Golden nautilus hasn't been seen in over 30 years". More recently, it was found alive in Solomon Islands in 2019, where previously only drift shells have been collected. <br /> <br /> The species name 'scrobiculatus' refers to its characteristic scrobiculate shell sculpture comprising strong, zigzagging, spiral lirae crossed with weaker radial growth lines, resulting in a finely reticulate surface. This distinguishes it from the only other Allonautilus species, A. perforatus (Conrad, 1847) whose shell almost completely lacks the spiral lirae and instead develops rather strong, undulating radial ribs on the flanks of both sides. The presence of strong radial ribs in A. perforatus is unique among living nautilids, although it is a dominant feature in many fossil nautiloids. The two species are geographically segregated, with A. perforatus only known from Indonesia, mostly off Bali. Despite the shells of A. perforatus being much more commonly seen in the shell trade (often fresh, apparently live-taken ones) than A. scrobiculatus in the recent years, A. perforatus supposedly has never been seen alive and is often dubbed the 'rarest living nautilus'. Currently not all scientists accept A. perforatus as a separate species, some consider it to be a subspecies of A. scrobiculatus and some considers it simply a regional form. To resolve the status of A. perforatus conclusively requires obtaining live animals to compare the anatomical and genetic differences with A. scrobiculatus. <br /> <br /> The genus Allonautilus is considered to differ from Nautilus in having a wide umbilicus, quadrate whorl cross-sections, and fuzzy periostracum, but also some anatomical features such as larger and more randomised papillae on the hood and smaller gills. These are currently only based on A. scrobiculatus and it would be interesting to see if similar anatomical features are shared by A. perforatus. Since 2017 all nautilids including A. scrobiculatus are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), curbing the international trade of nautiluses globally.
Bractechlamys langfordi (Dall, Bartsch & Rehder, 1938)<br /> PECTINIDAE<br /> -30~35 m, Taken under coral rubble, Off Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1995, 26.7 mm <br /> <br /> The "Langford's Scallop", more famously known by the name "Sunrise Shell", is a small pectinid with brightly coloured valves endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The left (upper) valve is more intense in colouration, usually dark orange to red, compared to the typically yellow to light orange right valve. Both valves are red on the inside with a yellow-orange fringe, again the left valve has slightly richer pigmentation. This attractive colouration has made them a popular and coveted material for jewelry production in Hawaii, and it is said to have been of cultural importance in the history of native Hawaiians, being a symbol of power and status. A filter-feeding bivalve living on sand and rubble bottoms, it lives in moderately depths around -20~50 m. Although live specimens are quite uncommon, worn single valves are often washed ashore and it is these valves that are commonly used for jewelry production. A relatively little-varied species, different individuals do display varying amount of white freckles on the valves and somewhat variable degrees of development of the knobs on the primary radial ribs. Typical shell length around 25 mm, very large specimens occasionally exceed 35 mm. For some years it was treated as a junior synonym of Bractechlamys nodulifera (Sowerby II, 1842), a species now considered to be restricted to Indian Ocean. Compared to B. nodulifera, B. langfordi is much more convex and appears more inflated. The colouration of B. nodulifera is much more variable than B. langfordi which is almost always orange-red.
Glabella mirabilis (Adams, 1869) <br /> MARGINELLIDAE<br /> -100 m, Trawled by commercial fishing vessel, Off Ras Hafun, Somalia, 2017, 29.2 mm <br /> <br /> With a shell carrying mesmerising patterns, the aptly-named "Wonder Marginella" is an eye-catching marginellid native to the western Indian Ocean. Vast majority of specimens have been trawled off Somalia, although its distribution range is actually wider, being found from the Gulf of Aden southwards with some records as far south as Madagascar. The holotype (currently in National Museum Wales) was from the collection of Sir David William Barclay (1804-1888), although most of the Barclay specimens originate from Mauritius where he resided, the locality of his G. mirabilis is listed as unknown. An uncommon species living in moderate depths around -50~200 m, its feeding ecology is not known but is supposedly a carnivorous gastropod like other marginellids and probably a predator of other invertebrate animals. Although the shell form is rather consistent among individuals, the shell colouration and pattern are very variable, especially in the development of the dark, cloud-like patterning. Typical shell length around 25 mm, extremely large specimens may reach 45 mm. It is often confused with the closely related (and more common) congener Glabella obtusa (Sowerby II, 1846) found from the Red Sea to Somalia. The main differences between the two species are that G. mirabilis has less closely spaced and less raised axial ribs, usually with much more prominent dark, diffused pattern, and the protoconch is more flattened (and not protruding and rounded like in G. obtusa). The shell of Glabella obtusa is also typically slightly smaller (average shell length around 20 mm) and more slender.
Austrotrophon cerrosensis (Dall, 1891)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -120 m, Trawled, Off Cedros Island, Baja California, Mexico, 1979, 42.4 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a shell with raised blade-like varices crossed by numerous low spiral ridges, the "Cerros Trophon" is a eastern Pacific muricid ranging between the southern California, U.S.A. and Cedros Island, Baja California, Mexico. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits moderately deep waters between -40~150 m. The colouration may vary from yellowish to light brown, and some specimens carry a pattern of alternating lighter and darker spiral banding. Although previously considered uncommon up until around the 1990s, fresh supplies have dwindled in the recent years, making it a very rare species to find. Typical shell length around 45 mm, very large specimens may exceed 60 mm. It is most closely related to Austrotrophon catalinensis (Oldroyd, 1927) which used to be considered as its subspecies, but the two overlap in geographic range and is today considered two distinct species. Compared to A. catalinensis, A. cerrosensis has less developed 'blades' on the varices with much shorter shoulder spines, more numerous varices per whorl (typically over 8 in adults vs. typically 7 in A. catalinensis), and much more pronounced spiral cording. The colour form with spiral banding is not seen in A. catalinensis which also reaches a larger size (typical shell length around 70 mm). Another species it may be confused with is Zacatrophon skoglundae Houart, 2010, also from the same geographic region. Zacatrophon skoglundae has a more excavated, deeply impressed suture and more posteriorly curved, flattened shoulder spines, that distinguishes it from Austrotrophon species.
Amygdalum peasei (Newcomb, 1870)<br /> MYTILIDAE<br /> -50~70 m, Dredged, East off Awase, Okinawa Island, Okinawa, Japan, 21.2 mm <br /> <br /> A finely reticulate pattern of brown lines in the posterior portion of the shell surface characterises the "Pease's Mussel", a small and beautiful mytilid with a very wide distribution range. Originally described from a single specimen dredged in about 22 m (12 fathoms) depth off Honolulu of Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., specimens with apparently identical shell morphology (and therefore presumed to be the same species) has later been discovered in many locations across the Indo-Pacific such as New South Wales in Australia, Japan, South China Sea, and even off Madagascar. The name Amygdalum plumeum Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda et al., 1971 was proposed in the famous book "The Sea Shells of Sagami Bay, Collected By His Majesty The Emperor of Japan" for a population in central Japan, but this is currently considered to be a junior synonym of A. peasei. Found in soft bottoms between moderate depths of around 20~120 m deep, it is considered to be a filter-feeding bivalve like most mytilids. The genus Amygdalum is known to build 'nests' made from byssus in cohesive mud, and A. peasei is no exception. Members of this genus also use haemoglobin as the oxygen carrier, resulting in a reddish pink colour of the soft parts, considered to be an adaptation to living in hypoxic mud. Once extremely rare and only known from a handful of specimens from various localities, more specimens have surfaced recently -- although it is still rather scarce. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very large specimens may reach 30 mm. Its Japanese name ("Wamei") is "Maboroshi-Gai", literally meaning "the Mythical Shell", due to its rarity in the early days. Morphologically it is most similar to Amygdalum americanum Soot-Ryen, 1955 from the Pacific coast of Americas, it is most easily distinguished by having a more posterior umbo than A. americanum and also a more diffused reticulate pattern.
Calliotectum smithi (Bartsch, 1942)<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> By tangle net from deep water, Balut Island, Mindanao, Philippines, 172.7 mm <br /> <br /> The "Smith's Deep-sea Volute" is a moderately large volutid, characterised by a shell with an impressed suture and deep, frequent axial ribs on the early whorls of the teleoconch. It has a restricted distribution, being an endemic species of the Philippines and with live specimens only recovered around -300~600 m deep (dead shells have been found in over 800 m deep). The holotype was trawled by the U.S. Fisheries vessel R/V Albatross off Balicasag Island, and is currently in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Inhabiting mud bottoms, it is considered to be a predatory gastropod like other volutids. For about 50 years since its formal description it remained extremely rare, although from the mid-1990s deep-water tangle nets began to yield some specimens. Today it is still moderately rare. Originally described in the genus Prodallia, in the same paper that the genus was formally erected in honour of the American malacologist William Healy Dall. The genus name first appeared as a nomen nudum in 1915, on a banquet brochure produced to commemorate Dall's 50th year in science. Nevertheless, this genus name is now considered to be a junior synonym of Calliotectum. The specific epithet honours Hugh M. Smith who directed the R/V Albatross expedition in the Philippines which collected the type specimen. Typical shell length around 160 mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 210 mm. Most easily confused with the very variable congener Calliotectum tibiaeforme (Kuroda, 1931) which also occurs in the Philippines, but in C. tibiaeforme the suture is adpressed and therefore the whorls appear to expand less rapidly, and the axial ribs have square cross-sections (compared to triangular in C. smithi). Shells of C. tibiaeforme also typically carry a dark spiral band just beneath the suture, which is entirely lacking in C. smithi.
Haliotis dalli Henderson, 1915<br /> HALIOTIDAE<br /> -20~30 m, By lobster diver, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 29.4 mm <br /> <br /> A small haliotid whose shell usually carries a red base colouration and native to the tropical eastern Pacific and western Americas, the "Dall's Abalone" is currently considered to comprise of two subspecies. The nominate subspecies H. dalli dalli (shown) is known almost only from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, although two specimens have been reported from Gorgona Island off Colombia. When first discovered from the Galapagos, the American malacologist William Healy Dall considered it to be conspecific with the rare western Atlantic species Haliotis pourtalesii Dall, 1881, despite the Galapagos material originating from the Pacific. Over a decade later, John B. Henderson compared the Galapagos material in more detail with the true H. pourtalesii from off Florida and found consistent differences in morphology that warranted the description of the Galapagos material as a separate species, whose name he dedicated to Dall. Inhabiting rocky substrates of subtidal waters around -20~60 m. it is a rare taxa whose scarcity likely partially attributable to its restricted, remote distribution and small size (typical shell length around 25 mm, very large specimens may reach 40 mm). This nominate subspecies is characterised by a deep, distinct channel below the selenizone (the row of holes), a character missing in the other subspecies Haliotis dalli roberti McLean, 1970. Initially described at the species rank by James Hamilton McLean and named after Robert R. Talmage of California, this subspecies is endemic to Cocos Island, Costa Rica and also has a taller spire and overall coarser spiral sculpture compared to the nominate subspecies. A smaller subspecies typically only 15 mm in shell length (very large specimens may reach 25 mm) and inhabiting slightly deeper waters around -30~100 m, H. d. roberti is even rarer than H. d. dalli. Both subspecies are probably herbivorous grazers on hard substrates like other haliotids.
Casmaria kalosmodix (Melvill, 1883)<br /> CASSIDAE<br /> -50 m, From lobster trap, O'ahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 80.5 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by a shell attractively marked with numerous nearly straight, narrow axial lines crossed by broad spiral bands of intermittent blotches and completely lacking spines on the outer lip, Casmaria kalosmodix is a medium-sized cassid endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (both Windward and Leeward Islands). At the time of description it was only known from two specimens, both with uncertain locality (it was speculated to be "a native of eastern seas"). The holotype, originally in the collection of the british conchologist James Cosmo Melvill who also described the species, is currently in the National Museum Wales with the other lots from the Melvill-Tomlin collection. Later in 1905 Melvill reported that he had acquired another specimen "from Ceylon" (i.e. Sri Lanka), today considered mis-localised. Later, R. Tucker Abbott recognised the Hawaiian specimens to be conspecific with Melvill's species. However, Abbott considered it to be a subspecies of the widespread Casmaria erinaceus (Linnaeus, 1758), due to the presence of two 'forms' in Hawaii, one with spines on the aperture and one without. An article by Charles Wolfe in 1976 revealed that the two Hawaiian 'forms' are actually separate species with many other consistent morphological features, the rarer untoothed form corresponding to C. kalosmodix and the toothed form he referred to as an undescribed form of C. erinaceus. The latter has recently been described as Casmaria kayae Buijse, Dekker & Verbinnen, 2013. <br /> <br /> Once sufficient specimens were examined, it became clear that Casmaria kalosmodix is actually a rather little-varied species that is difficult to be confused with either C. erinaceus or C. kayae due to its 1) lack of spines on the outer lip, 2) elongate shell with much higher spire, 3) fine, almost straight axial lines, and 4) large size. With a typical shell length around 75 mm and extremely large specimens approaching 100 mm, it is probably the largest Casmaria species. Unlike many Casmaria species such as C. erinaceus and C. kayae, it is not known to have a generally smaller nodulose form; smaller specimens have shells with slightly lower spires but are otherwise similar to large specimens. A carnivorous and predatory species probably feeding on echinoderms, it inhabits moderately depths around -20~150 m. It has always been a very rarely seen species and remains so today, most specimens known are empty or crabbed shells taken in deep-water traps; live-taken specimens are extremely scarce. The specific epithet is Greek in origin and means "beautifully marked".
Columbarium hystriculum Darragh, 1987<br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -180~200 m, Trawled, Pith Reef, Queensland, Australia, 73.4 mm<br /> <br /> With one of the most elaborately sculptured and captivating shells among columbariids, Columbarium hystriculum is an Australian endemic with a rather restricted distribution off northern Queensland. Characterised by a strongly double-spined periphery and one or two further spinous spiral cord anterior to the clearly defined anterior caina, it is impossible to mistake it for any other described columbariid species. The siphonal canal is long, with the posterior half carrying rather sparse but strong spines. The protoconch begins in a sharp tip instead of being bulbous like most other Columbarium species due to the very early part of the first whorl formed in the egg being chitinous (not calcified) and decidous upon hatching. Although a little-varied species, individuals often have different preservation conditions of the spines and worn specimens give a much less thorny impression. An uncommon carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on tube-dwelling polychaete worms like other columbariids, it inhabits soft bottoms of moderately deep water around -150~400m. Typical shell length around 70mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 95mm. The most similar congener, Columbarium harrisae Harasewych, 1983, is not easily confused with it since C. harrisae only carries a single row of spines on the periphery and therefore has a much less spiny appearance.
Bayerotrochus charlestonensis (Askew, 1987)<br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -120 m (-400 ft.), Taken by submersible, Off Curaçao, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea, Ex-coll. Barry B. Brown, 73.0 mm <br /> <br /> The "Charleston Slit Shell" is one of the most enigmatic living pleurotomariid species, known only from a handful of specimens. Originally described from a single individual taken in an area known as the "Charleston Bump" east of Charleston, South Carolina, USA by the now-decommissioned submersible "Johnson Sea Link", it was placed in the genus Perotrochus at the time and later included in the genus Bayerotrochus when it was erected in 2002 to house thin-shelled, turbiniform species of living pleurotomariids once referred to as "Perotrochus Group B". Since its description, a number of additional specimens have surfaced sporadically in a variety of locations in the western Atlantic including Florida, Honduras, Martinique, and the specimen shown originates from Curaçao. Its distribution is therefore much wider than originally thought, ranging from North Atlantic off South Carolina to throughout the Caribbean Sea. However, it remains an extremely rare species with only one to a few specimens known from each locality it has been found in. <br /> <br /> A carnivorous grazer mainly feeding on sponges like other pleurotomariids, it inhabits rubble bottoms and steep cliffs with a known bathymetric range of approximately -100~400 m. The collection depth of the holotype was written as 213 m on the description paper, but this was erroneous and the correct depth is apparently 390 m according to records of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History where it is housed. <br /> <br /> The early whorls are rather flattened, giving it a characteristically domed spire profile. The few known examples vary just slightly in spire height and shell profile but differ much more significantly in colouration, with the base colour ranging from creamy white to yellow to deep brownish orange. Darker 'flame-like' streaks are present and overlaid on the base colour, but the density also vary somewhat among the specimens; specimens with darker base colouration also have relatively darker overlaid streaks. As typical for the genus Bayerotrochus, the shell is very thin and light for the size. <br /> <br /> Morphologically, it is most similar to the also very rare congener Bayerotrochus pyramus (Bayer, 1967) which is distributed across most of the Caribbean Sea, with most specimens being from Navassa Island off Haiti, Guadeloupe (type locality), and St Lucia. The two therefore overlap partly in range, although B. pyramus is said to be typically found in deeper waters around -400~650 m (but has been recorded as shallow as -250 m). These two species are most significantly different in spire height and the resulting overall shell shape, with B. pyramus having an even more strongly flattened spire than B. charlestonensis; this difference is present from the early teleoconch whorls onwards to the final whorl. Bayerotrochus charlestonensis is also much larger, with a typical shell diameter around 75 mm and exceptionally large specimens exceeding 95 mm, compared to B. pyramus with a typical diameter around 45 mm and the largest specimens reaching 65 mm. As many living pleurotomariid species are known to exhibit tall-spired and short-spired forms that were given different names, the true relationships among these two rare taxa await further clarification by examining a larger series of specimens to understand the range of their variability (currently difficult due to their rarity), or by molecular data comparing their genetic distance.
Ephippodontoana mcdougalli (Tate, 1889)<br /> GALEOMMATIDAE<br /> -8 m, Dived in shrimp burrow, Under heavy rock in a swell-prone area, Marion Bay, South Australia, Australia, Leg. Mark Wilkin, 2017, 11.5 mm <br /> <br /> The spectacularly ornamented "McDougall's Shrimp Burrow Lepton" is a relatively large galeommatid bivalve endemic to the southern coast of Australia. Like a number of species in Galeommatidae it lives commensally with other animals, in this case in the burrow of shrimps either underground or in sponges where it lives attached to the wall; in shallow waters down to about -15 m deep. Water currents generated by the shrimp are considered to help with its feeding, since it is a filter-feeder. The soft parts are much larger than the shell, and the valves are actually completely enveloped by folds in the mantle meaning the shell has effectivelfy been internalised. The mantle folds carry dense (persumably sensory) papillae. The foot is large, muscular, and divided into three lobes. When on the move the animal 'creeps' more like a snail rather than a typical bivalve, as is typical in Galeommatidae. During locomotion the valves are spread out flat and carried dorsally, the two valves together forming a disc shape. Like many galeommatids its shells cannot be completely closed when alive due to the large size of the foot. It is a rarely seen species especially when alive, partly due to its small size and very specific and cryptic habitat. Typical shell length around 8 mm, very large specimens may exceed 13 mm. Originally described in the genus Ephippodonta, the new genus Ephippodontoana was erected to house it in 1951 by the Japanese malacologist Takashige Habe, which remains monotypic to date and it is difficult to confuse with any other species due to its characteristic sculpture. It shows little intraspecific variation except the density and strength of the nodulous sculpture. The "Lepton" in its vernacular name is a remnant from when it used to be considered a member of Leptonidae, which is a junior synonym of Lasaeidae.
Euprotomus hawaiensis (Pilsbry, 1917)<br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> -32 m (-105 ft.), Live in octopus hole, Makaha, Oahu, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1985/vii/18, Leg. Chris Takahashi, 64.6 mm <br /> <br /> The "Hawaiian Conch" is a striking strombid endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (including the Midway Atoll), and is one of the most sought-after collector's item in its family. Most specimens have been found either dead and buried in sand or crabbed, even these are very scarce; such specimens usually have lost much of the colouration. Fresh dead specimens retaining good colours are even rarer, live-taken specimens like the one shown here are exceedingly rare. It inhabits sand and rubble bottoms; it is apparently nocturnal and likely feeds on minute algae like other strombids. Although usually found in depths between 20~50m, it is said to live as shallow as -5m; it can even be found beached (after storms), albeit very rarely. Typical shell length around 75mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed even 110mm. It is most closely related to Euprotomus vomer (Röding, 1798) which ranges widely in the western Pacific from Japan to Queensland, Australia to Niue to New Zealand. In fact, E. hawaiensis has been treated as a subspecies of E. vomer, as E. vomer hawaiensis for extensive periods of time, and only relatively recently has it become widely recognised as a full species in its own right. It is easily separated from E. vomer by the following key characters: 1. The lack of a distinctive dark brown patch near the columellar in the posterior part of the aperture; 2. Overall stronger spiral sculpture especially just above the suture; 3. The lack of obvious axial "zig-zac" lined pattern on the spire; 4. A taller spire, on average. Its type locality is Pearl and Hermes Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Euhadra murayamai Habe, 1976<br /> CAMAENIDAE<br /> Mt. Myojo, Itoigawa, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, 31.7 mm <br /> <br /> The "Murayama's Hadra Snail" is an exquisite member of the east Asian genus Euhadra (Camaenidae: Bradybaeninae), instantly distinguishable from all other congeners by its very flattened shell and being one of just a handful of normally sinistral species in the genus. This is one of the most readily identifiable Euhadra species, of which many require comparisons of the genitals to distinguish. From genital features and other anatomical characteristics, it is considered to be quite distant from other sinistral Euhadra species and therefore most likely switched to growing a sinistral shell independently and in convergence. An endemic species of Japan, it has an extremely restricted distribution range, being only known from limestone cliffs and crevices between about the elevation of 600~1200 m in Mt. Myojo, Niigata Prefecture. A herbivorous grazer feeding on the bark and leaves of shrubs, it hides in cracks and holes in limestone at day and comes out to feed at night. The flattened shell is considered to be adaptive in enableing it to access narrower cracks for better protection during the day. The banding pattern on the shell is quite consistent and consists of four bands in typical positions for genus Euhadra. In this species the two bands on the suture and around the umbilicus are especially dark coloured with the one below the suture weaker, the band above the suture is only weakly stained or even absent. It is a rarely seen species mostly due to its very narrow distribution and the difficulty in accessing the vertical limestone cliffs which it inhabits. Typical shell diameter 30 mm, very large specimens are known to exceed 40 mm. Individuals tend to grow larger in higher elevations with specimens exceeding 35 mm being almost exclusively found on the summit, although the reason is unknown. It is named after Mr Hitoshi Murayama, the Japanese conchologist who discovered it in 1971 and sent the specimens to Dr. Takashige Habe for description.
Perotrochus lucaya Bayer, 1965 <br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -275 m, Taken by submersible, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, 42.5 mm <br /> <br /> A small, light coloured pleurotomariid, the "Lucayan Slit Shell" is characterised by a thick, robust shell with a domed spire and very finely beaded sculpture. Known definitively only from the Bahamas, it ranges from Grand Bahama Island to Eleuthera to Great Inagua Island and is found between -250~400 m deep. Vast majority of specimens have been taken off Grand Bahama Islands either by trawling or through the use of manned submersibles, including the holotype (and the only specimen known at the time of description) which was trawled between -275~366 m deep in the Northwest Providence Channel by R/V GERDA off Lucaya, a town in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. The Bahamas is located in the Lucayan Archipelago named for the 'Lucayan people' (derived from Taino 'Lukku-Cairi', meaning 'island people'), the original inhabitants of the Bahamas prior to the arrival of Europeans. Although Bayer did not specify an etymology in his description, the specific epithet 'lucaya' likely refers to the type locality of Bahamas in a broad (the archipelago or the country) or narrow (the town of Lucaya) sense. There is actually a single record of this species supposedly from Venezuela (311 m deep, off Caracas), but this range extension has not been substantiated by further specimens and the collection data for that single specimen is questionable. A spongivorous gastropod, it inhabits steep vertical cliffs and is often found associated with sponges upon which it feeds. <br /> <br /> The spire height is rather variable in this species, ranging from high-spired and strongly domed specimens to those with lower spires where the shell height is similar to the diameter (ratio of height to diameter ranging between 1:1 to 1.2:1). Sides of the spire typically straight-sided but can also be weakly stepped. Various intergrades of these varying spire morphology co-occur and the sculpture does not differ significantly among them, indicating that they are all forms of a single species. Like many pleurotomariids the periphery of the base tends to become more convex in larger specimens. The colouration is white to pale beige with sparse axial streaks of darker beige, the frequency of such 'flame-like' streaks vary substantially among individuals. Although a yellowish brown periostracum is present at the shell edge, on other parts of the shell typically only traces remain at the suture. The foot is whitish with cloud-like patterns of light beige, the head and neck carry reddish horizontal streaks. Typical shell height around 35 mm, the largest specimens are known to exceed 60 mm. <br /> <br /> It is most similar to Perotrochus quoyanus (Fischer & Bernardi, 1856), especially the nominal subspecies which inhabits the Carribean Sea. Perotrochus lucaya differs from P. q. quoyanus, by having a much more domed and generally taller, less stepped spire, as well as a lighter colouration. The sculpture also differ between the two, with that of P. lucaya being dominated by fine and regular beading and P. q. quoyanus being dominated by strong spiral cords. The other subspecies of P. quoyanus, P. q. insularis Okutani & Goto, 1985, is endemic to Bermuda and can be differentiated from P. lucaya by its much coarser beading, more stepped spire, and larger size on average. Perotrochus quoyanus is not known from the Bahamas and the two species are therefore not known to co-occur.
Zoila marginata (Gaskoin, 1849) <br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -15 m, Dived in a cave, Carnac Island, Western Australia, Australia, 55.2 mm <br /> <br /> The "Broad-Margined Cowrie" is a species of the Australian endemic genus Zoila characterised by light background colouration and sharp, well-developed margins around the base of the shell. Like other Zoila species it is very variable in shell morphology and colouration; the shell form can vary from oval (shown) to very slender and elongated, and the amount of pigmentation and spotting also varies greatly both on the dorsum and on the base. Ranging between Jurien Bay to Augusta to Cape Recherche in the southwestern Australia, there are some general trends in shell morphologies from various localities. For example, those from the southern population around Albany tend to have taller dorsal humps and those from the western populations tend to have darker pigmentation above the extremeties. Nevertheless, the variability within each population is so great that it is often difficult to discern a shell's locality from just its morphology. The overall darker and more slender form from the Perth area has been given the name consueta Biraghi, 1993, but this name is now considered to be a junior synonym of Z. marginata. The locality of the holotype is not known and has been widely debated from the shell morphology, with some suggesting around Albany from the tall dorsum and some arguing for a western origin due to the higher abundance of specimens with finely reticulated dorsal patterns there. <br /> <br /> It is currently split into three subspecies, with the nominal subspecies ranging between Jurien Bay to Augusta in about -5~50 m deep, Z. m. albanyensis Raybaudi, 1985 between Cape Recherche to Cape Leewin in approximately the same depths, and the recently described deep-water subspecies Z. m. nudispira Lorenz, 2020 from around -100 m deep in the southern part of the species' range. Zoila m. albanyensis typically lacks dorsal spotting, with the dorsum being entirely white or with large, cloudy tan-coloured blotches (f. nimbosa Raybaudi, 1994), and is also usually more inflated and has a wider aperture. The subspecies Z. m. nudispira is rather similar to Z. m. albanyensis but lacks most of the callous on the spire making it mostly exposed (hence the name 'nudispira'), and is also generally smaller and lighter. The typical shell length of both the nominal subspecies and Z. m. albanyensis is around 60 mm (very large specimens approach 80 mm; Z. m. albanyensis is slightly larger on average), while for Z. m. nudispira the average is just shy of 50 mm (very large specimens exceeding 55 mm). Mostly found in underwater caves and crevices, it is a spongivorous gastropod and is mostly found living on its food sponge. Due to the shallow depths and rather wide range Z. m. marginata and Z. m. albanyensis are both quite common, while Z. m. nudispira is still rare. Due to the partly overlapping ranges among the three subspecies, further researches are required to understand their relationships. <br /> <br /> A couple of taxa previously treated as subspecies of Z. marginata including Z. ketyana (Raybaudi, 1978) and Z. orientalis Raybaudi, 1985 are currently treated as separate species in their own right. Between Dongara and Jurien Bay a population that appears to connect Z. marginata and Z. ketyana exists and has been informally referred to as "f. intermediata"; molecular data has shown that this population should be considered as Z. ketyana and not Z. marginata, although whether these two taxa are truly separate on a species level remains a debated topic.
Fusimorio deshayesii (Duval, 1841) <br /> CANCELLARIIDAE<br /> -70 m, Dredged, Off Île de Gorée, Dakar, Senegal, 33.1 mm <br /> <br /> Better known by the name Loxotaphrus deshayesii, the "Morum-like Nutmeg" is an enigmatic species characterised by a peculiar shell morphology resembling a mixture of various genera from different caenogastropod families like Galeodea (Cassidae), Morum (Harpidae), and Cancellaria (Cancellariidae). Its familial placement has been a subject of debate since the original description as Cassidaria deshayesii Duval, 1841 in Cassidae, Cassidaria Lamarck, 1816 being a junior synonym of Galeodea Link, 1807. Later the genus Loxotaphrus Harris, 1897 was erected to house similar fossil species from Miocene described in Buccinidae, and it was then moved here, as Loxotaphrus deshayesii. Various species included in Loxotaphrus were originally described in a wide range of families such as Cassidae, Buccinidae, Fasciolariidae, and Toniidae, exemplifying the puzzling shell morphology of this genus. The work by Alan G. Beu and Phillip A. Maxwell in 1987 revised and expanded the concept of Cancellariidae to include a number of genera originally placed in other families based on re-evaluation of shell characteristics, including Loxotaphrus in their newly erected subfamily subfamily Plesiotritoninae based on protoconch and details of the shell sculpture. The moving of Loxotaphrus to Cancellariidae remained questionable for many due to the lack of strong columarllar plaits, a key character of Cancellariidae. This was until in 2011 when a paper by Maria V. Modica et al. examined the radula and anatomy of two living species L. deshayesii and L. rosadoi to confirm that both indeed supported a placement in Plesiotritoninae, Cancellariidae. Importantly, they also confirmed this placement using a phylogenetic reconstruction based on DNA sequences (12S and 16S rRNA genes), settling the debate. Recently, the genus Fusimorio Sacco, 1896 was deemed to be a senior synonym of genus Loxotaphrus, changing the name of this species once again to Fusimorio deshayesii. <br /> <br /> Ranging between Western Sahara and Ivory Coast, it is a western Africa species living on soft bottoms of moderate depths around -20~80 m deep. Although the mode of feeding is unknown, its anatomy is suggestive of suctorial feeding similar to other cancellariids, probably on the body fluid of other animals. It was once extremely rare, and although some specimens have been recovered in the recent few decades it remains a rare and elusive species. Though it can be hardly confused with any other described species, individuals do exhibit some variation in shell morphology, especially the strength and spacing of axial varices and nodules on the varices; the shell colouration can also vary from whitish to dark brown. Typical shell length around 25 mm, very large specimens may exceed 35 mm.
Hysteroconcha multispinosa (Sowerby II, 1851) <br /> VENERIDAE<br /> On beach after a storm, Manabi Province, Ecuador, 2020/ii, 34.8 mm <br /> <br /> The spectacularly ornamented "Multi-spined Comb Venus" is one of a few heavily spined venerid clams in the genus Hysteroconcha. Ranging between Nicaragua and Peru in the eastern Pacific Ocean, it is a filter-feeding bivalve inhabiting sandy bottoms of shallow waters down to about 30 m deep. When alive, it burrows in sand with its spines positioned upwards, likely used as a defence against predators trying to snip off its siphons. Although locally not uncommon, not many specimens reach private collections, especially ones retaining long spines and without holes from predation by naticids. Majority of specimens have been collected on the beach after strong storms passed by, likely a reason behind many broken spines. Typical shell length including spines about 30 mm (25 mm without spines), very large specimens may exceed 40 mm (35 mm without spines). Although less well-known compared to its larger cousins H. dione (Linnaeus, 1758) from the western Atlantic and H. lupanaria (Lesson, 1831) also from the eastern Pacific, it is certainly no less spectacular, with much denser spines than either of them. The colouration of H. multispinosa is brownish red, rather than being violet to lavendar like the other two species. The two Pacific species, H. multispinosa and H. lupanaria, do co-occur, but they are easily distinguished since H. lupanaria is much larger, with more sparse but longer spines, and lacks the strongly erected ribs in H. multispinosa. Previously different authors have placed H. multispinosa under other genera including Pitar, Pitaria, and Cytheraea. Callista longispina Mörch, 1861 is considered to be a junior synonym.
Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840) <br /> FASCIOLARIIDAE<br /> -9m (-30 ft.), Dived on sand, Off Longboat Key, Florida, U.S.A., Leg. & Ex-coll. Peggy Williams, 1981/x/18, 365.3 mm <br /> <br /> With an astounding record shell length of 604.8 mm and an average shell length of about 380 mm, the "Florida Horse Conch" is a giant among the living gastropods. It is not only the largest of all living fasciolariids, but also the second largest living shelled gastropod of all, with only Syrinx aruanus (Linnaeus, 1758) reaching a greater shell length. Ranging between North Carolina, U.S.A. and Yucatan, Mexico, it inhabits soft bottoms from low intertidal down to about 30 m deep. It is a locally common species in Florida, and more uncommon elsewhere in its range. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it feeds on a variety of other large marine snails such as Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Sinistrofulgur perversum (Linnaeus, 1758). The head-foot of its soft parts is vivid orange in colouration and easily visible underwater when it is actively moving or feeding. When alive the shell is covered by a thick, dark brown periostracum. Quite variable in colouration, specimens can range from almost completely white to brownish; the most typical colouration consists of alternating spiral bands of darker and lighter orange (as shown). The strength of sculpturing on the shoulder is also very variable, ranging from completely smooth to bearing numerous small nodules to having a few strong, large nodules per whorl. <br /> <br /> It is famously known as the State Shell of Florida, a designation which was formally signed in 1969 after considerable efforts by members and friends of the Palm Beach County Shell Club. The 604.8 mm world record sized specimen is being displayed in the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum. <br /> It is the type species of Triplofusus erected in 1953; though some authors have placed it in the genus Pleuroploca, that genus is currently considered to be restricted to the Indo-West Pacific and therefore this species is more appropriately placed in Triplofusus. <br /> <br /> Unusually for such a large and well-known species, there have been a lot of confusion and controversy regarding the appropriate scientific name for this species. The first published name for it is Murex gigas Gmelin, 1791, but this name was unavailable due to being preoccupied by Murex gigas Born, 1780 (which is actually more 'gigas', being a synonym of Syrinx aruanus). Then Sowerby I published the name Fasciolaria papillosa Sowerby I, 1825 in an auction catalogue, but the description was very short and the specimen he based the name on is now considered lost. Fifteen years later Kiener described Fasciolaria gigantea Kiener, 1840, which was richly illustrated with thorough descriptions -- the type specimens illustrated and thus the name are clearly referrable to the Florida Horse Conch (though the type locality was given as "l'océan Pacifique?"). Though the specimen figured by Kiener could not be located in a search by Snyder et al. in 2012, they located and recognised a syntype in Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. <br /> <br /> Over the years, many authors argued backwards and forwards about whether Sowerby's name actually referred to the same species and would have priority, but since Sowerby's description was vauge and the lost specimen was small (3.7 in or 94 mm in shell length), it was difficult to know for sure if it was indeed a specimen of the Florida Horse Conch. Recently, a publication in 2017 by David P. Berschauer argued again for Sowerby's name taking priority over Kiener's, and attempted to designate a specimen illustrated by Reeve in 1847 as the neotype of Sowerby's name F. papillosus. Following this, William G. Lyons and Harry G. Lee submitted an Application to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, registered as Case 3755, to conserve the usage of Kiener's name. They presented a detailed literature survey with numerous lines of evidence for considering Sowerby's name to be a nomen dubium instead, and pointed out that Berschauer's designation of its neotype does not meet requirements stated in Art 75.3 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and is therefore invalid. They also stated that since Kiener's name has been prevailingly used compared to Sowerby's, the conserved usage of Kiener's name would help to maintain nomenclatural stability. After correspondence between the Commission and the two authors, their case was accepted for publication as a Nomenclatural Note in the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature (an official publication by the Commission) and the case was closed. Therefore, the correct scientific name to use for the Florida Horse Conch is currently Kiener's, now properly known as Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840). Fasciolaria reevei Jonas, 1850 was a name proposed for the smooth-shoulder form, and is now considered a junior synonym.
Sultana yatesi (Pfeiffer, 1855) <br /> ORTHALICIDAE<br /> +1900 m, In native forest, Rodriguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru, 2020/vi, 81.4 mm <br /> <br /> The visually striking "Yates' Sultana Snail" is characterised by an elongate shell with various degrees of sinuous axial patterning crossed by up to four spiral bands, and is one of a number of charismatic Sultana snails endemic to the central Andes in South America. It is currently considered to be a species with very variable shell colouration and patterning, both within and among populations or specific localities. The base colouration ranges from yellowish to reddish to purplish, and the development of both axial and spiral patterning also appears to be very variable (though specimens from the same locality do tend to be more similar). The specimen shown has an exceptional pattern with continuous bright yellow axial streaks on very dark spiral bands, a very similar specimen won the Shell of the Show at the 2019 Paris Shell Show. <br /> <br /> Originally described in the genus Bulimus, its type material is currently housed in the Natural History Museum, London. The type locality was given as "Meobamba, Eastern Peru", taken to mean Moyobamba in San Martín Department. In the original description Pfeiffer did not mention the number of specimens examined, and the name-bearing type was unclear. Later in 1985, Breure and Schouten selected a specimen figured in Pfeiffer's description as the lectotype; two paralectotypes are now known from the Hugh Cuming collection. A number of similar species described later, including Porphyrobaphe latevittata Shuttleworth, 1856, P. sublabeo Ancey 1890, P. grandis Rolle 1902, and P. sarcostoma Ancey, 1903 have now been formally synonymised with S. yatesi (by Richardson, 1993) on the basis that they have very similar shell shapes and that their colourful patterning consists of similar basic elements. Sultana vicaria (Fulton, 1896) was once also synonymised with S. yatesi by Richardson, but was later rehabilitated by Breure & Avila in 2016 due to its stouter shell and uniform colouration. The taxon Sultana galactostoma (Ancey, 1890) also has a similar shell shape to S. yatesi (but with whitish yellow colouration instead of colourful patterns) and it has been treated as a subspecies of S. yatesi, as S. y. galactostoma, by some authors. However, it has recently become clear that it is only definitively known from Ecuador with the records from Peru being erroneous; suggesting that it may be more appropriately treated as a separate full species afterall. Clearing up the true relationship among these taxa requires future anatomical and genetic evidences. Under the current definition, the range of S. yatesi spans across two Departments of Peru, namely Amazonas and San Martín, in high mountanous areas around +1000~2000 m in elevation; if S. y. galactostoma is considered as a subspecies then this extends the range of the species into Ecuador. <br /> <br /> Typical shell length around 80 mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 100 mm. Although used to be extremely scarce, a recent surge in the supply of Peruvian orthalicid snails rendered S. y. yatesi relatively easy to obtain today. Nevertheless, since it is a very variable species prone to scarring, high-quality specimens with striking patterns are still highly sought-after by collectors. <br /> <br /> It was named after a Mr. Yates who provided the material for its description. Today it is often listed under the subgenus Metorthalicus, for which it is the type species. In the past some authors have placed it under the genus Porphyrobaphe, although this is now no longer accepted and that genus is considered to be restricted to a group of species inhabiting Colombia and Ecuador.
Carinaria cristata (Linnaeus, 1767)<br /> CARINARIIDAE<br /> -380~420 m, Trawled off northern Inhaca Island, Maputo, Mozambique, 2003, 66.8 mm <br /> <br /> Although indeed 'glassy' in appearance, the "Glassy Nautilus" is not a nautilus (Cephalopoda) but actually the shell of a pelagic heteropod (Gastropoda) in the family Carinariidae. The highly translucent shell is minute compared to the impressively large, gelatinous animal that is not only the largest Carinaria but also the largest heteropod of all, attaining a body length over 680mm. Although thin and translucent, the shell is quite flexible and not as fragile as it may seem. A holoplanktic (i.e., planktic for its entire life) gastropod with a very wide range covering the entire Indo-Pacific, it is a vicious predator feeding on a variety of zooplankton, mainly salps and chaetognaths but also copepods and other planktic animals. Like most planktic gastropods it migrates vertically through the water column diurnally and may thus be found from the sea surface down to a few hundred metres deep, depending on environmental conditions and time of the day. A classic rarity of historical significance in shell collecting, it was chosen by S. Peter Dance as one of four important rarities in his "Shell Collecting: An Illustrated History" (1966). Originally Linneus thought it was a limpet and described it as Patella cristata, since he had no information on the animal. From the mid-18th to throughout the 19th Century, its strange form and translucent beauty attracted great attention of conchologists and it was one of the most coveted species of all, at the time even comparable to Conus gloriamaris Chemnitz, 1777. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, however, it has 'gone out of fashion' and became much less sought-after by the collecting community. Nevertheless, its shell is still a rarity today and scarcely available for private collectors, especially those in good condition and large size. Much of this rarity may be due to the lack of attention and demand it had once received, since there are numerous reports of divers encountering the animal, though most do not realise it is a mollusc and instead think they met a large jellyfish. Typical shell length around 35mm, very large specimens may exceed 70mm. The protoconch is tightly coiled but the teleoconch rapidly expands into a pyramidal cap; it can be distinguished from other Carinaria species by the large size, very loose coiling, and the much lower keel.
Distorsio burgessi Lewis, 1972<br /> PERSONIDAE<br /> -20 m, Dived in a pocket on coral reef, Kailua Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 2004, 37.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Checkerboard Distorsio", aptly named for its unmistakeable latticed parietal shield that makes it stand out among all known Distorsio species. Criss-crossed with spiral and axial ribs at similar strengths and spacings, the shield is ornamented by a series of squares, the borders of which are strikingly highlighted by a dark, reddish brown colouration. A famed endemic species of the Hawaiian Islands, it was first illustrated by the hawaiian conchologist and physician Clarence M. Burgess (1908-1999) in August 1963 on the Hawaiian Shell News as an unidentified Distorsio species. Later in 1972, it was formally described by the malacologist Harold Lewis (1927-1998) of Philadephia as more material (a grand total of five specimens) became available. To this day it remains a very rare species with the majority of specimens collected being long-dead empty shells that have lost most of the colouration; very few live specimens have been taken since its discovery. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it is found in shallow subtidal waters down to about 40 m in depth and probably feeds on polychaete worms like other personids. Typical shell length around 50 mm, very large specimens are known to attain 70 mm. Lewis named this species in honour of Burgess who first illustrated it in the literature. Since its discovery, the remarkable morphological similarity and completely opposite distribution patterns with its sister species Distorsio anus (Linnaeus, 1758) has been extensively discussed. In stark contrast to D. anus which is common across its extremely wide distribution range across the Indian and Pacific oceans from Hawaii to South Africa, D. burgessi is restricted to Hawaii where the two species co-occur in similar depths, though D. anus is by far more common. Lewis initially thought D. burgessi was a local variant of D. anus, until he had seen multiple specimens of D. burgessi which displayed consistent differences from a large series of Hawaiian D. anus. The two species have quite similar shell shapes, although D. burgessi lacks a strong secondary groove on the left side of the parietal shield that is characteristic of D. anus. The two differ significantly in shell colouration, however, where D. anus lacks the checkerboard pattern on the parietal shield and instead typically has dark patterns on the dorsum, across the body whorl. In D. burgessi, the body whorls only carry pale orange stains and in larger specimens even these orange stains are often absent, rendering the dorsum white. Furthermore, the siphonal canal of D. anus is also longer than that of D. burgessi. When live both species possesses an operculum and a hairy periostracum; the periostracum of D. burgessi is different from that of D. anus in being lighter in colouration and also in carrying shorter hairs.
Bathymodiolus thermophilus Kenk & Wilson, 1985<br /> MYTILIDAE<br /> -2656 m, Hydrothermal vent at 9°N (9°51.27'N, 104°17.82'W), East Pacific Rise, Southeast of Clipperton Island, 155.2 mm <br /> <br /> One of the trio of charismatic 'giant' vent-endemic animals discovered with the first confirmed deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the Galapagos Rift in 1977, the "Giant Vent Mussel" Bathymodiolus themophilus hosts dense symbiotic bacteria within specialised cells of its much hypertrophied gills and rely on these symbionts for energy. These bacteria are capable of sulfur oxidation, a type of chemosynthetic energy production which uses hydrogen sulfide (from the hot vent fluid) as the energy source, and is the reason why B. themophilus can reach very large sizes and form dense aggregations in the deep ocean where nutrients are usually scarce. The other two charismatic 'giant' anismal from the East Pacific vents, namely the giant vesicomyid clam Turneroconcha magnifica (Boss & Turner, 1980) and the giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila Jones, 1981, also rely on sulfur oxidising symbionts for energy; although now we also know of other vent animals that are associated with chemoautotrophic bacteria that use different energy sources such as methane and hydrogen gas. <br /> <br /> Upon the discovery of B. thermophilus, malacologists Vida Carmen Kenk and Barry R. Wilson had to erect not only a new genus, Bathymodiolus, but also a new subgenus, Bathymodiolinae, for it due to its unusual anatomical features that were at the time unique among mytilids (true mussels), such as the very large gills that lacked food grooves and a much reduced digestive system. Today, we know that these features are anatomical adaptations associated with reliance on symbiotic bacteria. It is still able to filter-feed, however, and is capable of surviving for some time even when a vent site becomes inactive. Though usually attached to basalt rock, vent chimney surface, or other mussels using byssus threads, it is actually surprisingly active and has a rather thick foot capable of moving distances in search for ideal environmental conditions. <br /> <br /> Since its discovery it has been found in many more East Pacific vents, and now it is known from East Pacific Rise vents between 13ºN to 22ºS in addition to Galapagos Rift, with a confirmed depth range between 2461-2840 m. In more southern vent sites on the East Pacific Rise between 31ºS and 38ºS it is replaced by the closely related Bathymodiolus antarcticus Johnson & Vrijenhoek, 2013, and the two species form a hybrid zone near 23ºS around the Easter Microplate. Although B. thermophilus is abundant in the vent sites where it occurs, these very small 'oases' among the vast deep-seafloor can only be reliably visited by deep submersibles and as a result it is virtually unobtainable for collectors. Typical shell length around 120 mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed 180 mm. The species name 'thermophilus' means 'heat-loving', referring to it hot vent habitat.
Turneroconcha magnifica (Boss & Turner, 1980)<br /> VESICOMYIDAE<br /> -2510 m, Hydrothermal vent at 9°N (9°51.08'N, 104°17.80'W), East Pacific Rise, Southeast of Clipperton Island, 221.6 mm <br /> <br /> The mollusc that changed everything (in deep-sea biology). On February 17th, 1977, geologists John B. "Jack" Corliss and Tjeerd van Andel were diving in the American research submersible DSV Alvin, on its 713th dive piloted by Jack Donnelly, at about 2500 m deep on the Galapagos Rift. They were looking for deep-sea hot springs, or 'hydrothermal vents', which have been predicted to exist from various evidences. Just two days before, a towed underwater system had detected signals of hot water where they are diving, along with the first photos of what looked like large bivalve shells. Nobody had any clue what they were -- Corliss and others were about to find out. Soon after arriving at the scene, the bathynauts found something they could never expect in addition to warm water streaming up from the seafloor -- extremely dense aggregations of giant clams and mussels living on and around the vents. Corliss was astonished by what he saw: "We've arrived at what looks like a clambake area... They are abalone shells? They are shells! They are big shells. They are living...". They had found the first hydrothermal vent ecosystem, dominated by two giant bivalves. <br /> <br /> The giant clam proved to be a member of the then poorly-known family Vesicomyidae, and was initially placed in the genus Calyptogena, as Calyptogena maginifica, or the "Magnificent Calypto Clam". The mussel turned out to be member of a brand new genus and subfamily, later described as Bathymodiolus thermophilus Kenk & Wilson, 1985. When first discovered it was a great mystery as to what energy enabled such dense aggregations of these large clams in the normally nutrient-poor deep ocean, but later research revealed that it houses special symbiotic bacteria inside cells of its much enlarged gill; these bacteria are capable of using hydrogen sulfide contained in the warm vent fluid as energy source, and the clam in turn receives energy from these bacteria. It has a large volume of red blood, containing haemoglobin to transport oxygen and a specialised large protein to transport hydrogen sulfide. Later it became apparent that the mussel B. thermophilus, as well as the famed giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila Jones, 1981 that was discovered just a few dives later, also had a similar way of life. The finding of such animals relying on chemosynthetic primary production opened up a new era of deep-sea biology focusing on chemosynthesis-based ecosystems, still very much an active area of research today. <br /> <br /> Although it was clear that C. magnifica should not actually be assigned to Calyptogena due to morphological and molecular differences with the type species Calyptogena pacifica Dall, 1891, an appropriate genus did not exist and it was referred to as 'Calyptogena' magnifica (with quotation marks) for a long time. Finally in 2020 a new genus, Turneroconcha, was erected to house it. The genus name honours the American malacologist Prof. Ruth D. Turner (1914-2000) who described the species with Prof. Kenneth J. Boss (1935-2014). Today, it is known also from the East Pacific Rise vents from 23ºN to 18ºS in addition to Galapagos Rift, with a confirmed depth range of 2251-2791 m. Although quite abundant in the vent sites where it occurs, these sites are tiny 'oases' in the vast deep-seafloor can only be reliably visited with submersibles, therefore it is virtually absent from private collections. Mostly living epifaunally on rocks and crevices, it differs from most other chemosymbiotic vesicomyids in that it rarely burrows into the sediment. Typical shell length around 180 mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 260 mm.
Hinnites corallinus Sowerby I, 1827<br /> PECTINIDAE<br /> Trawled offshore, Luanda, Angola, 2014/vi, 140.0 mm <br /> <br /> A large pectinid characterised by very heavy and irregularly shaped shell, Hinnites corallinus is unusual among scallops in that adults live cemented to hard substrates with its left valve, which gives it the variable form. A western African species ranging between Angola to South Africa, the vast majority of specimens known have come from diving activity and trawl by-catches off Angola. A filter-feeding bivalve, it lives in shallow to moderate depths around -10~200 m and is a rather rarely seen species. Juveniles are mobile and have regular fan-shaped shells like most pectinids, but it transitions to a sessile life style soon after. A number of other pectinids around the world also abruptly changes to semented lifestyle and therefore appear superficially very similar, these were once all placed in Hinnites and referred to as the 'Hinnites' group. Today, it has become apparent that this characteristic and way of life has evolved independently in various pectinid groups and the similarity is a result of convergent evolution; H. corallinus is now the only living species classified in Hinnites, with other 'Hinnites group' pectinids moved to other genera, for example Talochlamys abscondita (Fischer in Locard, 1898) also from Western Africa, Crassadoma gigantea (J.E. Gray, 1825) from west coast of U.S.A., and Laevichlamys boninensis (Dijkstra & Matsukuma, 1993) from Ogasawara Islands, Japan. The exterior colouration is reddish, although is variable between bright orange to deep purple red; the interior colouration, especially on the muscle scar, is even more variable and ranges from simple red patches on a lighter background to exhibiting complex, captivating patterns or purple and red (shown). Typical shell length around 120 mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 180 mm.
Coluzea mariae Powell, 1952<br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -450 m (-1480 ft), Trawled, Chatham Rise, New Zealand, 1998/i, 88.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Maria's Pagoda" is a large columbariid snail with an elegant pure white or ivory shell, characterised by a short, broad spire with a weak but clearly definied peripheral keel. An uncommon species endemic to New Zealand waters, its distribution range extends from the east side of South Island from Cape Campbell to Chatham Rise, and southwards to off Auckland and Campbell Islands. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on polychaete worms like other columbariids, it inhabits sand, mud, and rubble bottoms around 100~700 m deep and most specimens have been found between 300~500 m deep. Generally a little-varied species but individuals do vary somewhat in spire height and the strength of axial sculpture. Juvenile shells possess much stronger axial sculpture, which gradually weakens towards the final adult whorl. The distal end of the siphonal canal is spirally twisted, though the strength varies greatly among individuals. It is typically covered by a thin, brownish yellow periostracum when alive and possesses a corneous operculum. Typical shell length around 75 mm, very large specimens are known to exceed 100 mm. It was named in honour of a Mrs. Maria Black. It is sometimes confused with other kiwi Coluzea species, C. spiralis (Adams, 1856) and C. wormaldi (Powell, 1971) but is easily distinguishable from both by the shorter spire and weaker sculpture. With C. spiralis and C. wormaldi mainly distributed around North Island, their ranges also do not overlap with that of C. mariae except in the northernmost part of South Island. Coluzea altocanalis Dell, 1956 does have an overlapping range with C. mariae but lives in deeper waters (usually 600~1000 m deep), and is very different in shell sculpture that it cannot be confused with C. mariae.
Charonia variegata (Lamarck, 1816)<br /> CHARONIIDAE<br /> -40 m, From lobster pot, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, 325.2 mm <br /> <br /> A very large tonnoidean snail, the "Atlantic Triton's Trumpet" is one of the most well-known Atlantic molluscs. It has a very wide distribution ranging from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean Sea to Brazil, owing to a very long planktrophic larval dispersal stage over many months leading to a large veliger larvae with a shell length of about 5 mm. A common carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it actively seeks out and hunts various echinoderms for food, especially sea stars and holothurians. Inhabiting sand and rubble bottoms, it is typically found in shallow water down to about -30 m deep but in exceptional circumstances live individuals have been spotted at over 100 m deep. The shell is often used for decoration, and the meat is edible. Although generally instantly recognisable, it is quite variable in shell colouration and shell height to width ratio; golden or orange shells are less frequent compared to red ones. Specimens from the Mediterranean have been known under the form name f. seguenzae Aradas & Benoit 1874, and supposedly have narrower spires, but given the general variability in shell form of this species it is treated as a junior synonym. It is a protected species in the Mediterranean Sea and Europe in general under both the Bern Convention and the Barcelona Convention. Typical shell length around 250 mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed 380 mm. On some occasions it has been confused with its Pacific sister species Charonia tritonis (Linnaeus, 1758), but they are easily distinguishable based on the following features: 1) whorls of C. tritonis are much less angulated than C. variegata; 2) the 'crecent' patterns are more clearly-defined and often bluish in C. tritonis, but are more diffused and never carry bluish tones in C. variegata; 3) the raised, light-coloured 'teeth' in the inner lip is broader than the dark-coloured background in C. tritonis but vice-versa in C. variegata; 4) the outer lip is more flared in adults of C. tritonis compared to C. variegata; 5) teeth on the outer lip extends much longer into the aperture in C. tritonis than C. variegata. 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.
Halicardia philippinensis Poutiers, 1981 <br /> VERTICORDIIDAE<br /> -320 m, Trawled on mud and sand bottom, East China Sea, 2011, 20.6 mm <br /> <br /> An unusual dorsal-ventrally expanded shell shape characterises Halicardia philippinensis, a member of the enigmatic deep-sea family Verticordiidae. Originally described from the Philippines and thought to be endemic there, later it was also found to inhabit East China Sea. A little-varied species instantly recognisable from its shell form, although a little variation can be seen in both the shell proportions and the number and strength of radial striae among individuals, even from the same locality. Recently, some morphologically similar specimens have appeared from off Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, but these have slightly more prominent radial sculpture and whether they are truly H. philippinensis requires further studies. Members of Verticordiidae are supposedly carnivorous and feed by capturing small animals such as copepods using mucus-lined tentacles, and H. philippinensis persumably does the same. A deep-water species inhabiting soft bottoms around -300~600 m in depth, it is a rarely seen species due to the difficulty of obtaining material from such depths. It is easily distinguishable from all other described Halicardia species by the complete lack of deep radial sulcus. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very large specimens are known to excceed 30 mm.
Triviella martybealsi Fehse, 2016 <br /> TRIVIIDAE<br /> -65 m, Dredged, Cape St. Francis, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 2012, 25.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Marty Beals' Trivia" is a large and spectacular triviid endemic to the eastern part of South Africa, where it is known between Cape St. Francis and East London. A spongivorous gastropod, it occurs in moderately deep waters around -50~200 m depth and normally lives on its food sponge. Quite an uncommon species, it is best known from dredging material taken off Cape St. Francis. The dorsal shell colouration ranges from beige to greyish overlaid by lighter grey ribs. Typically the dorsal sculpture features a clearly defined, deep dorsal sulcus not crossed by ribs. Although this is a useful character for identification, specimens lacking the dorsal sulcus are known and it is not a defining feature. Typical shell length around 22 mm, extremely large specimens may approach 30 mm. It was named after the conchologist and shell dealer Marty Beals of California, U.S.A., who primarily specialises on cowries. Most specimens in collections are misidentified under the name of Triviella sanctispiritus (Shikama, 1974), as it was only recently described. The real T. sancrispiritus has a more northern distribution center northwards of East London (although the two slightly overlap), and although the size and shape of the shell is similar it has a distinct (usually much weaker) irregular dorsal ribbing. Triviella lorenzi Fehse, 2016 has also been confused with T. martybealsi since they co-occur in the same distribution range and have a similar size, but the round, spherical shell of T. lorenzi is quite easily distinguished from the strongly pyriform shell of T. martybealsi.
Triviella lorenzi Fehse, 2016 <br /> TRIVIIDAE<br /> -65 m, Dredged with sponges, Off Cape St. Francis, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 25.3 mm <br /> <br /> With a relatively large-sized and strongly sculptured shell, the "Lorenz's Trivia" is one of the most impressive members of the African genus Triviella. Endemic to the eastern part of South Africa, it ranges between Cape St. Francis and East London where it lives in relatively deep waters around 50~200 m depth. A somewhat rare species, most specimens have been dredged off Cape St. Francis. Like other Triviella species it feeds on sponges and are normally found in association with them. Most specimens lack an obvious dorsal sulcus and the coarse ribs regularly run continuously across the entire dorsal surface. However, specimens with narrow dorsal sulcus are known and the lack of it is not a reliable characteristic for identification. The colouration is beige but can range from a light beige tinge to brownish beige. Typical shell length around 20 mm, very specimens may exceed 27 mm. It was named in honour of Felix Lorenz, a well-known taxonomic expert of cowries and allied-cowries. Vast majority of specimens catalogued as Triviella sanctispiritus (Shikama, 1974) in collections are in fact T. lorenzi, which was only recently described. The real T. sancrispiritus has a more northern distribution center northwards of East London (although the two slightly overlap), and has a pyriform shell with a distinct (usually much weaker) irregular dorsal ribbing. Triviella martybealsi Fehse, 2016 is another species that T. lorenzi has been confused with, but this is mostly due to the fact that they co-occur and have a similar size -- the strongly pyriform shell of T. martybealsi is easily differentiated from the round, spherical shell of T. lorenzi. Triviella splendidissima Tomlin & Schilder, 1934 is another similar species from South Africa with a spherical shell, but has a more northern distribution centered around Durban and a smaller (up to 15 mm), much less calloused shell.
Bryopa aperta (Sowerby I, 1823)<br /> CLAVAGELLIDAE<br /> Dived in shallow water, Adriatic Sea, Ortona, Chieti, Italy, 16.4 mm (exposed part of the crypt) <br /> <br /> The "Open Watering Pot" is a bizarre clavagelllid bivalve in the enigmatic superfamily Clavagelloidea which exhibits the remarkable behaviour of building a calcareous tube, called the 'adventitious tube' or 'crypt', instead of normal bivalved shell. At early stages of life it bears normal bivalved true shells, but after later it becomes attached on rocks or dead corals and starts to bore into the hard substrate. At the same time it builds the crypt, which forms the wall of its borehole with an additional tube-like extension beyond the opening on the substrate surface. The left valve in this species becomes incorporated to the external surface of the crypt, while the right valve remains free and articulated within the main cavity. The free right valve distinguishes clavagellids from the sister family Penicilidae, in which both valves are cemented to the crypt. A filter-feeding bivalve, it is found in shallow waters down to about -40 m deep in the Mediterranean Sea. Although a common species, its endolithic nature means it is difficult to find and collect, leading to its apparently scarcity in collections. Typical length of the exposed part of the crypt is approximately 15 mm, though this is very variable and in very large specimens this may exceed 50 mm. It is the type species of the genus Bryopa. The exposed part of its crypt carries a number of collar-like structures known as pleated ruffles, which distinguishes it from other Bryopa species including Bryopa melitensis (Broderip, 1834) which also occurs in the Mediterranean. Bryopa melitensis is much larger with the exposed part of the crypt reaching about 100 mm, and the tube is sculptured with about 16 longitudinal ribs and lacking in pleated ruffles.
Cymbiola palawanica Douté & Bail, 2000<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -15~18 m, Dived, Coron Island, Calamian Islands, Palawan, Philippines, 100.0 mm <br /> <br /> With three finely tented, crimson bands the "Palawan Volute" is a magnificently colourful volutid endemic to the western Philippines, ranging from Palawan Island to Cuyo Islands. Originally considered to be a form of Cymbiola aulica (Sowerby I, 1825), it was recognised as a distinct species following detailed study of the C. aulica complex in Philippines and surrounding areas. The consistently weak shoulder nodules, typically smaller size, and the characteristically intense colour pattern together distinguishes it from C. aulica as well as the closely related C. malayensis Douté & Bail, 2000. A carnivorous gastropod like other volutids, it inhabits soft bottoms of coral reefs in rather shallow water down to about 30 m deep and is an uncommon species. The shell is normally two-toned with a light red base colour overlaid by crimson bands and blotches, but some specimens have additional black patches (shown). Such specimens are predominantly found in Cuyo Islands (often called 'Cuyo form' or 'form cuyo') and are highly sought-after by collectors. Typical shell length around 80 mm, very large specimens may exceed 110 mm.
Tectus dentatus (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775)<br /> TEGULIDAE<br /> Exposed on the reef in shallow water, Northeast Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, 2017, 115.8 mm <br /> <br /> A very high spire and a row of very strongly raised tubercles just above the suture make the "Toothed Top" an unmistakable tegulid native to the western Indian Ocean, especially well known from the Red Sea. A herbivorous grazer feeding on algae, it inhabits the edge and crest of coral reefs in shallow water down to about 10 m deep. A locally common species, the large size and thick nacre of its shell makes it an ideal target species harvested for the button making industry and its nacre is also used to make dental fillings and furniture inlays. The large foot reportedly tastes rather good and it is exploited as a food source locally in Egypt. High-quality specimen shells, however, are rather difficult to find. A little-varied species, the strength and size of the tubercles gradually increase as it grows. The spire of its shell is much taller in adults compared to juveniles. Another key characteristic in addition to the shell form is a wide, teal-coloured band around the columella. It possesses a corneous, multispiral operculum which is relatively large for the size of its aperture. Typical shell height around 100 mm, extemely large specimens may exceed 150 mm. This size makes it one of the largest tegulids along with Rochia nilotica (Linnaeus, 1767).
Amoria kawamurai Habe, 1975<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -100~300 m, Trawled on soft sediment by Taiwanese fishing vessel, Arafura Sea, Off northwestern Australia, c.1974, 81.7 mm <br /> <br /> Strikingly patterned with regularly spaced, wavy, chocolate axial lines, the shell of the "Kawamura's Volute" is certainly one of the most exquisite among Amoria species and indeed all volutids. Accidentally discovered as by-catch when Taiwanese trawlers worked in Arafura Sea during early 1970s, it first became available through Taiwanese conchologists in rather large numbers. Within a few years it was quickly described as a new species by the eminent Japanese malacologist Takashige Habe, dedicating it to the famous Japanese collector Ryosuke Kawamura in celebration of his 77th birthday. The Taiwanese trawlers caught many specimens in the initial couple of years and it appeared to be not uncommon, but then suddenly the supply stopped. Soon it became apparent that the early trawlers actually hit a one-off 'jackpot' that was never to be found again, and this species has become extremely rare ever since. As the detailed location where the Taiwanese trawlers worked is unknown, the exact locality in Arafura Sea where they found this elusive species in quantity remains a mystery. Only very few specimens have been collected after the early years, and today it is one of the most sought-after volutes of all. Probably a carnivorous and predatory gastropod, the Taiwanese fishermen trawled them on soft bottoms and reported their depth of collection as between 100~300 m deep. A specimen apparently belonging to this species was reported in La Conchiglia by Abbottsmith, with the locality being 24 m deep off Thevenard Island in Western Australia. As such, its actual geographic and bathymetric ranges remain contested. Like most Amoria species it is little-varied in shell form, but the pattern is rather variable in terms of the thickness and 'wavyness' of the axial lines. Typical shell length around 100 mm, extremely large specimens may reach 150 mm. Of other Amoria species, it is most similar to Amoria grayi Ludbrook, 1953 whose shell has a darker base colouration and lacking axial lines on the body whorl. Amoria grayi also produce axial lines in its early whorls, but this quickly stops and does not continue to the final couple of whorls. The relationship between A. kawamurai and A. grayi has been much debated, with some considering A. kawamurai to be a subspecies or even a form of A. grayi. The rediscovery of A. kawamurai is much needed to provide reliable distribution, anatomical, and genetic data in order to resolve this with good confidence.
Bathytoma engonia (Watson, 1881)<br /> BORSONIIDAE<br /> -500 m, Trawled, Off Naraha, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, 2010/xi, 32.3 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by an ivory shell with a strong, wide, blunt keel on the shoulder, Bathytoma engonia is an unusual borsoniid endemic to Japan. Ranging from Sagami Bay to Aomori Prefecture in the northern end of Honshu, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod inhabiting muddy bottoms. Most live specimens have been collected between 200~1000 m deep, although some records indicate specimens have been collected as shallow as 50 m deep. A little-varied species, the shell only varies slightly in the spire height and strength of the shoulder keel. Unlike most other Bathytoma species it lacks significant spiral sculpture with the exception of the shoulder keel, only exhibiting fine spiral threads which are stronger towards the anterior end. Although probably a common species in its local habitat, it is rarely collected due to its relatively deep depth bathymetric range and is a much sought-after species among Japanese collectors. Morphologically identical fossil shells are commonly found in Pleistocene deposits in northern Honshu, Japan. Typical shell length around 30 mm, very large specimens may reach 40 mm. Originally described as Pleurotoma engonia, the Japanese malacologist Katsura Oyama thought it was sufficiently distinct to be housed in a monotypic genus and erected Riuguhdrillia for it in 1951 -- 'Riuguh' meaning 'Dragon Palace', a location shared among many tales in Japanese mythology in the deep sea where the god of sea supposedly resides. Today, Riuguhdrillia is considered to be a junior synonym of Bathytoma. Suavodrillia sagamiana Dall, 1925 is a junior synonym based on a large specimen trawled in Sagami Bay by R/V Albatross in 1906.
Zoila venusta (Sowerby I, 1847) <br /> ssp. Z. v. roseopunctata Raybaudi, 1985 <br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -50 m, Dived on sponge, Esperance, Western Australia, Australia, 72.7 mm <br /> <br /> The "Delightful Cowrie" is a large and heavy Zoila endemic to Australia, ranging from Bernier Island in Western Australia southeast to the Great Australian Bight in South Australia. Like other Zoila species, it is a carnivorous grazer and is almost always found associated with large sponges on which it feeds. Like many Zoila species it is extremely variable in colouration, patterning, and size. Typical shell length around 70 mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed 100 mm. Currently it is tentatively split to five subspecies with slightly different morphological features, also separated by geographic or bathymetric differences of their habitats. The nominal subspecies is found in shallow water of about 5~15 m deep between Jurien Bay and Geraldton in Western Australia, and is characterised by flatter, elongate shells with pale orange colouration. This subspecies was once given the (unnecessary) name thatcheri Cox, 1869, which is still frequently used by many. Although once common, it is now rare with an almost complete dissapearance of freshly collected material. The subspecies Z. v. episema (Iredale, 1939) lives in shallow water down to -50 m between Perth to Augusta, and is characterised by usually smaller shells and dorsum being covered by a dark brown to blackish mottled pattern. This is the most commonly available subspecies of Z. venusta today. The form name sorrentensis Schilder, 1963 is often used to describe smaller specimens from Perth area. A very rare deep water subspecies, Z. v. bakeri (Gatliff, 1916), also lives in the west side of Australia and is characterised by a rostrate shell with the aperture becoming narrower at the anterior end rather than the posterior end. It is mostly found around 100~200 m deep between Cape Leeuwin to Bernier Island, but in Abrolhos Islands it has been found in exceptionally shallow depths between 45~70 m. The more southern area between Albany to Esperance is home to the subspecies Zoila v. roseopunctata Raybaudi, 1985 (shown) which lives in about 20~120 m depth. It is uncommon and is characterised by a strongly inflated shell usually with a bright colouration, mottled dorsum, and pinkish tone. Immaculate specimens are only rarely found and are known under the form name roseoimmaculata Raybaudi, 1985. Finally, the easternmost subspecies Z. v. morrisoni Lorenz, 2016 is found in deep waters of around -90~150 m between Cape Adieu and Ceduna in South Australia. This is an extremely rare subspecies known mostly from occasional materials trawled with sponges, and incorporates populations previously known under the names profunda Raybaudi, 1985 and orientalis Raybaudi, 1990. The former name was invalidly introduced and the latter was a junior homonym of Zoila orientalis Raybaudi, 1985 and therefore had to be replaced by the current name in 2016. This subspecies is characterised by inflated shells with coarser, fewer labral teeth compared to other subspecies and often a dimpled sculpture on the dorsum.
Alcithoe aillaudorum Bouchet & Poppe, 1988<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -400~450 m, Dredged, Southwest of Pine Island, New Caledonia, 55.2 mm <br /> <br /> The "Aillaud's Volute" is an unusual volutid endemic to New Caledonia, being the only member of genus Alcithoe known outside New Zealand waters to date. Since all Alcithoe, including fossil species, have protoconchs indicative of intracapsular development, this lineage most likely reached New Caledonia from northern New Zealand by slowly dispersing northwards along the Norfolk Ridge. The silky, glossy shell surface distinguishes it from all New Zealand Alcithoe species. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits muddy bottoms of deep waters in southern New Caledonia ranging between 400~700 m deep. Although a common species in its local habitat, it is rarely obtainable for collectors due to its deep and restricted habitat. A little-varied species in shell morphology, the shell colour ranges from beige to light brown with a rather broad, darker coloured band just anterior of the shoulder. The shoulder bears strong nodules, becoming slightly further spaced in the later whorls. Typical shell length around 55 mm, extremely large specimens may reach 85 mm. It is named in honour of Christiane and Jean-Pierre Aillaud who founded l'Association Conchyliologique de Nouvelle-Caledonie.
Sultana labeo (Broderip, 1828)<br /> ORTHALICIDAE<br /> +2350 m, Taken on tree, Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru, 81.7 mm <br /> <br /> The aptly-named "Blubber-lipped Bulimulus" is, as its name suggests, characterised by a strongly thickened and often pitted lip that is almost black in colour when fresh and gradually fading to reddish. Endemic to a small area around Chachapoyas, northern Peru, it is restricted to isolated and inaccessible forests in tall mountain ranges over 2300 m above sea level. The first specimen known in the West was collected by Henry Lister Maw, a British naval lieutenant who travelled across northern Peru from 1827-1828 in an expedition down the Amazon River. Maw collected multiple specimens in Taulia, a town east of Chachapoyas, and had seen many more, but in the end only a single shell reached Europe. This specimen was studied by Broderip who described it, and then deposited in the Zoological Society of London. By late 1950s it has, however, mysteriously dissapeared from the collections and is now considered lost. Although it was highly sought-after among conchologists, very few specimens surfaced after that due to the difficulty in accessing its isolated habitat, both physically and politically. As such, it was considered to be one of the rarest landsnails for decades, despite being clear from early reports that it is common in its local habitat and even used as food by locals. Fortunately, supply of landsnails from northern Peru has surged in the recent few years, and at last this species has become available in some quantity along with other Peruvian orthalicids. Large specimens with well-formed lips are still rather difficult to secure, however. A herbivorous orthalicid landsnail living on and under trees, it feeds on lichens, algae, and various plant matter. Specimens vary little in the overall shell form, but do vary in the amount of spiral patterning and the development of the outer lip (thickness and amount of pitting). Typical shell length around 70 mm, very large specimens can exceed 90 mm. It was originally placed in genus Bulinus, today it is often offered under the genus Porphyrobaphe. Within the currently accepted placement in genus Sultana, it is placed in subgenus Metorthalicus.
Drupa aperta (Blainville, 1832)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Lualualei, O'ahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 37.5 mm <br /> <br /> Endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago, the "Open Drupe" is a large drupe characterised by orange markings around the aperture. Inhabiting rocky shores where they are found from intertidal splash zones down to about -5 m deep, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod that feeds on other molluscs, especially limpets. Although always easily recognisable, it is rather variable in shell form in terms of the aperture shape and extend of expansion, as well as the strength and size of the nodulous sculpture on the shell surface. As a result, some individuals have rather restricted aperture and a compact shell form like typical Drupa species while others with larger aperture approach forms more typical of the genus Purpura. Indeed, it was originally described in the genus Purpura while some authors have previously also placed it in Thais. Although supposedly rather common in local habitats, it is quite rarely seen in the shell market. Typical shell length around 60 mm, very large specimens may exceed 90 mm. Purpura hiulca Valenciennes, 1846 and Purpura macrostoma Conrad, 1837 are junior synonyms.
Calliostoma vicdani Kosuge, 1984<br /> CALLIOSTOMATIDAE<br /> -100~200 m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Philippines, 2020/i, 35.5 mm <br /> <br /> The "Victor Dan's Top" is an exquisite calliostomatid characterised by a shell with six to eight spiral cords carrying strong, regularly spaced beads. The interspaces between the main spiral cords are occupied by further rows of much finer cords that also carry regular beading. Native to the western Pacific, it ranges from the southern half of Japan to the Philippines where it lives in moderately deep waters around 100~300 m below the sea surface. A carnivorous grazer, it probably feeds on sessile organisms such as corals and sponges like many other calliostomatids. Although the sculpture is rather consistent, its shell comes in a variety of colour forms. The overall hue is either reddish or purplish, and there is usually a reddish-brown pattern that can either be in the form of small speckles or large, cloud-like patches. The cords just above and below the suture tend to carry stronger colours than the rest of the shell. Mature shells usually possess a flared outer lip. Although once a moderately common species, today it has become at least uncommon since the supplies from around Japan dwindled; vast majority of specimens offered today originate from tangle nets in the Philippines. Typical shell height around 25 mm, extremely large specimens such as the one shown are known to exceed 35 mm. It is named in honour of the shell dealer and conchologist Victor Dan, based in the Philippines.
Nodipecten fragosus (Conrad, 1849) <br /> PECTINIDAE<br /> -36 m (-120 ft.), Trawled off southern Florida, U.S.A., 1998, 125.1 mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by strong and often knobby radial ribs, the "Northern Lion's Paw" is a colourful and attractive pectinid best known from Florida, U.S.A. where it is one of the most iconic molluscan species, although its actual distribution extends further from North Carolina throughout the Gulf of Mexico. A filter-feeding bivalve, it lives on sand to rubble bottoms between shallow to moderate depths around 3~100 m with most specimens dived or trawled between 10~25 m deep; it can also occasionally be found beached. It is often found attached to rubbles and corals using byssus threads, though it can be mobile when it needs to be. A rather variable species in terms of colouration, which is most commonly dark red but can range between whitish to yellow to dark brown, as well as the strength of nodules on the ribs, which can range between none to highly raised, strong nodules. The nodules tends to be stronger on earlier varices, and may vary greatly among varices within a single specimen. The colouration is almost always more saturated on the left valve. Although it is not uncommon especially in Florida, large specimens combining deep, bright colouration and large nodules are quite rare. The nodules are fragile and prone to damage on both outside and inside surfaces, specimens with intact nodules are highly sought-after. Typical shell length around 100 mm, extremely large specimens can exceed 155 mm. For many years it was confused with the closely-related Nodipecten nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758), the "Southern Lion's Paw", now both are considerde valid species. The two species differ in both morphology and distribution, with N. fragosus having 7-8 major radial ribs as opposed to 9-11 in N. nodosus and N. nodosus being restricted to the Caribbean province where N. fragosus does not occur. Both valves of N. fragosus tends to be more knobby when compared to N. nodosus.
Cocculina enigmadonta Chen & Linse, 2020 <br /> COCCULINIDAE<br /> -1429 m, Taken on vesicomyid clam shell, 'North of Glacier' area, Kemp Caldera vent site (59°41.701'S, 28°21.050'W), South Sandwich Arc, Weddell Sea, RRS JAMES COOK expedition JC42, ROV Isis Dive #149, 2010/ii/9<br /> Holotype (NHMUK20191095; left and bottom), 9.2 mm; Paratype 1 (NHMUK20191096; right and top), 12.1 mm. <br /> <br /> Known only from a single deep-sea caldera in the Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean, Cocculina enigmadonta is the first cocculinid and the only member of the entire order Cocculinida known to occur in hydrothermal vents. Kemp Caldera is an interesting site in that there is a natural whale fall near (~250 m) the hydrothermally active area, and C. enigmadonta was found on this whale fall in addition to the hot vent area where it was more abundant. Almost all cocculinids are known from sunken wood, with two previous exceptions which lived on whale bones. This species is therefore also the third cocculinid to occur on whale fall and the first known to live in two distinct types of chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. Dissections and 3D reconstruction of the internal organs found that its anatomy is very much similar to other Cocculina species from wood, although its radula was highly modified in having finely serrated cusps on the inner lateral teeth and a single broad, blunt cusp on the outermost lateral tooth. This radula modification is inferred to be an adaptation to different substrate types, supported by its derived position within the genus in the phylogenetic reconstruction. Like other cocculinids, however, it feeds on bacterial films growing on substrates including sulfides, basalt rocks, shells of vesicomyid clams, and whale bones; it has been collected between 1400-1450 m depth from these substrates. The shell is thin and covered by a thick, greenish periostracum. Highly conical in young specimens, the aperture rapidly expands in later stages to generate a flattened limpet form. The early parts of the shell are typically corroded away, the holotype is one of very few adult specimens retaining intact, conical, early shell among many collected. Typical shell length around 10 mm, extremely large specimens can reach 15 mm. The specific epithet 'enigmadonta' refers to its strange and unusual radula teeth morphology for the genus. <br /> <br /> Original photos by Pete Bucktrout, British Antarctic Survey.
Talostolida rashleighana (Melvill, 1888)<br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -25m, Dived in rubble among red sponges, Haleiwa, O'ahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1980s, 20.8 mm <br /> <br /> Typically heavily calloused and densely spotted side margins characterise the "Rashleigh's Cowrie", one of a few cypraeid species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It has always been a rare species since its discovery with live individuals being especially scarce, even more so in the last two decades as no live individuals have supposedly been seen or collected. Only dead, worn shell specimens continue to turn up from sand and sediments, often in underwater caves. As such, live-taken specimens now only circulate from old collections. Other key characteristics are an almost entirely smooth columellar and an overall white base. Although it has been reported from outside the Hawaiian Chain several times, now it has been clarified that these records were all based on misidentified specimens of other species. Its sister species Talostolida pseudoteres (Lorenz & Barbier, 1992) was originally considered to be its subspecies, but is now treated as a separate species in its own right. The generally less calloused and more elongate T. pseudoteres is best known from New Caledonia but is also found sparsely across Polynesia, Melanesia, and off New South Wales in Australia. Average shell length of T. rashleighana is around 20 mm, extremely large specimens may approach 30 mm. It was named in honour of Jonathan Rashleigh Jr. (1845-1872), a British shell collector from Menabilly, Cornwall. Genetic evidence has suggested that it should in fact be placed in the closely related genus Ovatipsa along with T. pseudoteres, but this has not been universally accepted due to discripancy the shell features which indicate stronger affinities with Talostolida. The genus placement of these two species therefore remains a topic for further studies and discussion.
Buccipagoda ponderi Marshall & Walton, 2019<br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> Trawled from deep water, Great Australian Bight, South Australia, Australia, 59.3 mm <br /> <br /> The "Ponder's Buccipagoda" is a recently recognised species of the enigmatic deep-water buccinid genus Buccipagoda Ponder 2010 -- a replacement name for the much better known Kapala Ponder, 1982 which unfortunately turned out to be a junior homonym of the insect genus Kapala Cameron, 1884. The bulging, strongly flared shoulder is highly characteristic of Buccipagoda, and until 2019 it was considered to be a mere variation of its sister species Buccipagoda kengrahami (Ponder, 1982). Marshall & Walton (2019) examined a series of Buccipagoda specimens from Australia, concluding that the two forms should be treated as separate species as no intergrades were found. Two paratypes of B. kengrahami was found to actually be B. ponderi, now these two specimens are included in the paratype series of B. ponderi. Buccipagoda ponderi differs from B. kengrahami in having a consistently less adapically flared shoulder, a less vertically compressed spire, and usually also weaker spiral threads. Although both species are endemic to southeastern Australia, B. ponderi has a narrower distribution from the Great Australian Bight to Tasmania whereas the distribution of B. kengrahami extends further east to Port Stephens in New South Wales. Persumably a carnivorous and scavenging gastropod, B. ponderi lives on soft bottoms of very deep waters with live-taken specimens only known between 1330-1520 m deep, although dead shells have been collected from as shallow as 520 m. Partly due to its very deep habitats it is an extremely rare species, live-taken specimens are especially scarce. Typical shell length around 60 mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed 75 mm. It is named in honour of Dr. Winston Ponder of the Australian Museum. 'Kapala' was named after the research vessel FRV Kapala that collected the holotype of B. kengrahami, and the replacement name Buccipagoda was named in reference to the genus' characteristic pagodiform spire.
Semicassis adcocki (Sowerby III, 1896)<br /> CASSIDAE<br /> -1~3 m, Dived in sand channel on reef, Off Reevesby Island, Spencer Gulf, South Australia, Australia, 1994, 37.9 mm <br /> <br /> Six rows of evenly spaced out, reddish brown, small spots characterise the "Adcock's Bonnet", a lovely cassid endemic to Australia. Among the most iconic species of the country, it is one of the most famous and sought-after Australian molluscs and cassids overall. Widely distributed across the south coast of Australia, it ranges from Victoria and Tasmania to Esperance, Western Australia. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on echinoderms like other cassids, it lives on sandy to silty bottoms across a wide bathymetric range between 1~100 m depth, although rare deeper records exist down to about 180 m deep. The type locality is Yankalilla Bay, South Australia. Still a rare species today, it appears to be naturally quite scarce in its habitat and is only occasionally collected by both diving and dredging or trawling. Typical shell length around 35 mm, very large specimens may exceed 45 mm. Although an overall little-varied and instantly recognisable species, some variations exist especially in size and spacing between the spots as well as the strength of the raised beading on the shoulder. Generally, specimens from the western end of its distribution tends to have weaker shoulders and also smaller in size. It is named after the Australian conchologist Daniel J. Adcock. Originally described in genus Cassis and later moved to Antephalium, which has since then been synonymised with Semicassis.
Acroptychia metableta (Crosse & Fischer, 1873)<br /> MEGALOMASTOMATIDAE<br /> In a karst area, Northwest of Antalaha, Sava, Madagascar, 24.0 mm <br /> <br /> Aptly named for characteristic blade-like varices developed on the final whorl that resemble those of true epitoniid wentletrap shells, the "Wentletrap Cyclotus" is a cyclophoroid landsnail in the family Megalomastomatidae. Varices as prominent as this is highly unusual among landsnails, making this species instantly recognisable even among congeners. Native to Madagascar, it is restricted to a small karst region near Antalaha in the northwestern part of the island and is a herbivorous grazer feeding mainly on lichen and algae. Although it was once reported to have gone extinct due to anthropogenic impact, it has been rediscovered and the population is apparently alive and well. Due to its small distribution range, it is an uncommonly collected species. Remarkably unvariable in shell form or size, the major differences seen among indivdiuals are the slight differences in spire height and number of varices on the body whorl. The name abortiva Fischer & Testud, 1973 was once given to those with less-than-typical number of varices; this name is now considered to be a junior synonym. Typical shell width around 25 mm, very large specimens may exceed 30 mm.
Amalda tankervillii (Swainson, 1825)<br /> ANCILLARIIDAE<br /> -50~80m, Dredged on sand, Margarita Island, Venezuela, 2001, 67.7mm <br /> <br /> The typically soft gold colouration of the rather lage shell has made the "Tankerville's Ancilla" one of the better known olivids of the tropic Atalantic Ocean. An uncommon species sought-after by collectors, it is known from Venezuela and Colombia with additional, unconfirmed, records from Brazil where its range may extend to. A carnivorous and scavenging gastropod inhabiting soft sandy bottoms, it is found from shallow to moderate depths around -5~80m. Although most specimens have been collected by diving or dredging, it has also been found beached after strong storms. A little-varied species in overall shell form, the shell is typically yellowish orange but sometimes may be lighter and cream-coloured. The body whorl is divided in two-tones, with a wider posterior region that is more yellowish in colour and a narrower anterior region being more peach in colour. The proportion between the two regions are very variable among individuals. An operculum is present, being much smaller than the aperture like many other Amalda species. The animal's head-foot is cream in colouration and covered with irregularly distributed dark brown blotches. Typical shell length around 60mm, extremely larges specimens are known to exceed 90mm. Named in memory of the 4th Earl of Tankerville, Charles Bennett (1743-1822), who was a naturalist with large collections of plants and shells. It was designated the type species of Amalda when the genus was described in 1853. Ancilla venezuelana Weisbord, 1962 is a junior synonym.
Perotrochus quoyanus insularis Okutani & Goto, 1985<br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -550m, In deep water baited trap, Bermuda, 49.2mm <br /> <br /> The "Insular Quoy's Slit Shell" is a geographically isolated subspecies of Perotrochus quoyanus (Fischer & Bernardi, 1856), the first living pleurotomariid formally described in literature in 1855. It is endemic to Bermuda, unlike the nominal subspecies which ranges widely around the Caribbean Sea from Yucatan, Mexico to Virgin Islands to Venezuela. A carnivorous grazer persumably feeding primarily on sponges like the nominal subspecies, it occurs in hard substrates between -300~600m deep, deeper than the typical bathymetric range of the nominal subspecies which is around -180~350m. It is very rarely seen with the majority of specimens being collected using deep water baited crab traps, and thus very few specimens were taken alive. Although in the original description it was differentiated from the nominal species based on 1) lighter shell colouration, 2) more rounded basal periphery, and 3) weaker sculpture, it can also be easily recognised by the fact that the shell is taller and with a shorter selenizone (slit). It is possible that future studies may conclude that it should be differentiated from P. quoyanus at a species, rather than subspecies, level. Typical shell diameter around 45mm, very large specimens may reach 60mm.
Dianadema japonica (Habe in Kuroda & Habe, 1981)<br /> CLAVAGELLIDAE<br /> By lobster gillnet, Tsuga Port, Kushimoto-cho, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, Leg. M. Tanaka, 2006/ii/1, 38.7mm <br /> <br /> An unusual bivalve known only between southern Japan and Taiwan, the "Japanese Watering Pot" is a member of the enigmatic superfamily Clavagelloidea which exhibits the remarkable behaviour of building a calcareous tube, called the 'adventitious tube' or 'crypt', instead of normal bivalved shell. At early stages of life it bears normal bivalved true shells, but after settlement it attaches to a solid surface to start building the adventitious tube. The left valve becomes incorporated to the external surface of the adventitious tube, while the right valve remains free and articulated within the main cavity of the tube. The free right valve distinguishes clavagellids from the sister family Penicilidae, in which both valves are cemented to the tube. A filter-feeding bivalve, it lives attached on the surface of hard substrates in shallow to moderately deep waters around -10~100m. Almost all specimens known come from gillnets and coral nets deployed off fishing ports of Wakayama Prefecture, Japan; other known localities include Miyako Island, Okinawa and Taiwan. Like other Dianadema it is a very rare species, especially live-taken specimens with the free right valve, probably partly due to the fact that living specimens are exceedingly difficult to spot and collect. Very few specimens have been found in the recent years, as deep water gillnet fisheries are apparently dwindling in Wakayama Prefecture. The anterior (cemented) end of the adventitious tube bears short, irregular tubules, while the posterior (raised) end of the tube is simple and without 'ruffles'. Typical length of the adventitious tube around 30mm, very large specimens may exceed 50mm; the shell length of the right valve averages around 10 mm. Originally described in the genus Clavagella, it was later moved to the more recently erected Dianadema according to its shell morphology. The genus Dianadema was named for Diana S. Jones and is a concatenation of Diana and diadem (a type of crown).
Zoila jeaniana Cate, 1968 aurata Raybaudi, 1979<br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -180m, Taken by ROV, Dirk Hartog Island, Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia, 83.9mm <br /> <br /> Golden orange spotting on a cream base characterises the shell of the "Golden Jean's Cowrie", a deep water subspecies of Zoila jeaniana Cate, 1968. Like all Zoila it is endemic to Australia. As a species Z. jeaniana occurs between -20~200m between Abrolhos Islands and Quobba area in Western Australia, and although Z. j. aurata is found in many areas across this range it is restricted to deeper parts of the bathymetric range between about -120~200m. Its range does overlap in part with the nominal subspecies Z. j. jeaniana, but the golden colouration and much more inflated, flat-based shells immediately separate Z. j. aurata from cooccuring individuals of the nominal subspecies. Originally it was only known only from materials taken in the 1990s and earlier by Taiwanese trawlers, now its habitats have fortunately been rediscovered using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) which has been able to collect fresh specimens. A carnivorous grazer feeding on sponges, it is usually found dwelling on white sponges on which it feeds, among sandy substrate. Prior to its rediscovery by ROVs it was quite rare due to a lack of fresh supply, now it is perhaps best described as uncommon, although large specimens of high quality are still difficult to obtain. Typical shell length around 75mm, extremely large individuals may exceed 105mm. Despite most specimens being quite uniform, some extreme variations such as pure white specimens and dwarf specimens below 50mm in shell length are known; these variations are typical for members of the genus Zoila. The specific epithet 'jeaniana' is named in honour of Jean Cate, wife of Crawford N. Cate who was an American malacologist specicalising in Cypraeoidea who described and named this species.
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