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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.

Ericusa sowerbyi (Kiener, 1839)<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -200~250m, Trawled, Off Eden, New South Wales, Australia, 185.7mm <br /> <br /> Endemic to Australia and ranging between Cape Moreton, Queensland to Kangaroo Island, Southern Australia, the "Spindle-shaped Volute" is characterised by a large shell with zigzagged axial patterns and a prominent but moderate-sized protoconch for a volutid. A common carnivorous gastropod feeding mainly on invertebrate animals, it inhabits soft bottoms over a wide depth range from -20~500m deep. There is a great variation in shell size (typically around 180mm but range between 80~300mm) and form in this species and although there are general geographic tendencies (those from higher latitude tend to be smaller and more ovate; those from deeper waters are usually heavier), many specimens do not fit in with the trends and thus it is best seen as a rather variable species across its range. Initially populations from New South Wales were described as a separate subspecies due to their larger, narrower shell on average and colouration that differed from more southern populations, this is now known to be within the great variation this species can exhibit and considered to be a mere form: E. sowerbyi f. perspecta Iredale, 1929. Although the interior is generally pinkish sometimes specimens with a white interior can be found; this form is known as E. sowerbyi f. porcellana Jackson, 1954. Another synonym is E. stokesi (Cotton, 1961) which was used for a pale fawn specimen from Southern Australia. Small individuals not exceeding 100mm in shell length is common off Sydney but large specimens are sometimes also found in the same locality. The genus Mesericusa Iredale, 1929 was once used to house this species but is now considered to be a junior synonym of Ericusa Adams & Adams, 1858.
Thermomya sulcata Chen, Okutani, Watanabe & Kojima, 2018<br /> CUSPIDARIIDAE<br /> -2849m, Snail hydrothermal vent site (12°57.189'N 143°37.166'E), Southern Mariana Trough, Leg. Shigeaki Kojima during DSV Shinkai 6500 Dive #1228 on-board R/V Yokosuka cruise YK10-11, 2010/ix/14, 8.1mm, Holotype (NSMT-Mo 78997) <br /> <br /> Thermomya sulcata is the first ever Recent cuspidariid bivalve to be recovered from deep-sea hydrothermal vents or any chemosynthetic ecosystems, and is a handsome species characterised by a compressed, blunt rostrum and sharply raised commarginal ribs on the shell discs. Such upturned and sharp commarginal ribs are unusual among cuspidariids, and the monotypic genus Thermomya was erected to house this species. Furthermore, it is also the first member of the superorder Anomalodesmata to be found at deep-sea vents. So far only known from two specimens taken by the manned submersible DSV Shinkai 6500 from the 2849 m deep Snail hydrothermal site in the Southern Mariana Trough, but it is likely more widely distributed in the periphery of western Pacific vents where small burrowing animals are easily overlooked. It is most likely a carnivorous bivalve like other cuspidariids, using internally generated suction forces to hunt small crustaceans. The two known specimens are 8.1 mm (holotype) and 5.5 mm (paratype) in shell length. Prof. Okutani gave it an elegant Japanese name: "Yume-no-syakushi-gai", literally meaning "Ladle Shell From Dreams". This is in reference to the Japanese name, "Yume-Hamaguri" ( = "Dream Clam"), of the famously beautiful and rare deep-water venerid clam Circomphalus hiraseanus (Kuroda, 1930) which is also characterised by sharply upturned commarginal ribs and a relatively small size within its family.
'Calyptogena' marissinica Chen, Okutani, Liang & Qiu, 2018<br /> VESICOMYIDAE<br /> -1372m, Taken by ROV Haima, From 'Haima' methane seep, Off southern Hainan Island, Northern sector of the South China Sea, 146.9mm, Paratype #1 (NSMT-Mo 79001) <br /> <br /> Known only from the 'Haima' hydrocarbon seep in the South China Sea, 'Calyptogena' marissinica is a large vesicomyid clam with an average shell length of about 150mm and the largest specimens exceeding 210mm. It probably relies on endosymbiotic bacteria living inside cells of its much enlarged gills like other vesicomyids, although this warrants further research to confirm. It lives in clusters or colonies and is usually positioned half-buried in mud. Like all large vesicomyid clams, the periostracum is lighter in colouration and more glossy in young individuals. Although a little-varied species, the proportional position of umbo varies slightly among individuals even from the same colony, and the radial ridge running from the umbo to the postero-ventral corner is stronger in younger individuals. It seems to be closely related to 'Calyptogena' similaris from the Nankai Trough, Japan, which is far more elongate and with a more concave ventral margin. Calyptogena nanshaensis Xu & Shen 1991 is the only other large vesicomyid reported from the South China Sea, but it clearly differs from 'C.' marissinica in hinge morphology as well as having a straight dorsal margin, a bluntly acute posterior end, and also being much smaller in size (only up to 70 mm shell length).
Conus (Cylinder) gloriamaris Chemnitz, 1777<br /> CONIDAE<br /> -100~120m, By tangle nets, Off Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines, 2015/x, 128.1mm <br /> <br /> The "Glory-of-the-Sea" is certainly the greatest historical rarity of all molluscs throughout the history of shell collecting. This distinguished cone with beautiful tent patterns was the most desirable and an exceptionally rare shell of for about two hundred years since the first specimen arrived in the western world as early as 1757. S. Peter Dance, who selected it as one of four greatest rarities in "Shell Collecting: An Illustrated History" (1966) and one of his 50 "Rare Shells" (1969), wrote: "some rare shells are well known; a few are famous; one, and one only, has become legendary"; "to see one was a priviledge, to hold one an honour, to own one a triumph". The handful of early specimens were all unlocalised but its true provenance was revealed by Hugh Cuming when he discovered two in the Philippines in 1836, but none were found after his visit and many considered it extinct; until 1957 when a living population was re-discovered once again in the Philippines. By 1960s many more had turned up from western Pacific and today it is only somewhat uncommon, many being brought up by deep-water tangle nets in the Philippines. Its distribution range is now known to be rather wide, ranging from the Philippines to Indonesia to Fiji to Samoa. Although it is found across a wide bathymetric range, -10~300m, most specimens are obtained from depths greater than -100m which certainly contributed to its initial scarcity. A predatory gastropod capable of injecting toxin using a dart-like radula like other conids, it inhabits sandy to muddy bottoms and is molluscivorous. The pattern is very variable and the shell is rather prone to growth lines. Specimens showing strong blue hues are known as well as a golden form. Typical shell length around 100mm, extremely large specimens may exceed even 170mm. Although much of its illustrous rarity has faded through the re-discovery, its fame and glory shall not; and it will always remain a must in any serious collection for as long as the history of shell collecting continues.
Phanerolepida transenna (Watson, 1879)<br /> COLLONIIDAE<br /> -900m, From muddy bottom, Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, 22.0mm <br /> <br /> A unique irregular net-like sculpture consisting of finely incised rhombohedral pattern characterises Phanerolepida transenna, the sole living species of the colloniid genus Phanerolepida. An extremely rare species endemic to Japan and ranging between Sagami Bay to Tosa Bay, it is one of the most sought-after rarities by collectors among all gastropods of the Japonic province. A bathyal gastropod inhabiting muddy bottoms between -550~1100m deep, it is considered to be a deposit feeder. The great depth it inhabits is perhaps the greatest reason behind its apparent rarity, especially on the shell trading market. Its characteristic sculpture begins at around the third teleoconch whorl, being preceded by smooth volutions often accompanied by some spiral cords, and on average becomes increasingly finer with growth. The extent of irregularity seen in the sculpture varies greatly among individuals. Typical shell length around 20mm, very large specimens are known to exceed 30mm. It is also known from fossil deposits in Japan from Pliocene onwards, and a few extinct congeners have been found around the Pacific with the oldest being Phanerolepida oregonensis Hickman, 1972 from Oligocene deposits in Oregon, U.S.A. It is hypothesised that the genus originated in North America and migrated to the western Pacific between the late Oligocene and early Miocene. Interestingly, the rhombohedral sculpture is shared by all members of the genus but apparently the grain size has become increasingly finer with time.
Mipus vicdani (Kosuge, 1980)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -150~200m, By tangle net, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Philippines, 35.0mm <br /> <br /> With a tall spire decorated with a strong peripheral keel and intricately imbricating sculpture, the "Victor Dan's Latiaxis" is an immediate standout among coralliophiline muricids. Originally described from Davao, Philippines, it has a trophical Pacific range extending from the South China Sea to Western Australia, although vast majority of specimens are still collected from the Philippines using deep-water tangle nets. An obligate associate feeding on corals as is typical for coralliophiline gastropods, it inhabits rather deep water from 50m down to over 600m deep. Many specimens have a futher strong keel between the shoulder peripheral keel and the suture, but the strength of this keel varies greatly among individuals. Typical shell length around 35mm, very large specimens may exceed 55mm. The names Mipus tortuosus (Azuma, 1961) and Mipus tabulatus (Schepman, 1911) are currently considered to be separate species, but are likely actually variants of the same species as M. vicdani as the differences in sculpture separating them is small considering the variability in shell form commonly seen in coralliophilines. If that is true, the earliest name would be M. tabulatus and its distribution range would extend to be from Japan all the way to East Africa. It is named in honour of the famous shell collector and dealer Victor Dan from the Philippines.
Coluzea wormaldi (Powell, 1971) <br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -450m, Trawled by scampi boat, Bay of Plenty, 37°20'S 176°30'E, North Island, New Zealand, 77.7mm <br /> <br /> The "Wormald's Pagoda Shell" is a very elegant columbariid endemic to New Zealand, where it is known from waters around northern to southern North Island. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on polychaete worms like other columbariids, it inhabits soft bottoms in deep water between 200~800m deep. Its type locality is 549m deep off Poor Knights Island. Although probably not uncommon in its natural habitat, it is a rarely seen species in collections largely due to the fact that it lives in deep water. A remarkably unvaries species in terms of its sculpture and white colouration, the distal end of the siphonal canal is often spirally twisted although this characteristic varies among individuals. When alive it is covered by a thin, straw coloured, finely lamellose periostracum and possesses a brown concentric operculum. Typical shell length around 75mm, very large specimens are known to exceed 110mm. The most similar species is perhaps the congener Coluzea spiralis (Adams, 1856), from which it is actually redily distinguished by the shorter, more compressed spire, a stronger shoulder keel, and the consistent lack of 'flame-like' reddish brown patter that characterises C. spiralis. Although much of the geographic ranges overlap between the two species, they inhabit rather distinct water depths with C. spiralis being found in shallower water ranging between 30~300m deep. Note that the family Columbariidae, which was treated as subfamily Columbariinae of Turbinellidae for many years, is now again raised to a full family in the most recent classification of Gastropoda (Bouchet et al., 2017, Malacologia 61: 1-526).
Gyrineum natator (Röding, 1798)<br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> Intertidal during low tide, On side of a large boulder, Pulau Merambong, Johor Strait, Johor, Malaysia, 2017/v/30, 09:00am MYT/GMT+8, Coll. Chong Chen, 38.7mm <br /> <br /> As its name suggests, the "Tuberculate Gyre Triton" is a small ranellid whose shell is characterised by numerous dark-coloured tubercles or beads distributed across the shell surface, as well as strong varices occuring every 180 degrees. A generally little-varied and easily recognisable species except the size of tubercles and spiral colour bands which vary somewhat in size. Although mainly a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on bivalves, polychaete worms, and other invertebrate animals, it has also been reported to feed on algae. It possesses an acid gland with which it can excrete sulfuric acid to dissolve calcium carbonate shells of prey animals, especially bivalves, but it appears to only carry out this energetically costly method of predation when other easier prey (such as worms or hydroids) is not available. Like many ranellids it has a very wide distribution in the Indo-West Pacific region ranging from central Japan to Indonesia to Mozambique, thanks to the very long dispersal ranges of its planktotrophic larvae. A common species across its range, it inhabits hard bottoms of shallow water ranging from the intertidal down to about 40m deep. Typical shell length around 30mm, very large specimens may exceed 45mm.
Livonia roadnightae (McCoy, 1881)<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -140m, Trawled, Great Australian Bight, South Australia, Australia, 190.9mm <br /> <br /> A huge protoconch of about 15mm in diameter and strong axial ribs separates the "Roadnight's Volute" from other volutids in genus Livonia. Endemic to Australia, it has a rather wide range from around Crowdy Head, New South Wales to Rottnest Island, Western Australia. An uncommon species, it inhabits moderately deep water around -20~350m and is a carnivorous gastropod mainly feeding on other invertebrate animals. The size of adult shells is very variable and range between about 110~225mm in shell length, although typically around 160mm. Other than the size, the frequency and extent of 'zig-zag' patterns on the shell also differs greatly among individuals. The story behind its name is enthralling to say the least -- it is named after a Mrs Roadnight who found and used the first known specimen to prop open a bedroom window in a hotel owned by her son! Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller (1825-1896; German-Australian botanist and geographer) happened to stay in that particular room by pure chance and noticed the shell to be new to science, ultimately leading to its description. The type locality is thus Ninety Mile Beach, Victoria where Mrs Roadnight found her shell. The eastern part of its range overlaps with a larger congener, Livonia mammilla (Sowerby I, 1844), and a specimen suspected to be the hybrid between the two species was named Livonia quisqualis Iredale, 1957.
Columbarium formosissimum Tomlin, 1928 <br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -80m, Dredged, Off Mossel Bay, Eden, Western Cape, South Africa, 49.0mm <br /> <br /> The "Most Graceful Pagoda" is, as its name suggests, a very graceful columbariid that is apparently endemic to South Africa. Inhabiting moderate depths around -80~200m, it is presumably a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding exclusively on polychaete worms like closely related species (although no direct evidence is known for this species). A very uncommon species partly due to its limited range, it is difficult to find a real specimen that is not a misidentified Coluzea eastwoodae (which is much more common). Generally a little-varied species but the strength of the anterior carina appears to be slightly variable, young individuals often have weaker anterior carina. Most often there is one or two futher spiral ridge around the anterior carina, but these may be absent. Typical shell length around 40mm, very large specimens may exceed 55mm. Although there has been reports of this species from Mozambique, these seem to be misidentified young Coluzea eastwoodae (Kilburn, 1971). When the protoconch is present there is little difficulty in distinguishing these two species given they belong to different genera, but in cases where the protoconch is missing the structure of the primary median keel clearly separates the two species. In Columbarium formosissimum the spines on the primary keel are weak, simple triangle protrusions that do not leave impressions past the keel. In Coluzea eastwoodae, however, each spine is much stronger and leaves vertical impressions on the whorls past the keel (making area around each spine stand out in a diamond shape). The slope posterior of the primary keel is generally wider and more sloped in Columbarium formosissimum than in Coluzea eastwoodae. Furthermore, Coluzea eastwoodae is a much larger species that often exceeds 80mm.
Perotrochus vicdani Kosuge, 1980<br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -280m, By tangle net, Negros Island, Visayas, Philippines, 61.8mm<br /> <br /> The "Victor Dan's Slit Shell" is a vibrant light-weight Western Pacific pleurotomariid ranging from the Philippines to Vietnam, although vast majority of specimens known originate from the Philippines. It was the first extant slit shell species to be discovered in the Philippines, being described ten years earlier than Mikadotrochus gotoi (Anseeuw, 1990). The form is quite variable in terms of spire height and steppedness, and so is the colouration in terms of strength of redness as well as the amount of flammules. Specimens from the area between Balicasag and Siquijor tends to have more intense red colour than usual. A carnivorous grazer feeding mostly on sponges, it inhabits rather deep water around -100~400m in depth. Typical shell diameter around 50mm, extremely large examples are known to exceed 70mm. Although it used to be a very rare species in the past, thanks to deep-water tangle nets smaller sized specimens are only uncommon nowadays, although large specimens over 55mm in shell diameter remains scarce. It is named in honour of Mr. Victor Dan, a famous shell enthusiast, collector, and dealer based in the Philippines.
Thersistrombus thersites (Swainson, 1823)<br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> -10~20m, Dived by local fisherman, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, 2017, 133.5mm <br /> <br /> An extremely thick and heavy strombid, the "Thersite Conch" ranges widely in the western Pacific from central Japan to Kermadec Islands, New Zealand to French Polynesia to Vietnam. One of the most prized Pacific strombids, it is uncommon (e.g., New Caledonia) to rare (e.g., South China Sea, Polynesia) across its range and highly sought after by collectors, most specimen comes from New Caledonia (type locality) or Okinawa, Japan. A herbivorous gastropod feeding on microalgae, it inhabits sand and rubble bottoms of rather shallow depths around -5~50m. It apparently exhibits a 'herding' behaviour where numerous individuals are found together at high density, a behaviour also known from a number of other strombids. The proportion of the shell (height to width ratio) is rather variable among localities, with those from the western part of its distribution (shown) generally being narrower. The patterning on the dorsum as well as colouration of the aperture (white to yellow) and columellar (white to yellow to pinkish) are highly variable among individuals regardless of the locality. Generally a very rough species with the spire and dorsum prone to damage and wear, it is very difficult to secure a perfect specimen with a glossy dorsum, as shown. Typical shell length around 130mm, extremely large specimens may reach 170mm. It is the only species currently placed in Thersistrombus, a genus erected in 2007 to house it.
Pyrulofusus harpa (Mörch, 1857) <br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> -120m, Trawled, Kodiac Island, Gulf of Alaska, Alaska, U.S.A., 2005, 97.5mm <br /> <br /> A naturally sinistral species, the "Left-handed Arctic Whelk" is a cold-water buccinid characterised by numerous deep spiral grooves running across the shell surface. Ranging from the southern Bering Sea to Aleutian Islands and Alaska, U.S.A., it has a rather wide bathymetric range from as shallow as -1m down to about -300m. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on other invertebrates, it is often found on sandy or rocky substrates. It is a very rarely seen species on the shell trade market, partly because of difficulty in accessing its natural habitat in the northern Pacific. The shell surface is prone to damage and wear, clean specimens are hard to come by. The Japanese malacologist Prof. Tadashige Habe (1916-2001) included it in his list of 50 representative rare shells of the world. Typical shell length around 100mm, very large specimens may exceed 130mm. Although it was once considered to be a subspecies of Pyrulofusus deformis (Reeve, 1847) which is also naturally sinistral, P. deformis is much larger (to 170mm) and lack the deep spiral grooves that characterise P. harpa; the two are currently considered separate full species. Pyrulofusus dexius (Dall, 1907) has a strikingly similar sculpture and distribution range to P. harpa, but is easily separated by the fact that it is naturally dextral, as the name suggests.
Astralium haematragum (Menke, 1829) <br /> TURBINIDAE<br /> Shallow water, Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, China, 2017/vi/12, 32.5mm <br /> <br /> The "Pacific Star" is a beautiful turbinid notable for its striking violet hue, most significant in the operculum and around the columella. It has a rather wide distribution in the southwest Pacific from central Honshu, Japan to northern Australia, and is common to abundant across most of its range. Usually highly encrusted in its natural environment, it inhabits hard bottoms of shallow water from the intertidal down to about -30m and is a grazing gastropod feeding on algae. It is an edible species like all turbinids and due to its abundance in the rocky shore, it is sometimes eaten locally in Japan. Typical shell height around 25mm, very large specimens may exceed 35mm. The extent of purple colouration varies among individuals, and also the tone is variable from dark violet (shown) to more reddish. In dead collected shells this colouration is often faded and lost.
Coluzea rotunda (Barnard, 1959)<br /> COLUMBARIIDAE<br /> -150~180m, Dredged off Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 1990's, Ex-coll. H. Boswell, 92.4mm <br /> <br /> The finely sculptured Coluzea rotunda is a large pagoda shell belonging to the family Columbariidae, and is endemic to South Africa. Typically collected from about -150~600m deep (although the holotype's collection data has a wide depth range about -450~1400m), its exact diet is unknown but it presumably feeds exclusively on polychaete worms like other closely related species. The operculum is dark brown and rather thick. A very rare species in collections due to the depth it inhabits, it makes only very occasional appearences in the shell trading market. Typical shell length around 70mm, very large specimens are known to exceed 90mm. One of the more robust Coluzea species, it is often confused with the closely related Coluzea radialis (Watson, 1882) and Coluzea angularis (Barnard, 1959), both also endemic to South Africa. It differs from C. radialis by lacking a obvious keel at the centre of each whorl, and instead only has a weak shoulder more posteriorly, towards the suture. From C. angularis, it differs by having much more strongly convex whorls, and also usually has more numerous axial ribs. It was once suggested that C. rotunda and C. angularis might represent two forms of the same species, an idea which lacks support at the moment but is worthy of further investigation by comparing more specimens.
Trophon pelseneeri Smith, 1915 <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -60~80m, Trawled by local boat, Off Macaé, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 2016/vi, 32.2mm <br /> <br /> With translucent glassy varices the "Pelseneer's Trophon" is a delicate Atlantic muricid ranging from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Argentina. The type locality is supposely west of Falkland Islands, but this has been suspected to be a mistake and the holotype probably actually originate from Rio de Janeiro. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on other invertebrates, it inhabits moderate depths around -30~150m and is rather uncommon, especially so with all varices intact. Typically there is one spiral colour band around the whorls just above the suture, but this is a variable character with many specimens possess wide bands or two bands and some lack the band altogether. Specimens coloured solid reddish brown also exist but are rare. A species with seemingly rather consistent adult sizes, the typical shell length is around 25mm with very large specimens occasionally exceeding 35mm. It was named in honour of the Belgian amateur malacologist Jean Paul Louis Pelseneer (1863-1945), who was a chemistry teacher and academy secretary but made significant contributions to malacology in his spare time. Pelseneer worked on materials from the Challenger and Siboga expeditions and described over 40 species. A well known junior synonym of T. pelseneeri is T. orbignyi Carcelles, 1946, originally described from Puerto Quequén, Argentina.
Hysteroconcha dione (Linnaeus, 1758)<br /> VENERIDAE<br /> -1m, Dived in muddy bottom of a shallow bay, Falcón Municipality, Venezuela, 49.9mm <br /> <br /> An extraordinary venerid, the delicately lavender "Royal Comb Venus" is one of few non-pectinoid bivalves to possess significant long spines on the shell. The spines projects posteriorly in two rows along a ridge running from the posterior margin to the umbo, and are thought to have a protective function guarding the soft siphon from predatory fishes. Although locally a common species the spines are fragile and easily broken, vast majority of specimens have no intact spines left. Specimens with well-preserved spines (as shown) are therefore quite rare and much sought-after by collectors. It is a western Atlantic species ranging from eastern Mexico to Venezuela, most specimens apparently originate from Venezuela. A filter-feeding and bivalve, it lives burried in sandy bottoms of shallow water from low intertidal zone down to about -10m deep. Typical shell length around 30mm excluding the spines, extremely large specimens may reach 50mm. When describing this species, Linnaeus famously alluded the view from umbo to human female genitalia, which he saw great similarity between, and wrote the description using obscene sexual terms. The obscenity actually increased in the description included in his later work "Fundamenta Testaceologiae" (1771) and was criticised by other naturalists such as Emanuel Mendes da Costa. The specific epithet 'dione' apparently refers to the goddess Dione, mother of Venus, in Greek mythology. Initially it was placed in the genus Venus, later in Pitar for many years, before its current placement in Hysteroconcha was accepted. Quite similar in appearance and often confused with its eastern Pacific congeners H. lupanaria (Lesson, 1831) and H. multispinosa (Sowerby II, 1851). The larger H. lupanaria has much longer spines on average but fewer in number, plus the concentric ribs are flat and not raised in the posterior half of the shell; the brown-coloured H. multispinosa is smaller and has even denser spines than H. dione.
Altivasum flindersi (Verco, 1914)<br /> TURBINELLIDAE<br /> -150m, From traps, South coast of Western Australia, Australia, 171.4mm <br /> <br /> Considered by many to be one of Australia's most striking gastropods, the "Flinders' Vase" is endemic to southwestern Australia, ranging between Jurien Bay, Western Australia and Blackstairs Passage, South Australia. With an average shell length of about 140mm and giant specimens exceeding 180mm, it is the largest of all known extant species in the subfamily Vasinae, and the only species in the genus Altivasum. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on polychaetes like other turbinellids, it has a rather wide depth range from about -5m to -200m. There appears to be two forms, a larger (>120mm) one with well-developed scaly spines (shown) and a smaller (<120mm) one lacking in significant spines and with a more robust shell for the size. Typically, the larger form is found at deeper depths over -50m and is collected by traps or trawls (with the majority being crabbed shells) while the smaller form is often dived. The fame of this species in being one of Australia's representative rarities is mostly built on the large form, and spiny specimens in good size and condition are still very rare and highly coveted by collectors. The colouration is rather variable, the most common colour is golden orange (as shown) but it may also be peach or white. It was named in honour of Matthew Flinders (1774-1814), the great English navigator who was the first to circumnavigate and effectively named Australia.
Tonna hawaiiensis Vos, 2007<br /> TONNIDAE<br /> -107m (-350 ft.), Taken in lobster trap by F/V Dominus, Necker Island, French Frigate Shoals, Leeward Hawaiian Islands, U.S.A., 1991, 83.4mm <br /> <br /> As its name suggests, the "Hawaiian Black-Mouthed Tun" is a tonnid endemic to the Hawaiian Islands where it is known from a rather wide bathymetric range from about -5~150m deep. Although locally common when taking into account crabbed and beached shells, live-taken specimens are rare; it appears to be more common in the Leeward Islands than the Windward Islands. The live animal is entirely black in colouration, and is presumably an active carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on echinoderms. Due to the remarkable blackish colouration around the aperture it has been long confused with Tonna melanostoma (Jay, 1839) from the Western Pacific, the only other species in the genus Tonna that shares this characteristic, with the Hawaiian specimens considered a form of T. melanostoma. At last, after examining many specimens of both species carefully side-by-side, the tonnid expert Chris Vos was able to show clearly that the two are separate species which led to the description of T. hawaiiensis. The two species differ most clearly in the spiral sculpture, with T. hawaiiensis having rounded, crested, and raised cords similar to T. variegata (Lamarck, 1822) and most interspaces lack obvious secondary cords, whereas T. melanostoma has broad, flat main cords with well-defined secondary cords between them, reminiscent of T. chinensis (Dillwyn, 1817). Although T. hawaiiensis appears to be greatly variable in size with a typical shell length around 100mm but the largest specimen confirmed exceeds 200mm, generally speaking it is smaller and more elongate in shell form than T. melanostoma (typical shell length around 200mm, largest specimens exceed 300mm). Even in the largest specimens of T. hawaiiensis the inside of the aperture is not fully darkened like that of adult T. melanostoma shells. Often the shell of T. hawaiiensis carry a pattern with randomly placed white patches, which is lacking in T. melanostoma. In young T. melanostoma the colouration of the main cords usually alternate between whitish and brownish (a feature lost in adults), but this is not seen in T. hawaiiensis of a similar size.
Morum ponderosum (Hanley, 1858)<br /> HARPIDAE<br /> Seragaki, Onna-son, Okinawa Island, Japan, 1987, 34.5mm <br /> <br /> An unusually robust species among members of the genus Morum, the "Heavy Morum" is a Pacific harpid widely ranging from Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan to the Philippines to New Caledonia and further extending as east as the Pitcairn Islands. Despite its wide distribution and shallow occurence with a depth range around just -2~40m, it is very rarely seen and especially so alive, indicating that it might intrinsically occur in low densities. This has led it to be celebrated as one of the most sought-after harpid rarities in the Pacific Ocean. Most specimens originate from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, usually in crabbed state; due to its shallow depth some collectors have been fortunate enough to find beached specimens. Live specimens are generally found around coral reefs associated with dead coral slabs and pieces; although little is known about its biology, it is presumably a predatory gastropod like other harpids. Typical shell length around 30mm, extremely large specimens may grow to reach 45mm. Due to its robust shell a monotypic subgenus was erected to house it -- Morum (Herculea) Adams & Adams, 1858, which some still use today. The soft parts are beautifully speckled with a pattern similar to that of the outer lip of the shell.
Sinustrombus taurus (Reeve, 1857) <br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> -26m, Dived on sand and rubble bottom, West side of Guam, 99.3mm <br /> <br /> The "Bull Conch" is a striking classic rarity among the strombids characterised by two posterior spines; it is one of the most coveted conchs of the Pacific Ocean and also one of S. Peter Dance's 50 "Rare Shells" (1969). Originally described from the collection of Sir David Barclay who kept the then unique specimen in personal collection until his death, and it remained unique for more than a century until its re-discovery in the Marshall Islands by R. C. "Dick" Willis. Locating its home ground was difficult because when Lovell Augustus Reeve described it he misinterpreted the locality as 'Amirante Islands', part of Seychelles in the Indian Ocean; the actual locality appears to be Admiralty Islands in the Pacific Ocean which is much more likely. It is still rare today, mainly known from the Marshall Islands and Mariana Islands. A herbivorous gastropod, it is usually found on sandy to rubbly bottoms of moderately shallow water around -5~50m in depth. Often found in pairs or small groups, rarely one may encounter a large 'herd' (known from many strombid species); and 'herds' may contain 50 or more individuals. Usually a rough species with much of the shell encrusted or corroded or damaged by cap shells and worm shells; specimen grade shells are difficult to find. A very heavy shell for its size, its typical shell length is around 90mm but giants are known to exceed 130mm.
Pictodentalium formosum (Adams & Reeve, 1850) <br /> DENTALIIDAE<br /> Dredged, Kii Oshima, Kushimoto-cho, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, 1992/ix/23, Ex-coll. A. Funazawa, 72.1mm <br /> <br /> Considered by many to be the most beautiful scaphopod of all, the "Formosan Tusk" is characterised by dense alternations of vibrant colourations on its shell with growth. On the early part of the shell the boundaries between colour bands are rather zigzagged or patched, making cloud-like splashes; in the later stages the colour bands become more restricted to regular rings. The range of colours exhibited by any one individual shell is highly variable. A surprisingly wide-ranging species in the Western Pacific, its distribution spans the southern half of Japan to the Philippines to Indonesia. Listed by T. C. Lan as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979), it is highly sought after by general shell collectors (especially for a scaphopod) and remains a rare find even today. Like many scaphopods it appears to densely populate small patches of suitable habitats, meaning on rare occasions one can hit a 'jackpot'. One such events happened in 1962, when hundreds of specimens (including a number of albinistic ones) were dredged from a small area 20m deep off Kochi Prefecture, Japan. This is (supposedly) the source of many specimens that circulate the market from time to time, as well as many museum specimens. Probably a predatory species mostly feeding by capturing benthic foraminiferans, it inhabits clean sandy bottoms of shallow waters ranging from the low intertidal to about -50m deep. A rather large scaphopod, its typical shell height is around 70mm but extremely large specimens may exceed even 100mm. In large specimens the dorsal end of the shell is usually highly eroded, leaving only a thin pipe. The specific name 'formosum' means 'beautiful'. The genus Pictodentalium is named for their unusually beautiful colouration among scaphopods, with two further Recent species known: the even more elusive (but smaller) P. festivum (Sowerby, 1914) from New Caledonia and Australia and the more wide-ranging and common (larger but much less colourful) P. vernedei (Hanley in G.B. Sowerby II, 1860).
Chicomurex excelsus Houart, Moe & Chen, 2017<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -150~300m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Philippines, 56.3mm (Paratype CC2) <br /> <br /> A beautiful and delicate muricid characterised by a long siphonal canal with strongly and intricately webbed spines, Chicomurex excelsus is the 14th species and the latest addition to known diversity of the genus Chicomurex. Presumably a carnivorous and predatory gastropod like other members of the genus, it inhabits hard substrates around -150~300m deep and is thus far known from the Philippines and Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Unlike other Chicomurex species, its siphonal canal lacks strongly recurved spines and has a flattened and frondose appearance. Its colouration varies from cream white to orange to brown, often banded like many other Chicomurex species. The protoconch is conical. Specimens from Kwajalein Atoll have broader body whorls compared to those from the Philippines, but are very similar in other aspects of the shell morphology, including the characteristic siphonal canal. Typical shell length around 50mm, the largest specimen recorded so far (Paratype CM) is at 58.3mm. The specific epithet ‘excelsus’ means ‘high, lofty, distinguished’, and was named for the distinctive and beautiful shell morphology. Its Japanese name (‘wa-mei’) is ‘Furisode-Senju’ named after the “swinging-sleeves” style kimono known as ‘furisode’, the sleeves of which bear resemblance to the strongly webbed, flattened siphonal canal. Apparently a very rare species, with only a few specimens having been collected in the Philippines compared to other described Chicomurex species in the area which have been collected in good numbers, and in Kwajalein it is only known from dead specimens mostly preyed upon by octopuses. Dead shells have been found as shallow as -60m in Kwajalein, likely brought up from deeper waters by octopuses. Specimens from Kwajalein have relatively broader last teleoconch whorl, but is otherwise very similar to those from the Philippines. It is most similar to Chicomurex gloriosus (Shikama, 1977), but may be easily distinguished from that species by the longer, more flattened siphonal canal lacking in strongly upturned spines. It also differs from C. gloriosus by having a more angular final whorl, narrower varices, and lower intervarical nodes.
Chicomurex excelsus Houart, Moe & Chen, 2017<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -200m, By tangle net, Balut Island, Philippines, 46.1mm (Paratype CC1) <br /> <br /> A beautiful and delicate muricid characterised by a long siphonal canal with strongly and intricately webbed spines, Chicomurex excelsus is the 14th species and the latest addition to known diversity of the genus Chicomurex. Presumably a carnivorous and predatory gastropod like other members of the genus, it inhabits hard substrates around -150~300m deep and is thus far known from the Philippines and Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Unlike other Chicomurex species, its siphonal canal lacks strongly recurved spines and has a flattened and frondose appearance. Its colouration varies from cream white to orange to brown, often banded like many other Chicomurex species. The protoconch is conical. Specimens from Kwajalein Atoll have broader body whorls compared to those from the Philippines, but are very similar in other aspects of the shell morphology, including the characteristic siphonal canal. Typical shell length around 50mm, the largest specimen recorded so far (Paratype CM) is at 58.3mm. The specific epithet ‘excelsus’ means ‘high, lofty, distinguished’, and was named for the distinctive and beautiful shell morphology. Its Japanese name (‘wa-mei’) is ‘Furisode-Senju’ named after the “swinging-sleeves” style kimono known as ‘furisode’, the sleeves of which bear resemblance to the strongly webbed, flattened siphonal canal. Apparently a very rare species, with only a few specimens having been collected in the Philippines compared to other described Chicomurex species in the area which have been collected in good numbers, and in Kwajalein it is only known from dead specimens mostly preyed upon by octopuses. Dead shells have been found as shallow as -60m in Kwajalein, likely brought up from deeper waters by octopuses. Specimens from Kwajalein have relatively broader last teleoconch whorl, but is otherwise very similar to those from the Philippines. It is most similar to Chicomurex gloriosus (Shikama, 1977), but may be easily distinguished from that species by the longer, more flattened siphonal canal lacking in strongly upturned spines. It also differs from C. gloriosus by having a more angular final whorl, narrower varices, and lower intervarical nodes.
Astyris thermophilus Chen, Watanabe & Araya, 2017<br /> COLUMBELLIDAE<br /> -1074m, Natsu site, 27°46.843’N,126°54.024’E, Iheya North vent field, Okinawa Trough, Japan; By slurp gun, ROV HYPER-DOLPHIN Dive #1614, R/V KAIYO cruise KY14-01, 2014/i/24, 8.5mm (Holotype: NSMT Mo 78990) <br /> <br /> Although without brilliant colour or elaborate sculpture, Astyris thermophilus is a highly notable columbellid because it is the only member of the family known from 'extreme' deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems. It is characterised by a high-spired, white shell with 25-30 very fine spiral striations distributed evenly across each teleoconch whorl; and has a pausispiral protoconch. A thin, greyish periostracum covers the shell and much of the spiral striation is concealed by the periostracum and only becomes obvious once it is removed. The early whorls are always decollate in adults due to dissolution by the acidic hydrothermal vent environment. Most likely a carnivorous gastropod feeding on other invertebrates or alternatively it may be ovophagous and feed on their eggs. Thus far, it has only been collected from hydrothermal vents in Okinawa Trough, Japan around -1100m deep. Typical shell length around 7mm, the holotype (shown) is 8.5mm in length and is the largest specimen recorded at this point. Hasegawa (2009) reported a very similar undescribed columbellid species with less distinct spiral striations from deep water in northern Pacific coast of Japan, it is uncertain at this point if this report in fact refers to the same species (subtle difference in sculpture may be caused by environmental factors).
Dracogyra subfuscus Chen, Zhou, Wang & Copley, 2017<br /> PELTOSPIRIDAE<br /> -2785m, Longqi hydrothermal vent field, Southwest Indian Ridge, 37◦47.03’S / 49◦38.9’E (“Tiamat” Chimney / DFF11), RRS James Cook expedition JC67, ROV Kiel6000 Dive 142, 2011/xi/29, 5.5mm (Holotype: NHMUK 20170386) <br /> <br /> Dracogyra subfuscus is a small peltospirid currently known only from the Longqi deep-sea hydrothermal vent field on the Southwest Indian Ridge. Characterised by a very depressed shell with a very narrow umbilicus, its aperture lacks a basal notch which helps to distinguish it from the superficially similar eastern Pacific genus Depressigyra. The radula of Dracogyra is also highly characteristic, with a very compressed central tooth. It co-occurs with three other peltospirids including Lirapex politus Chen et al., 2017 and two large holobiont species including the scaly-foot Chrysomallon squamiferum Chen et al., 2015 and Gigantopelta aegis Chen et al., 2015; it is sometimes found living on the body surface of the two large peltospirids. Stomach contents comprises mostly of organic matter mixed with some very fine sulfide particles, suggesting that it likely prefer different substrate for grazing compared to L. politus whose gut contains much coarser sulfide particles. Typical shell diameter around 5mm, the largest specimen recorded is at 6.3mm. It is currently the only known species in its genus. The genus name means "Dragon Coil" and refers to its type locality, Longqi field, which literally means "Dragon Flag" in Chinese. Its specific epithet means "darkish and brownish" and is named for its gradually darkening periostracum; but is also a reference to the University of Oxford "sub fusc", a component of the traditional academic dress.
Lirapex politus Chen, Zhou, Wang & Copley, 2017<br /> PELTOSPIRIDAE<br /> -2785m, Longqi hydrothermal vent field, Southwest Indian Ridge, 37◦47.03’S / 49◦38.9’E (“Tiamat” Chimney / DFF11), RRS James Cook expedition JC67, ROV Kiel6000 Dive 142, 2011/xi/29, 4.0mm (Holotype: NHMUK 20170383) <br /> <br /> A small peltospirid known only from the Longqi deep-sea hydrothermal vent field on the Southwest Indian Ridge, Lirapex politus is characterised by a coiled, skeneiform shell without significant axial sculpture and the final 0.5 whorl in adults being slightly disjunct from the previous whorl. It is the first Lirapex species discovered from Indian Ocean, with two congeners known from eastern Pacific vents and one from mid-Atlantic vents. Its smooth teleoconch and periostracum is distinctive in its genus, with other three described species all carrying obvious axial sculpture. Found together with three other peltospirids including Dracogyra subfuscus Chen et al., 2017 and two large holobiont species including the scaly-foot Chrysomallon squamiferum Chen et al., 2015 and Gigantopelta aegis Chen et al., 2015, it is sometimes found living on the body surface of the two large peltospirids. Judging from the stomach contents, which include organic particles mixed with a large amount of rather coarse sulfide mineral particles, it feeds by grazing on bacterial mat growing on the chimney and likely also on the body surface of C. squamiferum and G. aegis. Typical shell length 3.5mm, the largest known specimen is at 4.5mm.
Abyssotrophon soyoae (Okutani, 1959)<br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -1973m, Crane hydrothermal site, 25◦4.5388’N / 124◦31.01030’E, R/V Kairei cruise KR15-16, ROV KAIKO Dive #669, 2015/x/29, 22.2mm (Voucher: JAMSTEC LC333138) <br /> <br /> A beautiful muricid with exceedingly delicate ornamentation, Abyssotrophon soyoae is a very deep water species known from the southern half of Japan. It is characterised by very crowded, raised axial ribs that may number up to 70 per whorl (holotype), although this appears to be quite variable among individuals. The spire height appears to also be somewhat variable, this appears to be linked to locality and perhaps depth. Originally described from Kumano-nada, Kii Peninsula and later recorded from Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture as well as Okinawa; it was recently also recorded from periphery of two deep-sea hydrothermal vent fields in the Okinawa Trough. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on other invertebrates, it inhabits hard substrates ranging from about 700~2000m deep. An extremely rare species, it is almost never seen on the shell trading market. Typical shell length around 25mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 35mm. Although records from Russian waters exist, these are rather different conchologically (in terms of spiral cording and the nature of axial ribbing) and combined with the fact that there are no records from northeast Honshu or Hokkaido, they almost certainly represent a separate species.
Euprotomus hawaiensis (Pilsbry, 1917)<br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> -30~40m, Dived in coral rubble, Nanakuli, Honolulu County, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A., 1982/vii, 90.6mm <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 are exceedingly rare. It inhabits sandy to rubbly bottoms and probably feeds on minute algae like other strombids, it is apparently nocturnal. Although usually found in depths betwen 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.
Bayerotrochus philpoppei Anseeuw, Poppe & Goto, 2006<br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -250~300m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Mindanao, Philippines, 2017/ix, 57.1mm <br /> <br /> The incredibly beautiful "Philippe Poppe's Slit Shell" is the most recent pleurotomariid discovery from the Philippines. First noticed to appear in the shell trade market around 2005, it was initially traded under the incorrect name of B. pyramus (Bayer, 1967), an ultra-rare congener from the Caribbean. By 2006 sufficient specimens have turned up to allow its description as a distinct species by the pleurotomariid specialists Patrick Anseeuw, Guido Poppe, and Yoshihiro Goto. It was named in honour of Philippe Poppe of Conchology, Inc., son of Guido Poppe. It is characterised by 1. Pyramidal shape with a convex spire outline, 2. Smooth, silky basal disc, 3. Axial sculpture weak and mostly composed of axial lines, 4. Parietal wall usually not covered with pearly nacre. The colouration of this species is remarkable as it often carries a superb sheen, as if made with pure gold (shown). Though golden honey-amber is the usual colouration, paler specimens (including a pearly white specimen) have been collected. A deep-water species so far only known from Balut Island, Philippines, it inhabits hard substrates around -250~400m deep and is most likely a carnivorous grazer feeding on sponges. Today it remains an extremely rare species that is only very occasionally available especially in fine condition. Typical shell diameter around 55mm, extremely large specimens may reach even 80mm. It is most easily confused with B. teramachii (Kuroda, 1955) which is also found in the Philippines, but can be easily differentiated by its very smooth disc and much more smooth whorl surface lacking the typical finely cancellate sculpture of B. teramachii, as well as its much smaller average size (55mm vs 100mm). The very recently named B. delicatus Zhang, Zhang & Wei, 2016, described from Yap Seamount near Palau, is another similar species with a similar size but is easily distinguished as it lacks the convex spire profile and has stronger cancellate sculpture on the early teleoconch whorls.
Conus cervus Lamarck, 1822 <br /> CONIDAE<br /> -100~200m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Mindanao, Philippines, 2017/ix, 118.0mm <br /> <br /> The "Pallisade Cone" or "Deer Cone" is a large and magnificent cone ranging from Philippines to Moluccas to New Caledonia. It is and has always been among the most celebrated rarities in the family, and is one of S. Peter Dance's 50 "Rare Shells" (1969). Once extremely scarce, some even considered it to be merely a form of Textilia bullatus (Linnaeus, 1758) but as more specimens became available for comparison it proved to be a distinct species. The actual provenance of it was unclear until after mid-1900s because majority of the specimens known in collections before then were from very old collections with unreliable locality data. It is a venomous fish-hunting gastropod and inhabit sandy to rubbly bottoms of rather deep water around -150~400m deep. As is typical for the genus, mature specimens (supposed) have a thickened lip, although the size at which this happens appears to be highly variable. The pattern is highly variable among individuals, and the colouration is also variable although to a lesser extent. Although hundreds are in collections worldwide, it still commands high price due to its presence in Conidae and desirability. Large, perfect specimens with a thickened lip is still a rarity to be proud of. It is the largest member of the genus Textilia with typical shell length at around 100mm, very large specimens are known to exceed even 125mm. It has been placed under genus Textilia for a long time, but a recent revision of Conidae greatly reduced the number of accepted genera for the family and it was thus moved back to Conus, its original genus.
Perotrochus sunderlandorum Petuch & Berschauer, 2017 <br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -200~250m, Taken by submersible, Curacao, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea, 2008, 54.8mm <br /> <br /> Very recently described by Edward J. Petuch and David P. Berschauer, Perotrochus sunderlandorum is a strikingly flamed and beaded pleurotomariid and the tenth Perotrochus recorded in the western Atlantic Ocean. A carnivorous grazer living and feeding on sponges, it inhabits nearly vertical walls in the upper bathyal zone around 200~250m deep. Although currently only confirmed from Curacao around Curacao Island and Klein Curacao Island, future research will likely widen its distribution to other nearby islands. Typical shell diameter around 55mm, the largest specimen reported has a diameter of 65mm (in Ed Petuch collection). It is most similar to two congeners, P. atlanticus Rios & Matthews, 1968 and P. quoyanus (Fischer & Bernardi, 1856) which also occur in the western Atlantic. From the former species it is best distinguished by lower, less elevated whorls (early whorls are also less stepped) and having less sculptures (i.e., rows of beads) in all areas of the teleoconch. The authors noted that its most obvious differences from the latter species is a deeper umbilicus, a less sculptured (i.e., less rows of beads) shell, as well as a wider selenizone (i.e., slit). It is named in honour of Kevan and Linda Sunerland, conchologists from Sunrise, Florida who first noticed the distinctiveness of this species and donated specimens for its description. On the market it has been mostly traded under the name of either P. quoyanus or P. quoyanus f. gemma Bayer, 1965. <br /> <br /> Thanks to David Berschauer for help confirming the ID!
Torellia mirabilis (Smith, 1907) <br /> CAPULIDAE<br /> -180m, By Agassiz trawl, Northeast of Explora Wedge (70°40.17'S, 6°12.67'W), Weddell Sea, Antarctica; Coll. R/V Polarstern, ANT IX/3, stn 220, 1991/iii/13, 30.0mm <br /> <br /> With a sub-Antarctic to Antarctic (54°S to 74°S) distribution ranging from Weddell Sea to South Georgia to Ross Sea the "Miraculous Torellia" is a large Antarctic capulid and the largest of its genus in Antarctica. Like many capulids it produces a hairy periostracum; when fresh the periostracal hairs are fluffy and soft to the touch, but becomes much less so when dried out. It inhabits rather deep water around -100~300m, with dead shells being found as deep as -650m. Although its feeding modes are not known it is probably a kleptoparasitic species that lives on polychaete tubes. The animal broods their eggs and the larvae develops inside the egg capsule (containing about 580 eggs). In one study the eggs were reported to have hatched after six months as well-developed veligers which then undergoes planktonic development over at least several months; but in another study the eggs only hatched after two years and as crawling juveniles. This suggests that larval development in this species may vary with environmental factors. Although only uncommon where it naturally occurs, it is extremely rare on the international shell market due to its inaccessible habitat. Typical shell diameter around 30mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 40mm. The holotype was collected at 100 fathoms (183m) deep off Coulman Island, Antarctica. Originally placed in a newly erected genus Trichoconcha, but this was later unambiguously synonymised with Torellia, leading to the present binomial combination.
Profundiconus profundorum (Kuroda, 1956) <br /> CONIDAE<br /> -300~350m, Trawled on sandy mud, Off Tosashimizu, Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture, Japan, 1965/v, 66.2mm <br /> <br /> The "Deep-sea Cone" is a deep water conid ranging from central Japan to the Philippines, and one of the most sought-after rarities among conids of the western Pacific. Its shell is simple and little-varied, although the strength of the shoulder and the spire height vary slightly among individuals. The base colour is usually cream with one broad violet-brown band in the posterior half covering the shoulder and one or more narrower bands of similar colouration towards the anterior end, which carries fine spiral grooves. When alive it has a thin, smooth periostracum that is olive in colour; but this has a strong tendency to fall when dried. It inhabits soft bottoms around 200~550m deep and although the exact diet of the genus is unknown they are most likely vermivorous predators (from radula morphology). Used to be extremely rare from Japan and the Philippines, recently some specimens have surfaced thanks to Chinese trawlers operating in the East China Sea. Due to the shell being extremely prone to corrosion, growth scars, and sponge holes, it is still very difficult to obtain a decent clean specimen. Typical shell length around 75mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed even 115mm. Profundiconus soyomaruae (Okutani, 1964) is now considered to be a form of this species with a darker and more prominent primary brown band. Once thought to be distributed also around New Caledonia, although the specimens from there were distinctive in conchological characteristics by haivng broader, more conical shells that were also paler. A recent study concluded that the New Caledonian population should be treated as a distinct species in its own right, leading to the description of Profundiconus neocaledonicus Tenorio & Castelin, 2016. It is otherwise most similar to P. smirna (Bartsch & Rehder, 1943) from Hawaii, which can be differentiated by a more sloped shoulder and a much more slender shell.
Bolma millegranosa (Kuroda & Habe in Habe, 1958) <br /> TURBINIDAE<br /> -100~200m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Philippines, 2017/vi, 45.6mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by uniform, fine granulated sculpture and a row of delicately webbed spines, the "Sandpaper Bolma" is an exquisite turbinid ranging from southern Japan to the Philippines to New Caledonia. It inhabits hard substrates of moderately deep water around -80~300m; although the exact feeding ecology is unknown it is a grazer, probably feeding on coralline algae and other food sources. A little-varied species in shell form, but uncommonly individuals with yellow shells are recovered. Though a common species its webbed spines are extremely fragile and it is thus rarely collected in good condition except via tangle nets in the Philippines. Typical shell diameter around 40mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed even 55mm. It was originally described in the genus Galeoastraea Kuroda & Habe, 1958, which is actually not available under the ICZN Code because the authors did not designate a type species. This matters little, however, as it is clearly a synonym of Bolma Risso, 1826. It has been confused with Bolma guttata (Adams, 1863), but is in fact clearly distinguishable by its granulation sculpture being much finer.
Takasagovolva gigantea Azuma, 1974 <br /> OVULIDAE<br /> -100~200m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Philippines, 2017/vi, 74.4mm <br /> <br /> A very large size and much extended anterior and posterior canals characterise the elegant "Giant Long-snouted Volva". The largest of all Phenacovolva-like ovulids, it grows to exceed even 85mm in shell length; although most specimens are around 65mm. A rare species highly sought-after by collectors, it is an obligatory commensal of octocorals and occur in rather deep water around -80~300m from central Japan to the Philippines. Even with deep-water tangle nets, live-taken specimen in good condition remains scarce to this day. Although it is generally little-varied, the extent of curvature of the extremeties vary among individuals. The genus Takasagovolva has only one other extant species T. honkakujiana (Kuroda, 1928), which has a more inflated shell with much shorter extremeties. It is sometimes confused with Calcarovula longirostrata (Sowerby I, 1828) and Kurodavolva wakayamaensis (Cate & Azuma, 1973) which shares with it a white shell with very elongated canals, but it can be easily distinguished from the former by the shell being much thinner and lacking of a bulge near centre, and the latter by the shell being much more inflated and the extremeties being generally more recurved.
Claviscala terebralioides (Kilburn, 1975) <br /> EPITONIIDAE<br /> -260~280m, Trawled, Off Zavora, Inhambane, Mozambique, 2017/iii, 74.2mm <br /> <br /> A large wentletrap characterised by very tall spire and numerous conspicuous simple varices, the "Drill-like Wentletrap" is native to eastern Africa ranging from Mozambique to western Transkei, South Africa; vast majority of specimens originate from southern Mozambique. A very rare species, it is almost never collected live and any specimen in good condition is something to be proud of. Presumably a commensal on cnidarians like other epitoniids, it inhabits soft bottoms of rather deep water around -150~300m. Typical shell length around 60mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 85mm. It is conchologically similar to Claviscala kuroharai Kuroda in Habe, 1961, the "Kurohara's Wentletrap", from Western Pacific. They are separable at closer inspection, however, with the shell of C. kuroharai being dark purplish brown in colouration and much narrower while C. terebralioides is always ivory white and wider in comparison. Whether the two are variations of the same species, geographically isolated subspecies, or truly distinct species in their own right, is subject to much debate and different authors hold different opinions. Taisei Nakayama, for example, explicitly announced them as synonyms in his "A Review of Northwest Pacific Epitoniids (Gastropoda: Epitoniidae)" (2003) and Prof. Takashi Okutani also considered them to be the same in his "Marine Mollusks in Japan" (2nd ed., 2017). What is true, however, is that there is a vast area between them, from around the Philippines to Reunion, where similar shells have not turned up, at least to date. It is worth noting, however, that C. kuroharai was originally only known from Japan and East China Sea, but was reported by Richard Kenneth Dell (1995) from New Zealand and a few specimens have been collected there since. Whethere these New Zealand specimens are truly C. kuroharai or something else, is again up to debate. Some authors (considering C. kuroharai and C. terebralioides to be conspecific) actually use the name C. terebralioides to refer to the western Pacific specimens (e.g., Huang & Lee, 2016, Biodiv Data J: e5863). Anyhow, the true relationships among these populations of very similar Claviscala certainly warrents further research and likely need more evidence than conchology alone to resolve.
Calliotectum dalli dalli (Bartsch, 1942) <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -400m, Trawled, East China Sea, 2017/iv, 131.8mm <br /> <br /> The distinctively dark and shiny periostracum and the deep sutural canal makes the "Dall's Volute" an instantly recognisable species among the high-spired deep water volutes in the genus Calliotectum. Originally presented by Paul Bartsch to William Healy Dall in 1915 during a banquet held to celebrate Dall's service to science, in the banquet brochure it is shown under the name "Prodallia dalli Bartsch", both genus and species newly christened in honour of Dall. This brochure was, however, not published in the sense accepted by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and therefore not validly introduced to the scientific literature. The formal description had to wait until 1942 when Bartsch finally formally published his description in The Nautilus, keeping the same name. Bartsch's description was based on two adult, live-taken specimens trawled by the "Albatross" during the Philippines expedition on which he was on-board, the holotype from 725m deep off Cape Santiago, Luzon and the paratype from 776m deep off Lubang Island. These two specimens remained the only known specimens for many decades and the species as a whole remained extremely scarce until the early 1980s, when hundreds of specimens similar to the Philippines C. dalli was suddenly fished from off Western Australia (mostly Scott Reef). The Australian specimens were not totally identical to the ones from Philippines, however, being much narrower with more whorls for the same length, with a more smooth surface, as well as being much paler in colouration. Due to these differences being consistent across the population, the Australian population was described as a distinct geographic subspecies Teramachia dalli claydoni Poppe, 1986 ("Claydon's Volute", named after Michael Claydon of Port Hedland, Australia who found this population). Since their description, Prodallia has been synonymised with Teramachia, which was synonymised in turn with Calliotectum. The nominal subspecies C. dalli dalli (shown) is now known to range from Central Philippines to East China Sea, usually around 700~1600m deep although shells have been found as shallow as -200m. It is this nominal subspecies which is listed by T. C. Lan as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979) and is highly sought after by volute collectors; even dead fragments are very rare and perhaps not more than a few dozens of adult specimens have been found in fine condition. The currently recognised distribution of the Australian subspecies C. dalli claydoni is along the continental slope off Arafufa Sea between Irian Java and Australia, around -400~900m although shells have been found shallower than -300m. This subspecies is much more readily available on the international shell market, but most are from 1980s and very few fresh specimens have become available. Both are carnivorous gastropods inhabiting muddy bottoms. As no specimens have been found between the two distributions, future studies may prove that the two are in fact separate full species. Like many Calliotectum species both have very variable adult sizes, with the shell length of adult C. dalli dalli averaging around 130mm but varying from 80~165mm and that of C. dalli claydoni slightly larger at around 150mm and measuring between 125 to 175mm. Calliotectum pectinatum (Martin, 1933) is a very similar species known from the Upper Miocene-Pliocene of Indonesia, which have more strongly built shells compared to C. dalli. It has been suggested that the two may be better considered conspecific, in which case C. pectinatum is the oldest name.
Melapium elatum (Schubert & Wagner, 1829)<br /> STREPSIDURIDAE<br /> Trawled, Offshore southern Mozambique, 2004/i, 47.2mm <br /> <br /> An unmistakable species with its vivid violet columellar, Melapium elatum is a highly sought-after classic beauty from Mozambique to South Africa. A carnivorous / scavenging gastropod inhabiting soft bottoms, live specimens are generally collected around -30~200m deep although crabbed shells can be found at shallow depths and may also be beached. Beached specimens are only uncommon but these often have very faded colouration; live-taken specimens with good colouration and unfiled lip remains quite rare on the market. Although a little-varied species, the intensity of purple on the columellar vary among individuals. Average shell length around 45mm, very large specimens may exceed 65mm. The genus Melapium was traditionally considered as strange olive shells and placed in Olividae (and sometimes Pseudolividae), but now separated and placed in Strepsiduridae containing only this genus and two species; the other being its sister species M. lineatum (Lamarck, 1822) which lacks the purple hue. Melapiidae is a junior synonym of Strepsiduridae.
Mikadotrochus beyrichii (Hilgendorf, 1877)<br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -100~150m, Sagami Bay, Kanagawa Prefecture, Central Honshu, Japan, 90.0mm <br /> <br /> The "Beyrich's Slit Shell" is a striking pleurotomariid ranging from central Honshu, Japan to East China Sea, best known from Sagami Bay and Chiba Prefecture where most specimens have been found. It is worth noting that a few specimens have been recorded supposedly from northeast Taiwan, but no records exist from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Although the third to be formally described it is actually the earliest living slit shell recorded and illustrated in the recent literature, being included in Japanese books such as "Kigai-zufu" (Kenkado Kimura, 1775) and "Mokuhachi-fu" (Sekiju Musashi, 1843) long before Perotrochus quoyanus (Fischer & Bernardi, 1856) was discovered in the Caribbean Sea. These Japanese books were unknown to scientists outside the country then, however. This species was thus overlooked until Franz Martin Hilgendorf (1839-1904), a German zoologist, found a specimen in a souvenir shop of Enoshima, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan in 1876. He described it the following year, naming it after Heinrich Ernst Beyrich (1815-1896), a famous German palaeontologist who first proposed the term 'Oligocene'. It has traditionally been a greatly celebrated rarity, especially among Japanese collectors, and remains scarce nowadays. After Hilgendorf reported its existence the British Museum (Natural History) in London commissioned the University of Tokyo to find a specimen. It was the eminent professional marine animal gatherer Kumakichi Aoki (1864-1940), working for the Misaki Marine Station, who successfully collected a living specimen in the following spring. He was rewarded with the prize of 40 Japanese yen, a huge sum back then. Upon receiving the prize Aoki supposedly exclaimed "I've become a millionaire!", which leads to this species being sometimes called "Cho-ja-gai" (Millionaire Shell) in Japan. A carnivorous grazer, it usualy inhabits rocky bottoms around 100~300m deep but has been found as shallow was -30m, making it the shallowest living of all recent pleurotomariids. It presumably mainly feeding on sponges and cnidarians in the natural environment, but has been observed to feed on a wide range of invertebrates as well as fish during live rearing. Strong, broad radial lirae on the shell surface are crossed by relatively infrequent axial ribs to generate the characteristic coarsely chequered, brick-like sculpture. The frequency and extent of red flammules vary according to localities, with specimens from Chiba Prefecture and Tokyo Bay having the darkest colouration; at least one albino specimen known. The shell form also vary somewhat by locality, for example shells from Kōchi Prefecture are usually broader than typical specimens from central Honshu (shown). Very prone to damage from boring sponges, which destroys the surface of early whorls in most specimens. Typical shell length around 70mm, very large specimens may exceed 100mm.
Conus stupella (Kuroda, 1956) <br /> CONIDAE<br /> -120m, Trawled by fisherman, Off Senkaku Islands (aka. Diaoyu / Tiaoyutai / Pinnacle Islands), East China Sea, 2002/ii, 68.8mm <br /> <br /> A delightful conid with a shell marked by equally spaced and spirally arranged chocolate spots, the "Stupella Cone" is one of the most sought-after classic rarities among western Pacific molluscs. First described from Tosa Bay in Japan, it is now known to range from Honshu, Japan to the East China Sea to the Philippines. Most specimens have been taken by Taiwanese trawlers, and it was chosen by T. C. Lan as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979). It inhabits soft bottoms of rather deep water around -100~300m and is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod mainly feeding on polychaete worms. A true rarity in the early days, recently it has become more available thanks to Chinese trawlers working in the East China Sea. However, the true difficulty with this species lies in obtaining a quality specimen, as it is extremely prone to all kinds of 'defects' such as growth scars, encrustations, drill holes, lip chips, surface wear, and mud stains. Perfect specimens are mythical, and even fine specimens are one out of many dozens. It remains extremely elusive in the Philippines, the southernmost part of its range. The characteristic spiral spots vary greatly in number and frequency among individuals, young specimens are less shouldered and more slender. The base colour of the shell is white overlaid with a delicate hue of violet which unfortunately fade over the years. When alive, the shell is covered by a layer of thin, translucent, brownish periostracum. Typical shell length around 60mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 75mm. Initially described in the genus Embrikena and later moved to Kurodaconus erected by Shikama & Habe in 1968; Kurodaconus is now considered a junior synonym of Turriconus, which is treated as a subgenus of Conus in the most recent revision of Conidae by Puillandre et al. (2015). The holotype was from the famed Akibumi Teramachi collection, now housed in Toba Aquarium, Japan. The specific epithet 'stupella' literally means 'little stupa', and is a reference to the rather similar but generally larger Conus stupa (Kuroda, 1956); stupa being a type of Buddhist pagoda that is reminiscent of the tall spires of these two species. In addition to its larger size on average, C. stupa differs from C. stupella in having a concave spire outline, lacking spiral grooves in sutural ramps, and having much smaller, less regularly arranged spots that usually co-occurs with brown radial streaks and blotches.
Conus stupa (Kuroda, 1956) <br /> CONIDAE<br /> -200m, Trawled, Off Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan, Taiwan, 2002, 81.8mm <br /> <br /> A tall-spired, robust shell decorated with chocolate blotches and spirally arranged dots makes the "Stupa Cone" a memorable species among the western Pacific conids. A great classic rarity best known from central Japan to Taiwan, its actual geographical range is much wider and encompasses the Philippines, Solomon Islands, as well as New Caledonia. The first specimens were collected off Tosa in Shikoku, Japan by the famed Japanese conchologist Seichiro Kinoshita and then Akibumi Teramachi, whose specimens were used for the description. The holotype is currently in Toba Aquarium collection along with the rest of the Teramachi collection. Most specimens, however, have been trawled off Taiwan and T. C. Lan selected it as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979) along with its sister species, C. stupella (Kuroda, 1956) which is almost equally scarce. Only a few specimens are known from the rest of its range, southwards from the Philippines. It therefore remains a very rare species still, especially in good conditon as its shell is very prone to many types of 'imperfections' including growth scars, drill holes, mud stains, encrustation damage, and heavy lip chips. Base colour of the shell is white, the pattern is a combination of chocolate-brown coloured blotches, radial streaks, and small dots. The amount of patterning on the shell vary greatly among individuals, geronic specimens tend to have reduced or even no pattern at all. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on polychaete worms, it inhabits soft bottoms of rather deep water around -150~400m. A thin, translucent, brown periostracum covers the shell when alive. Typical shell length around 80mm, extremely large specimens may reach even 110mm. Initially described in the genus Embrikena and later moved to Kurodaconus erected by Shikama & Habe in 1968; Kurodaconus is now considered a junior synonym of Turriconus, which is treated as a subgenus of Conus in the most recent revision of Conidae by Puillandre et al. (2015). The name 'stupa' refers to a type of Buddhist pagoda to which its tall, pyramidal spire closely resembles. Its sister species, C. stupella, differs in having a generally smaller size, a convex spire outline, and spiral grooves in sutural ramps. The pattern of C. stupella is also different in having larger, more regularly arranged brown spots and generally lacking brown blotches.
Pleioptygma helenae (Radwin & Bibbey, 1972) <br /> PLEIOPTYGMATIDAE<br /> Dived, Gordo Bank (16°N, 82°W), Caribbean Sea, Honduras, 87.9mm <br /> <br /> A large mitriform shell decorated by irregular golden-brown clouds and dotted spiral lines of a similar colour characterises the "Helen's Miter", a classic rarity endemic to the Caribbean Sea and supposedly ranges from Honduras to Colombia, though vast majority of specimens originate from Honduras and Nicaragua. Although superficially resembling a giant mitrid, it actually belongs to neither Mitridae nor Costellariidae; it is the only extant species in the family Pleioptygmatidae. The genus Pleioptygma was originally erected in 1963 by Timothy Conrad to house Neogene fossil species from the southeastern USA, and its familial placement has been a complicated taxonomic conundrum. Before erecting the genus, Conrad originally described the type-species-to-be from Pliocene as Voluta carolinense Conrad, 1840, transferring it to Mitridae in 1842, and then reverted back to when he erected the new genus Pleioptygma under Volutidae. Many authors, such as William Healey Dall, continued to place it under Mitridae nevertheless. Walter Cernohorsky in 1970 strengthened the volutid argument and referred it to Scaphellinae, but Clifton Weaver and John duPont (1970) did not include it in their Volutidae monograph. Cernohorsky's argument was also rejected by George Radwin and Loyal Bibbey (1972) who described the present living species in Mitridae, treating Pleioptygma as a subgenus of Mitra. These discussions and disputes were all based on inconclusive shell characters (as shells of mitrids and volutids are rather variable), however, and the solution had to wait until the examination of soft parts. In 1989, James Quinn published a description of the anatomy of P. helenae based on two live-caught specimens and although his specimens were incomplete (visceral mass broken due to attempting to extract the animal while preserving the intact shells) they clearly had very different foregut morphology to either Mitridae or Volutidae. The radula was more similar to that of mitrids but the rachidian was much wider. Based on these evidences Quinn erected a new family, Pleioptygmatidae, to house this controversial genus. Since this family is relatively little-known and the present species is only living one known, it is usually still offered as a mitrid on dealers' lists and tables. A carnivorous gastropod inhabiting moderately deep water around -30~150m, its choice of prey is not known but is predicted to be worm-like invertebrates such as sipunculans and polychaetes. Typical shell length around 90mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed 125mm. It is named in honour of the late Mrs. Helen Thompson from California, USA. The type specimens were initially reported to be crabbed shells from Cay Sal Bank between Florida, USA and Cuba, but no other specimens have been caught near that area since and it is greatly outside the known distribution. The type locality was thus emended to Gorda Bank, Honduras by James Quinn (1989). Although easier to obtain today, most specimens are come from lobster pots and are crabbed; a large live-taken specimen is still a rather rare find.
Lindafulgur candelabrum (Lamarck, 1816) <br /> BUSYCONIDAE<br /> -55m, Trawled on fine, silty sand among algae by commercial fisherman, Gulf of Campeche, Mexico, 2017/i, 144.4mm <br /> <br /> Characterised by moderately strong constriction between the body whorl and the siphonal canal and large irregular spines the "Splendid Whelk" is one of the rarest busyconid species, commonly referred to as 'Busycon whelks'. Due to their large, often attractively coloured shells busyconids are one of the most iconic snails of North America and are highly sought after by collectors. Only less than 20 living species of busyconids are currently known and most are common, this species is one of the hardest to obtain and often a source of frustration for collectors hoping to amass a complete collection of busyconids. A carnivorous gastropod feeding on various marine invertebrates, it inhabits sandy to muddy bottoms of moderate depths up to around 60m deep. Endemic to Gulf of Mexico and ranges from Texas, USA to Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, although most specimens known have originated from the southern part of the range near Yucatan, Mexico. Juvenile specimens have comparatively more regularly spaced shoulder spines than adults. Typical shell length around 150mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed even 230mm. It is most similar to its only living congener, L. lyonsi (Petuch, 1987), which appears to have a limited distribution in western Florida, USA with most specimens originating from Tampa Bay. Although L. lyonsi have been in the past suggested to be only an ecomorphotype of L. candelabrum, today they are recognised as separate full species. Initially the two may appear difficult to separate, but L. lyonsi has much smaller spines which are more numerous and more closely spaced than those in L. candelabrum. Also, L. lyonsi is much smaller than L. candelabrum, only reaching up to about 140mm in shell length. Previously placed in genus Busycon, which has been subject to a complicated taxonomic history, being moved around Melongenidae and Buccinidae. This confusion was settled in 2015, with the monograph "The living and fossil Busycon whelks: Iconic mollusks of eastern North America" (Petuch, Myers & Berschauer, 2015) published by San Diego Shell Club laying out evidences that Busycon whelks ought to be treated as its own family: Busyconidae. The genus Lindafulgur was originally erected to house the now extinct L. lindajoyceae (Petuch, 1991)†, which is clearly closely related to the two living species L. candelabrum and L. lyonsi.
Austrasiatica sakuraii (Habe, 1970) <br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -200m, By tangle net, Tinina, Balut Island, Davao Occidental, Mindanao, Philippines, 2017/iii, 46.5mm <br /> <br /> Brown blotches carrying the signature fine and regular netted pattern on the dorsum characterises the "Sakurai's Cowrie", one of the rarest and most coveted cypraeids of the western Pacific. Ranging from Izu Oshima, southeast Honshu, Japan to South China Sea to the Philippines, most specimens are now taken by tangle nets in the Philippines. It was included as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979) by the eminent Taiwanese collector T. C. Lan, and is often included in the "Five Famous Cowries of Japan". An omnivorous gastropod, it usually inhabits rocky bottoms of rather deep waters around 100~250m deep, although specimens have been found as shallow as -30m. Development of the dorsal pattern is extremely variable, in some individuals it covers most of the dorsum while in others it is barely present. The pattern determines to a large extent the attractiveness and hence desirability of each particular specimen, those with truly aesthetic patterns are very rare and fetch high prices. Fresh specimens often carry a purplish hue, which unfortunately fades after some time. Typical shell length around 45mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 60mm. It was named in honour of Dr. Kin'ichi Sakurai (1912-1993), famous for assembling one of the most important personal molluscan collections in recent Japan (now housed in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan). He allowed many researchers to visit and study his collection, leading to the discovery and description of many new species including this one. His true speciality was however mineralogy, and his mineral collection was even better than his malacological collection. Despite having a doctorate in mineralogy most of his collecting and research were done as an amateur, alongside managing his family business of a tori-nabe (Japanese hot pot chicken stew) restaurant. Although rather similar to the congener Austrasiatica hirasei (Roberts, 1913), A. hirasei lacks the finely netted pattern on the dorsum and also has finer teeth in general.
Entemnotrochus rumphii (Schepman, 1879) <br /> PLEUROTOMARIIDAE<br /> -200~250m, Trawled, Southwest off Amami Oshima, Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, 2010/vi, 234.7mm <br /> <br /> A stunning conical shell decorated by frequent flammules characterises the "Rumphius' Slit Shell", the largest of all known extant pleurotomariids and a species of legendary fame among collectors. Originally described by Martinus Schepman in 1879, the holotype was deposited and remains in Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam. Only two more have been discovered until 1969 (both from Taiwan: a juvenile in Kawamura collection and an adult in Oyama collection), when the fourth specimen turned up in Taiwan. Since both specimens in Japanese collections were destroyed during World War II, Toba Aquarium was determined to purchased it for Japan and in the end paid 10,000USD for it. This is often cited as the most expensive shell in history as it has been recognised by Guinness World Records (in reality more costly transactions have occured, of course). he discovery of three further specimens shortly after in 1970 triggered the formation of the Malacological Society of Taiwan, for which this species serve as the emblem. It was listed by the eminent Taiwanese collector and dealer T. C. Lan as one of the "Rare Shells of Taiwan" (1979) and similarly listed as one of the 50 rare shells selected by the famed Japanese malacologist Dr. Tadashige Habe. Rather widely distributed in the western Pacific, most specimens are known from the area encompassing southern Honshu, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The holotype apparently originates from the Moluccas, Indonesia, but it has not been recorded from there since. A carnivorous grazer feeding chiefly on sponges (but also soft corals), it inhabits soft bottoms with relatively strong currents around 50~350m deep. Being one of the only two living species of Entemnotrochus and the only species in the Pacific Ocean, it can be separated from all other Pacific pleurotomariids by its very long slit / selenizone (characteristic of the genus) and large size. The average shell diameter of adult specimens is already around 170mm, although occasionally large specimens over 200mm are found. At 234.7mm the depicted specimen is already extremely large, but the largest currently known specimen is a true monster at 278.0mm in Don Pisor collection. Though apocryphal reports of specimens as large as 350mm have been widespread, there have been no solid evidence of these rumours whatsoever. The colouration is rather variable, specimens from Japan (north of Okinawa) tends to be pinkish with sparse purplish red flammules (as shown), whereas specimens from more southern waters are characterised by a stronger orange hue and more frequent flammules. In geronic specimens the final whorl inflates and the flammules increase in frequency. Young specimens usually exhibit a strong yellow colouration that is almost always lost in adults. The shell form and sculpture is also rather variable, ranging from typical smooth shells with relatively low spire (shown) to those exhibiting strongly beaded cancellate sculpture with tall, clearly stepped spire. The latter was named as a new species, E. urashima Shikama & Oishi in Shikama, 1977, but is now considered to be merely a form. A fossil subspecies, E. r. kushimotoensis Tomida & Sako, 2016, was recently described from the Middle Miocene of Wakayama Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. Although still a rather costly species to obtain today, this is mostly due to the very high desirability and demand, as it has become only uncommon with bottom tralwers bringing up numerous specimens especially from the East China Sea. Vast majority of specimens are small and poor in quality, however, and specimens combining good size and quality remains a challenge and expensive to obtain. Specimens from the Philippines are taken by tangle nets and are generally of higher quality. To own a decent, exceptionally large specimen over 200mm is a dream of many collectors.
Siratus beauii (P. Fischer & Bernardi, 1857) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -300~400m, In lobster traps, Offshore Guadeloupe, Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea, 2016, Coll. Berbard Brochier, 102.4mm <br /> <br /> The "Beau's Murex" is a highly attractive muricid characterised by numerous beaded axial ribs and alternating brown and white bands, rather widely distributed in the western Atlantic Ocean ranging from southern Florida, USA to the Caribbean Sea to Uruguay. One of many molluscan species first discovered by Commandant Beau in the Caribbean Sea during the early 1800s, this species was named in honour of him. It remained extremely rare and one of the most desirable muricids for more than a Century since its discovery, leading to its inclusion as one of S. Peter Dance's 50 "Rare Shells" (1969). Its apparent rarity was largely due to its deep habitat, being a carnivorous and predatory gastropod with a bathymetric range around 150~500m deep. It is extremely variable in varix development, ranging from having virtually no shoulder spines and fronds to exhibiting long spines and spectacularly webbed wing-like fronds (shown). This seems to be related to depth, as specimens from shallower part of its depth range tend to have poorly developed fronds and those from deep water exceeding 350m usually have wing-like varices. Specimens from deeper waters also tends to be larger in size. Local environment is apparently another factor, with the form branchi Clench, 1953 being a spineless variety known only from the Gulf of Campeche, Mexico. Although considered to be a rather common species nowadays, only the poorly frilled form is readily obtainable. Deep water specimens with extensive frills, especially those with all three fronds of the body whorl preserved in fine condition, is still very scarce and is a real challenge to obtain even today. Typical shell length around 90mm, extremely large specimens are known to exceed even 150mm.
Chicoreus loebbeckei (Kobelt, 1879) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -150~200m, By tangle net, Panglao, Bohol, Central Visayas, Philippines, 37.9mm <br /> <br /> Spectacularly broad wings combined with equally superb colouration makes the "Loebbecke's Murex" one of the pinnacles of exquisiteness among not only the muricids but all molluscan shells. Widely recognised as one of the most sought-after muricids of all, it was selected tas one of fifty "Rare Shells" by S. Peter Dance (1969). One of Dance's favourites, he described his impressions of the specimen from Natural History Museum, London as "the loveliest, most exquisite natural object he had ever seen. Its image is still fresh in his memory and will not easily be effaced or dimmed" (p. 75). Its distribution range is quite wide in the western Pacific, from central Japan to the Philippines to Queensland, Australia. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits hard substrates such as reef structures in rather deep water around -100~300m. Prior to the late 20th Century it remained a very rare species mainly due to its habitat being quite deep, the main source being coral fisheries in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. However, due to the rough conditions in coral nets virtually no Japanese specimens retained intact varices. It was when tangle netting became popular in the Philippines that high quality specimens really started to become available on the market. Japanese specimens tend to have more intricate sculpture between varices, but this may largely reflect the difference between the typical shell cleaning methods employed in Japan and the Philippines. Typical shell length around 50mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 75mm. Although today only an uncommon species, specimens over 60mm with intact varices are still very rare and command high prices. The development (especially breadth) of the varices is somewhat variable among individuals. The colouration is very variable, although the typical colouration is orange, it ranges between white to pink to yellow to red; white being the rarest. The first specimen (holotype) known was in the collection of Theodor Loebbecke, a German conchologist, to whom Whihelm Kobelt dedicated this species to.
Naquetia barclayi (Reeve, 1858) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -100m, Dredged, Southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 74.8mm <br /> <br /> Intricate wing-like varices combined with fabulous colouration earned the "Barclay's Murex" great admiration from collectors ever since its discovery in the mid-19th Century. Originally it was known from only two specimens washed up on shore in Saint Brandon, Mauritius after the passage of a hurricane and collected by Sir David Barclay the eminent conchologist who collected many Indian Ocean species for the first time. Lovell Reeve received these specimens for description, which he did, and the species was christened after its discoverer. Of these two syntypes, one ended up in the Melvill-Tomlin collection (now in National Museum Wales) and the other in the Mrs de Burgh collection (now in Natural History Museum, London). For more than a Century no further specimens were found in the western Indian Ocean and together with its great beauty it became famous as one of the rarest and sought-after muricids, being chosen as one of S. Peter Dance's 50 "Rare Shells" (1969). Very similar specimens, however, have turned up in more eastern waters, first from Bay of Bengal, then Japan, and later in great quantity from the Philippines. The shells of these eastern specimens had much finer sculpture and were generally narrower than the Indian Ocean specimens, leading Hugh Preston to give them a new name -- Pteronotus annandalei Preston, 1910. This name commemorated Prof. Thomas Nelson Annandale, a British marine biologist working primarily in India who is most famous for his work on sponges but also occasionally studied other groups such as molluscs. Later this name was synonymised with N. barclayi, making it a muricid with a very wide distribution throughout the Indo-West Pacific. Many still consider the western and eastern populations to be different at least in the subspecies level, and due to their conchological differences they are easily separable. The eastern "annadalei" has become commonly available due to tangle nets in the Philippines bringing up great supplies, while the true "barclayi" (shown) from western Indian Ocean remains elusive even today, with specimens only occasionally turning up from mostly Mozambique and South Africa, usually in the form of dead and chipped shells. A carnivorous and predatory gastropod, it inhabits rocky bottoms of rather deep water around -50~200m and feeds on other invertebrate animals such as bivalves and barnacles. The colouration is extremely variable from bright yellow to red to dark brown. Typical shell length around 80mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 105mm.
Timbellus bednalli (Brazier, 1878) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Lowtide, On rock, One Arm Point (aka. Ardyaloon), North of Broome, Kimberly Region, Western Australia, Australia, 69.3mm <br /> <br /> An extremely attractive species with wide, beautifully pleated varices, the "Bednall's Murex" is a highly sought-after muricid endemic to Australia. Ranging from Kimberly, Western Australia to Northern Territory, it is a carnivorous and predatory gastropod feeding on other invertebrate animals inhabiting soft bottom with scattered rocks in shallow water from low intertidal zone down to about -30m. Although only uncommon it is famous for its fine-looking shell and the market demand is very high, and thus specimens usually fetch high prices. Another factor contributing to its high price is that large, beautiful specimens with intact fronds are rarely found. As its habitat (usually mud flats with scattered rocks) becomes exposed and accessible on extreme low tides, it is a prime target of conchologists collecting during such times in Australia. It is an instantly recognisable species, but the varix development is very variable among individuals in terms of the width. The colouration is also very variable, from white to orange to pink to dark brown. Typical shell length around 70mm, extremely large specimens may exceed 95mm. The Aboriginal Australians call it the "butterfly shell", inspired by its large wing-like varices. It is named in honour of the Australian malacologist William Tompson Bednall (1838-1915) who worked on many groups of molluscs but is perhaps most famous for his masterly treatment of polyplacophorans (chitons).
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