Turris spectabilis ( Reeve, 1843 )

Kilburn, Richard N., Fedosov, Alexander E. & Olivera, Baldomero M., 2012, Revision of the genus Turris Batsch, 1789 (Gastropoda: Conoidea: Turridae) with the description of six new species, Zootaxa 3244 (1), pp. 1-58 : 44-45

Turris spectabilis ( Reeve, 1843)

Plate 27 , figs A–F

Pleurotoma spectabilis Reeve, 1843 : pl. 1, sp. 6; Weinkauff 1875: 22, pl. 4, fig. 9. Type loc.: Ticao Is., Philippines.

Turris spectabilis ; Hedley 1922: 217; Powell 1964: 336, pl. 181, figs 16, 17; Habe 1970: 121, pl. 38, fig. 21; Cernohorsky 1972: 182, pl. 53, fig. 1; Drivas & Jay 1986: 28, text fig.; Wilson 1994: 194, pl. 38, fig. 11; Hasegawa et al. 2000: 631, pl. 314, fig. 60; Olivera & Sysoev 2008: pl. 682, fig. 8; Robin 2008: pl. 449, fig. 1.

DESCRIPTION: Shell somewhat pyramidal-fusiform (b/l 0.26–0.31, a/l 0.34–0.39) on account of its shorter base and siphonal canal; the canal is recurved to the right. Whorls strongly convex, with periphery median. Outer lip in side view strongly convex, opisthocline above; anal sinus shallow, linear.

Sculpture: subsutural area concave, without a distinct strong cord (but 1–3 fairly weak to very weak ridges in subsutural area) nor a sulcus. Sinus cord narrow, depressed and ledge-like in adult (thin and granular in juveniles); periphery with a prominent, sloping angle, formed by the bluntly angular peripheral cord (and a weaker one immediately above it); base of spire whorls with 1-3 ridges, and some thin ridges. Base of last whorl with 10–12 spiral ridges, those above widely-spaced and obtusely angled, those on end of rostrum thin and closer. Interstitial sculpture of oblique striae, visible mainly on base of whorls and on rostrum.

Yellowish-white, vividly stained below the suture (particularly on early whorls) with a band of reddish-or orange-brown (occasionally dark brown) and usually with a similar zone around upper part of base; main cords with conspicuous spots or bars of dark brown, strongest on peripheral cord; sinus cord and basal cords vividly spotted with dark brown and white.

Attains 80 mm.

DISTRIBUTION: Zululand and Gulf of Aden eastwards through Indonesia and the Philippines to Melanesia ( Marshall Islands), Queensland, Japan and Kiribati, New Caledonia and French Polynesia in clean sand, often under rocks or coral, 4– 120 m.

TYPES: Holotype originally in Stainforth colln, now evidently lost ( Powell 1964) .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: JAPAN: off Kii, 90 m ( NMSA J3691: M. Azuma) . PHILIPPINES: Olango Is., 15 m, and 20–25 m (G. Poppe colln) ; same data, 24–40 fath. [44–73 m] (BO colln) ; between Bohol, Olango and Cebu Islands, 20–60 m ; Bogo, northern Cebu, deep water (BO colln) ; Panglao, Bohol (NM L1856: D. Steinke) ; off Punta Engano, Mactan Is. ( NMSA K2438: F. J. Springsteen) . MARQUESAS IS.: Nuku Hiva (BO colln, dived H, Morrison) . QUEENSLAND: Townsville (BO colln, ex K. & G. Rowse) . THAILAND: Ko Aen Village, Talang, Phuket, 10–20 m, fishing nets ( NMSA L5196: RK) ; Pattam, Saibury district, 10–15 m, nets ( NMSA L5113: S. Patamakanthan) . MOZAMBIQUE: Quissimajul Bay, 3–4 m, mud, sand and algae (BO colln, ex C. P. Fernandes) ; N. of Beira, 18–37 m ( NMSA G3267: B. Lafferty) . SOUTH AFRICA: Leadsman Shoal, northern Zululand, 7–11 m, under stone ledge, half buried on sand ( NMSA E2502: D. Herbert, dived) ; same locality, 8–11 m ( NMSA E6511: D. Herbert, dived) ; NEW CALEDONIA: 20°49.5’S, 165°19.6’E, 10 m, MNHN ; 20°40.4’S, 165°114.9’E, 26-40 m, MNHN ; FRENCH POLYNESIA: 23°48.5’S, 147°53.5’E, 120-150 m, MNHN .

REMARKS: The shorter siphonal canal, lack of a differentiated subsutural cord or sulcus, and the combination of vivid reddish- or orange-brown zones and dark brown spots distinguish T. spectabilis from T. garnonsii and T. babylonia .

Figures

PLATE 27. Turris spectabilis (Reeve, 1843): A, B—Bohol, Philippines, BO colln, 77.0 x 21.9 mm; C—Olango Is., Philippines, BO colln, 72.2 x 20.4 mm; D—Queensland, Australia, BO colln, 45.8 x 14.9 mm; E—Northern Mozambique, 3-4 m, BO colln, 58.4 x 16.9 mm. F—Northern Mozambique, 5 m, BO colln, 67.4 x 19.3mm.