Babelomurex fusiformis (Martens, 1902) (Figs 9C, D; 12D)

Rapana (Latiaxis) fusiformis Martens, 1902: 96, 97, pl. 3, fig. 1.

Latiaxis helenae Azuma, 1973: 231, fig. 1.

Latiaxis nakamigawai io Kilburn, 1974: 201, fig. 12a.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Rapana (Latiaxis) fusiformis: holotype (ZMB 61037; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 28, fig. 7]) .

Latiaxis helenae: holotype (Azuma coll. no. 15944; not examined).

Latiaxis nakamigawai io: holotype (NM A989; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 28, fig. 6]) .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Rapana (Latiaxis) fusiformis: “Ost-Afrika”, “Valdivia” [Expedition], “Stat. [no.] 254, 974 m ”, south of Brawa (0°29’S, 42°47’E), Somalia.

Latiaxis helenae: 50 miles off Inhaca Islands, S. Mozambique Channel, 494 m [270 fms].

Latiaxis nakamigawai io: Off Durban, South Africa, in 150 fathoms [274.3 m].

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — The type material of Rapana (Latiaxis) fusiformis and Latiaxis . nakamigawai io and: BENTHAUS, stn DW 1999, North coast of Rurutu, 22°25.1’S, 151°22.1’W, 270-500 m, 1 dd (Figs 9C, D; 12D).

DISTRIBUTION. — Indian Ocean: Natal, South Africa (Kosuge 1992), Somalia (Kosuge 1993). Pacific Ocean: Coral Sea, Norfolk Ridge, Loyalty Ridge, Fiji, Tonga and New Hebrides Arc, empty shells in 227-700 m, alive in 433-532 m (Oliverio 2008b). Austral Islands empty shells in 270- 500 m.

REMARKS

I am not totally convinced that the single shell here recorded in not a specimen of B. mediopacificus with a weaker sculpture. Also the use of the name fusiformis for Pacific populations of this group may prove to be erroneous. Following Oliverio (2008b), Martens’ name is here maintained pending a revision of the B. japonicus species group, which must include analysis of protoconchs over a large geographic range and possibly also the use of molecular markers, in a phylogeographic framework.