Murex troscheli Lischke, 1868

Houart, Roland & Héros, Virginie, 2008, Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Fiji and Tonga, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 437-480 : 440-441

Murex troscheli Lischke, 1868

Fig. 1C

Murex troscheli Lischke, 1868: 219 ; 1869: 41, pl. 1, figs 1-2.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Fiji. MUSORSTOM 10: stn CP 1328, 17°17’S, 177°50’E, 248-277 m, 2 lv (Fig. 1C); stn DW 1384, 18°19’S, 178°06’E, 260-305 m, 1 dd juv; stn CP 1387, 18°19’S, 178°05’E, 229-370 m, 1 lv; stn CP 1389, 18°19’S, 178°05’E, 241- 417 m, 1 dd .

DISTRIBUTION. — Central Indo-West Pacific : from southern Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and Fiji (new record), live in 248-277 m. Also from off Port Hedland, Western Australia .

REMARKS. — At first sight, the Fiji specimens seem to differ from typical M. troscheli (in their heavier varices, narrower axial ribs, and absence of brown colouration at the top of the spiral cords); however, a careful study of the protoconch, spiral and axial sculpture of the teleoconch whorls, and organization of the spines leaves no doubt about their correct identification. The shells from Fiji are uniformly whitish, smaller and more slender than the typical form. They could be considered as intermediate between the typical form, from the Philippines, and the form named M. heros Fulton, 1936 from the Solomon Islands.