Bouchetia, 2008

Houart, Roland & Héros, Virginie, 2008, Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Fiji and Tonga, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 437-480 : 450-452

Genus BOUCHETIA Houart and Héros , n. gen.

Type species: Poirieria (Paziella) vaubanensis Houart, 1986 .

DESCRIPTION. — Shell small, adult approximately 10 mm in length. Last teleoconch whorl broad, rounded. Axial sculpture of last teleoconch whorl consisting of 10 or 11 webbed, spinose varices. Spiral sculpture of 5 smooth cords (P1-P5), ending as long, open spines on varical wings. Spines joined by webbed expansion. Aperture rounded, inner and outer lips strongly raised; outer lip weakly denticulate. Siphonal canal open, short, approximately 20-24 % of total shell length, with MP. Radula (Fig. 9C): rachidian tooth with broad, long, triangular central cusp, and narrow, long, lateral cusp on each side; no lateral denticles; lateral tooth narrow, sickle shaped. Operculum (Fig. 10C) with basal nucleus.

ETYMOLOGY. — Named for Philippe Bouchet, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, in recognition of his work, his collaboration in many ways, and his unfaltering dedication to field research.

FIG. 2. A, Chicoreus (Siratus) pliciferoides Kuroda, 1942 , Fiji,MUSORSTOM 10 CP 1325,h 86.7 mm. B, Chicomurex turschi (Sowerby,1889) , Fiji, SUVA 4 DW 04, h 31.1 mm. C, Pterynotus levii Houart, 1988 , Tonga, BORDAU 2 DW 1631, h 32.1 mm. D, Pterynotus marshalli Houart, 1989 , Tonga, BORDAU 2 DW 1535, h 24 mm. E, Pterynotus sp. cf. richeri Houart, 1987 , Tonga, BORDAU 2: stn DW 1532, h 18.7 mm. F, Poirieria (Actinotrophon) fragilis Houart, 1996 , Fiji, BORDAU 1 DW 1410, h 14.6 mm. G, Poirieria (A.) tenuis Houart, 2001 , Fiji, BORDAU 1 DW 1410, h 11 mm. H, Attiliosa caledonica ( Jousseaume, 1881) , Fiji, SUVA 4 DW04, h 28.5 mm. I, Attiliosa nodulifera (Sowerby, 1841) , Fiji, SUVA 4 DW 08, h 19 mm.

REMARKS. — Paziella (Fig. 3A), in which the type species of Bouchetia was originally included, differs from Bouchetia in having a more slender shell with a longer siphonal canal, fewer un-webbed varices, and a different radula morphology, having a rachidian tooth with a long central cusp, long, narrow lateral denticles and long lateral cusps. The radula of Paziella pazi (Crosse, 1869) , the type species of Paziella , was illustrated by Radwin & D’Attilio (1976: fig. 50) and by Harasewych (1984: fig. 27). It is here also illustrated for comparison (Fig. 9E).

Future revision will probably include Murex hystricinus Dall, 1889 (Figs 3E, F) from the western Atlantic in the new genus. The shell morphology is similar to B. vaubanensis with 6-9 webbed varices and long, open spines. Radula morphology and the operculum are not yet known for that species.