Pterynotus sp.

Houart, Roland & Héros, Virginie, 2008, Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Fiji and Tonga, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 437-480 : 448-449

Pterynotus sp. cf. richeri Houart, 1987

Fig. 2E

Pterynotus richeri Houart, 1987b: 758 , figs 1-1a.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Fiji. BORDAU 1: stn DW 1399, 1 dd juv; stn DW 1534, 21°43’S, 175°19’W, 302-327 m, 8 dd 16°24’S, 179°55’W, 400 m, 1 dd (damaged); stn DW 1469, juv; stn DW 1535, 21°43’S, 175°18’W, 268 m, 5 dd juv; stn 19°40’S, 178°10’W, 314-377 m, 7 lv & dd juv; stn DW 1470, DW 1536, 21°45’S, 175°21’W, 320-323 m, 9 lv & dd; stn DW 19°40’S, 178°10’W, 316-323 m, 5 dd; stn DW 1471, 19°40’S, 1537, 21°41’S, 175°19’W, 391-421 m, 6 dd juv; stn DW 1548, 178°10’W, 280-296 m, 2 dd; stn CP 1474, 19°39’S, 178°10’W, 20°38’S, 175°03’W, 476-478 m, 2 dd juv; stn CP 1560, 19°52’S, 316-340 m, 1 lv; stn DW 1475, 19°41’S, 178°11’W, 321-424 m, 2 174°39’W, 365-372 m, 4 dd, 1 lv. juv; stn CP 1561, 19°52’S, dd; stn DW 1485, 19°03’S, 178°30’W, 700-707 m, 1 lv; stn DW 174°40’W, 383-393 m, 1 lv; stn CP 1562, 19°52’S, 174°’42’W, 1497, 18°44’S, 178°25’W, 335-350 m, 6 lv, 1 dd juv. 417-424 m, 1 lv, 1 dd; stn CH 1563, 19°52’S, 174°39’W, 362- Tonga. BORDAU 2: stn DW 1518, 21°21’S, 175°07’W, 336-347 388 m, 1 dd; stn CP 1572, 19°42’S, 174°31’W, 391-402 m, 2 lv; m, 1 dd juv; stn DW 1532, 21°44’S, 175°20’W, 322 m, 3 dd stn CP 1591, 19°10’S, 174°15’W, 351-360 m, 1 dd juv; stn DW juv. (Fig. 2E); stn CP 1533, 21°44’S, 175°20’W, 322-329 m, 1607, 22°15’S, 175°23’W, 356-367 m, 8 dd juv; stn DW 1608 ,

22°12’S, 175°27’W, 401-413 m, 1 dd juv; stn DW 1614, 23°02 S, 322 m, 7 dd juv; stn DW 1635, 21°44’S, 175°20’W, 320-323 175°51’W, 429-549 m, 3 dd; stn DW 1615, 23°03’S, 175°53’W, m, 5 dd juv; stn DW 1636, 21°44’S, 175°20’W, 321-331 m, 3 482-504 m, 1 dd (juv.); stn DW 1634, 21°45’S, 175°20’W, 321- dd juv.

DISTRIBUTION. — Southern New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga (new records), live in 323-700 m.

REMARKS. — Except for an empty shell dredged off the Kermadec Islands (NMNZ) all other specimens of P. richeri have been collected alive in 250-500 m, off New Caledonia. The species collected in Fiji and Tonga differs from P. richeri in having shorter shoulder spines (P1) and in having P2-P6 extending as short spines, connected by webbing. In P. richeri the shoulder spine is almost twice the size, and P2-P6 are almost indiscernable, fused in a broad, adapical webbing. The Fiji and Tonga form has also been collected off New Caledonia (MNHN) and till now has been tentatively identified as P. richeri . It is probably more closely related to P. vespertilio (Kuroda, 1959) .