Babelomurex mediopacificus ( Kosuge, 1979 )

Oliverio, Marco, 2009, Diversity of Coralliophilinae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda, Muricidae) at Austral Islands (South Pacific), Zoosystema 31 (4), pp. 759-789 : 778

Babelomurex mediopacificus ( Kosuge, 1979)

( Fig. 9A, B )

Latiaxis (Lamellatiaxis) mediopacifica [sic] Kosuge, 1979: 3, pl. 2, figs 1-3.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype ( IMT-79-1 ; not examined; figured also by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 21, fig. 13, pl. 32, figs 3, 4]).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Off Midway Island (about 400 m depth).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Banc Président Thiers, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1932, 24°40.8’S, 146°01.5’W, 500-800 m, 1 dd. — Stn DW 1924, Recif Neilson, 27°00.6’S, 146°04.8’W, 340-800 m, 1 dd ( Fig. 9A, B ). — Stn DW 1898, West of Rapa , 27°34.3’S, 144°26.6’W, 580-820 m, 1 dd. — Stn DW 1897, West of Rapa , 27°34.3’S, 144°26.7’W, 480-700 m, 2 dd.

DISTRIBUTION. — So far known only from the type locality, off Midway Island (stated as having been collected by a Japanese deep sea coral fishing boat in 1973). Now Austral Islands, empty shells in 580- 700 m.

REMARKS

The shells here recorded are concordant with the original specimens from off Midway, except that the sculpture in the present material is somewhat stronger. Particularly, the lamellar axial sculpture is diagnostic, as well as the angulated base and the enlarged aperture. This is a significant range extension southward.

Figures

FIG. 9. — A, B, Babelomurex mediopacificus (Kosuge, 1979), Recif Neilson, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1924, 27°00.6’S, 146°04.8’W, 340- 800 m; C, D, B. fusiformis (Martens, 1902), North coast of Rurutu, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1999, 22°25.1’S, 151°22.1’W, 270-500 m. Scale bars: 10 mm.