Coralliophila erosa ( Röding, 1798 ), Indo-West

Oliverio, Marco, 2009, Diversity of Coralliophilinae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda, Muricidae) at Austral Islands (South Pacific), Zoosystema 31 (4), pp. 759-789 : 766-768

Coralliophila erosa ( Röding, 1798)

( Fig. 4A, B )

Cantharus erosus Röding, 1798: 133 .

Pyrula abbreviata Lamarck, 1816: 8 , pl. 436.

Murex plicatus Wood, 1818: 124 , pl. 26, fig. 56a.

Pyrula deformis Lamarck, 1822: 146 .

Rapana fragilis A. Adams, 1854: 98 .

Trichotropis dorbignyanum Petit de la Saussaye, 1851: 261 , pl. 7, fig. 2.

Rapana suturalis A. Adams, 1854: 98 .

Rapana coralliophila A. Adams, 1854: 98 .

Rhizochilus exaratus Pease, 1861: 399 .

Coralliophila stearnsiana Dall, 1919: 339 .

Coralliophila groschi Kilburn, 1977: 190 , figs 19, 20.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Cantharus erosus : repository unknown.

Pyrula abbreviata : 2 possible syntypes, 36.0 mm ( MHNG 1098 /69/1) ; 37.9 mm ( MHNG 1098 /69/2) .

Murex plicatus : repository unknown.

Pyrula deformis : holotype (MHNG 1098/71).

Rapana fragilis : holotype ( BMNH 1984100 ; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 38, fig. 8]) .

Trichotropis dorbignyanum : probable holotype ( MNHN; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 38, figs 3, 4]) .

Rapana suturalis : syntype ( BMNH 1984113 ; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 38 figs 5, 6]) .

Rapana coralliophila : syntype ( BMNH 1984111 ; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 46, fig. 6]) .

Rhizochilus exaratus : lectotype (BMNH 1961177; figured by Kay [1965: pl. 4, figs 19-21] and by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 38, fig. 7, “ex Kay 1965 ”]); 2 paralectotypes (BMNH 1961178, selected by Kay [1965]).

Coralliophila stearnsiana : holotype ( USNM 46377 ; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 38, fig. 11]) .

Coralliophila groschi : holotype ( NM H382 - T2047 ; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985: pl. 38, fig. 9]) .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Cantharus erosus : not designated.

Pyrula abbreviata : not indicated.

Murex plicatus : “East Indies”.

Pyrula deformis : unknown.

Rapana fragilis : Philippines.

Trichotropis dorbignyanum : “Taiti” on the probable holotype’s label (MNHN), “Océan Pacifique, M. Bernardi” ( Petit de la Saussaye 1851).

Rapana suturalis: Bulusan , Province of Albay, Luzon, Philippines. Rapana coralliophila: Isle of Ticao, on reefs at low water.

Rhizochilus exaratus: Hawaiian Islands [Sandwich Is].

Coralliophila stearnsiana : Lower California.

Coralliophila groschi : East of Posto Lunga, Lunga Bay, northern Mozambique.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — The type material and: BENTHAUS, stn DW 1926, Banc Président Thiers, 24°38.2’S, 146°00.8’W, 50-90 m, 1 lv ( Fig. 4A, B ).

DISTRIBUTION. — Indo-West Pacific ( Kay 1979). From Izu Peninsula ( Japan) to tropical Indo-Pacific ( Tsuchiya 2000), “intertidal to 20 m, on Acropora , Scleractinia [sic] and other corals” ( Higo et al. 2001: 216). Coral Sea, New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands, empty shells intertidal to 57 m ( Oliverio 2008b). Austral Islands, living in 50- 90 m.

REMARKS

This is a common shallow water species throughout the Indo-Pacific, found mainly on Acropora -like corals. The record of a single specimen (dredged by RV Alis), notwithstanding the relevant collecting effort by the land based RAPA 2002 workshop, indicates a scarcity of this species.

Figures

FIG. 4. — A, B, Coralliophila erosa (Röding, 1798), Banc Président Thiers, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1926, 24°38.2’S, 146°00.8’W, 50- 90 m; C, D, C. monodonta (Blainville, 1832), Banc Arago, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1984, 23°26.4’S, 150°43.9’W, 40 m; E-I, C. fimbriata (A. Adams, 1854); E, F, North of Raivavae Is., BENTHAUS, stn DW 1939, 23°49.7’S, 147°41.6’W, 100 m, (detached from the original coral); G-I, Rimatara Is., BENTHAUS stn DW 2013, 22°38.6’S, 152°49.7’W, 80-93 m, 17 dd (arrows point to the mark on the coral skeleton). Scale bars: A-F, H, 10 mm; G, 30 mm; I, 5 mm.