Babelomurex yamatoensis Kosuge, 1986c: 70 Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific Oliverio, Marco Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 2008 196 481 586 K6CK Kosuge, 1986 Kosuge 1986 [272,739,717,741] Gastropoda Muricidae Babelomurex Animalia Neogastropoda 39 520 Mollusca species yamatoensis    Babelomurex yamatoensisKosuge, 1986c: 70, pl. 28, figs 1-5, pl. 29, fig. 1.  TYPE MATERIAL. — HolotypeIMT 86-3 [not seen], figured by Kosuge 1986c (pl. 28, fig. 1) along with a paratype(figs 2, 4).  TYPELOCALITY. — South ChinaSea. MATERIAL EXAMINED. — (Protoconch present, planktrotrophic) 295-334 m, 1 dd.   Philippines. Panglao, Bohol, tangle net in 40-80 m, 1 lvand 2 dd, (Protoconch not present) obtained from a dealer ( MO, unpublished). North of New Caledonia. SMIB 6: stn DW 120, Grand Passage,  New Caledoniaproper. MUSORSTOM 4: stn DW 210, 22°44’S, 18°58’S, 163°26’E, 310-325 m, 1 dd; stn DW 123, 18° 57°S, 167°09’E, 340-345 m, 1 dd. 163°25’E, 330-360 m, 1 dd.    Norfolk Ridge. CHALCAL 2: stn DW 71, 24°42’S, 168°10’E, 230  Norfolk Ridge. SMIB 3: stn DW 8, 24°45’S, 168°08’E,  233 m, m, 2 dd. — SMIB 3: stn DW 8, 24°45’S, 168°08’E, 233 m, 1 dd; 1 dd. — SMIB 4: stn DW 40, 24°46’S, 168°09’E, 240-260 m, 1 stn DW 18, 23°42’S, 167°59’E, 338 m, 1 dd (Figs 55, 56). — SMIB dd; stn DW 41, 24°44’S, 168°09’E, 230-235 m, 2 dd; stn DW 8: stn CP 162, 24°47’S, 168°09’ E, 254- 234 m, 1 dd (Fig. 210). — 48, 24°46’S, 168°09’E,  240-245 m, 1 dd; stn DW 49, 24°46’S, NORFOLK1: stn DW 1651, BancN, 23°27’S, 167°50’E, 276-350 168°09’E,  240-300 m, 1 dd; stn DW 71, 24°42’S, 168°10’E,  230 m, 1dd; stn DW 1658, 23°26’S, 167°50’E,  320-336 m, 5 dd ( Figsm, 1 dd. — SMIB 8: stn DW 159, 24°46’S, 168°08’E,  241-245 m, 1 57, 58); stn CP 1672, Banc Jumeau Ouest, 23°43’S, 168°01’E, dd; stn CP 162, 24°47’S, 168°08’E,  254-264 m, 1 lv. — CHALCAL  267-324 m, 1 dd; stn CP 1681, Banc Kaimon-Maru, 24°44’S, 2: stn DW 71, 24°42’S, 168°10’E,  230 m, 2 dd. —  NORFOLK1: 168°10’E,  228-240 m, 1 dd. stn DW 1653, 23°28’S, 167°51’E,  328-340 m, 1 dd.  Loyalty Ridge. VOLSMAR: stn DW 41, 22°19’S, 168°41’E, 195- Loyalty Ridge. MUSORSTOM 6: stn DW 446, 20°54’S, 167°19’E, 250 m, 2 dd (Figs 169, 209). — MUSORSTOM 6: stn DW 474, 360 m, 1 dd; stn DW 475, 21°09’S, 167°55’E, 236 m, 1 dd (Figs 21°09’S, 167°55’E, 260 m, 1 dd. 52-54).   Vanuatu. MUSORSTOM 8: stn DW 967, 20°19’S, 169°53’E, DISTRIBUTION. —  From Wakayama Prefecture, Japan( Kosuge 1986d: pl. 28, figs 3, 5), to the South China Seaand the Philippines. New Caledonia, Loyalty Ridge, Norfolk Ridgeand Vanuatu, live in  254-264 m(found live at shallower depth in the Philippines,  40-80 m), empty shells in  230-340 m. Range extension to southwest Pacific. REMARKS. — According to Kosuge (1986d), four nominal species are included in the  Babelomurex deburghiaegroup:  Babelomurex deburghiae(Reeve, 1857),  B. hirasei( Shikama, 1964),  B. cariniferoides(Shikama, 1966)and  B. yamatoensisKosuge, 1986(other species have also been described that are close to  B. cariniferoides: see below). Distinguishing among these nominal species is primarily based on the larval shell (multispiral with planktotrophic development in  B. cariniferoidesand  B. yamatoensis, paucispiral, possibly with lecithotrophic development in  B. deburghiaeand  B. hirasei) and on the spiral cords above the shoulder (12-14 and fine in  B. yamatoensis, 5-6 and coarse in  B. cariniferoides, more than 12 in  B. deburghiae, 8-11 in  B. hirasei). Additionally,  B. latipinnatus(Azuma, 1961)is distinguished from  B. hiraseiby its very broad and flattened spines on the shoulder, and the numerous very finely scabrous cords. Specimens of  B. latipinnatusfrom the Philippinesand the southern ChinaSea (pers. obs.) have a multispiral protoconch of the  FIGS 52-60. Teleoconchs of  Babelomurex. 52-58,  B. yamatoensisKosuge,1986. 52-54, MUSORSTOM 6 stn DW 475,H 19.5 mm; 55, 56, SMIB 3 stn DW 18, H 22.5 mm; 57, 58, NORFOLK1 stn DW 1658, H 16 mm. 59,  B. cariniferoides(Shikama, 1966), LAGON stn 572, H 18.1 mm. 60,  B. memimarumaiKosuge, 1985, LAGON stn DW 538, H 32.2 mm. planktotrophic type. Separation of extreme specimens of  B. deburghiaeand  B. hiraseiis relatively easy (  B. deburghiaealso having a more elevated spire) but to definitively assess their specific status will require markers independent of morphology (especially in intermediate individuals). Furthermore, the protoconch is lacking in most specimens (including the typesof several of the taxa involved) and the separation of  B. deburghiaefrom  B. yamatoensisis not always possible. The relatively few shells with intact or at least useful protoconchs among the present material all exhibit a planktotrophic typelarval shell. In most cases this was associated with fine spiral sculpture and a relatively low spire, indicating (in Kosuge’s scheme) that they are  B. yamatoensis. 233 -24.75 Ridge. 1249 168.13333 Ridge. 39 520 1 Norfolk Banc 243 -24.783333 Banc Jumeau Ouest 1249 168.13333 Figs 39 520 1 1 Norfolk 296 -24.7 Banc Kaimon-Maru 1249 168.16667 39 520 1 Norfolk 234 -23.466667 NORFOLK 1255 167.85 39 520 1 Norfolk Japan Norfolk Ridge 259 From Loyalty Ridge 39 520 1 Wakayama