Homalopoma quantillum carmineum ( Bartsch, 1915 )

Herbert, David G., 2015, An annotated catalogue and bibliography of the taxonomy, synonymy and distribution of the Recent Vetigastropoda of South Africa (Mollusca), Zootaxa 4049 (1), pp. 1-98 : 76

Homalopoma quantillum carmineum ( Bartsch, 1915)

Turbo (Collonia) sanguineus (non Linnaeus 1758)—G.B. Sowerby (III), 1889b: 152.

Leptothyra carminea Bartsch, 1915: 148 , pl. 23, figs 7–9. Barnard, 1963a: 228. Kensley, 1973: 46, fig. 120. Type loc.: Port Alfred, E. Cape, holotype in USNM (186865).

Homalopoma quantillum carmineum — Kilburn & Rippey, 1982: 48.

Distribution. E. Cape, from East London to the Port Alfred–Jeffreys Bay area; intertidal and shallow subtidal reefs.

Notes. Material historically identified as Homalopoma quantillum carmineum probably represents a complex of two or more species. One of these, which occurs intertidally and on near-shore reefs, may genuinely be an eastern subspecies of H. quantillum , but samples dredged alive at 25–100 m (dead shells to 450 m) off East London and the Transkei appear to belong to one or more distinct and undescribed species. This material requires further study to determine whether it comprises one variable species, perhaps exhibiting sexual dimorphism, or two distinct taxa. Generally it has fewer, narrower and more angular spiral cords than H. q. carmineum and the colour pattern is either uniformly red or red cords with pale intervals, as opposed to H. q. carmineum in which the cords are generally paler than their intervals.