Babelomurex japonicus

Babelomurex japonicus
Five views of a shell of Babelomurex japonicus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Muricidae
Genus: Babelomurex
Species:
B. japonicus
Binomial name
Babelomurex japonicus
(Dunker, R.W., 1882)
Synonyms[1]
An apertural view of a shell of Babelomurex japonicus (Dunker, 1882), 25.9 mm, taken at 80 fathoms in tangle nets off Panglao, Bohol Island in the Philippines.

Babelomurex japonicus, common name the Japanese latiaxis, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.[1]

Description

The length of the shell varies between 25 mm and 50 mm.

(Original description in Latin) The shell is fusiform and milk-white, consisting of eight whorls. These whorls are equipped with equal, dense, and narrow ribs that are minutely overlapping, as well as a double row of large scales that occupies the upper part of the whorls. The aperture is ovate. The outer lip is ribbed on the inside, while the columella is very slightly sinuous. The rostrum is straight, and the siphonal canal is open.

With respect to its ribs and scales, this shell is analogous to Babelomurex lischkeanus (Dunker, 1882), but it differs sufficiently to be regarded as a distinct, genuine species. Indeed, it differs not only in having equal, narrower, and higher ribs—which are therefore more clearly defined—but also in possessing a double rather than a single row of large scales occupying the upper part of the whorls. Furthermore, these scales are not smooth, but are striated and minutely serrated on the right side (that is, the back). [2]

Distribution

This marine species is found in the following countries, Japan, the Philippines,Hawaii, New Caledonia, Tonga Islands and Vanuatu.

References

  1. 1 2 Babelomurex japonicus (Dunker, R.W., 1882). 14 August 2012. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
  2. ↑ Dunker, W. (1882). Index molluscorum maris japonici, conscriptus et tabulis iconum xvi illustratus. Novitates Conchologicae. Abbildung und Beschreibung Neuer Conchylien Supplement VII. Cassel: T. Fischer. p. 43. Retrieved 30 May 2026. ttribution}}
  • Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. China Science Press. 1267 pp
  • Oliverio M. (2008) Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific. In: V. Héros, R.H. Cowie & P. Bouchet (eds), Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos 25. Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 196: 481–585. page(s): 523
  • Oliverio M. 2008. Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the Marquesas Islands. Journal of Conchology 39(5): 569-584
  • Kilburn R.N., Marais J.P. & Marais A.P. (2010) Coralliophilinae. pp. 272–292, in: Marais A.P. & Seccombe A.D. (eds), Identification guide to the seashells of South Africa. Volume 1. Groenkloof: Centre for Molluscan Studies. 376 pp.
  • Severns M. (2011) Shells of the Hawaiian Islands - The Sea Shells. Conchbooks, Hackenheim. 564 pp.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.