Pseudovermilia pacifica Imajima, 1978

(Fig. 16)

Pseudovermilia pacifica Imajima, 1978: 57 –59, fig. 4a–n [Ponape Island; original description].

Pseudovermilia pacifica . — Imajima, 1979: 170 [Japan]; 1987: 81 [Okinawa, Japan]; Imajima & ten Hove 1984: 58 [Truk Islands, Ponape and Majuro Atoll]; ten Hove 1994: 110 [Seychelles]; Sun & Yang 2001a: 187, fig. 1I –N [Xisha Island, China]; Bailey-Brock et al. 2012: 976–977, fig. 7A–M [Marshall Islands].

Material examined. AM W.28305, ZMA V.Pol. 4774, Carter Reef, 14°32'S, 145°35'E, coll. P. Hutchings, 10 Mar 1986, det. E. Kupriyanova (10 respectively 8, as Pseudovermilia sp. by ten Hove); AM W.28326, outer reef, Yonge Reef, 14°40'S, 145°27'E, dead & living corals, 8–10 m, coll. H. ten Hove, 21 Jun 1983 (5 as Semivermilia sp.); AM W.28327, stn. 16, North Point, 14°40'S, 145°28'E, sloping reef with mainly dead & thinly silted corals, coll. H. ten Hove, P. Hutchings & M. Reid, 1 Mar 1986; AM W.28343, Turtle Beach, 14°40'S, 145°27'E, underside of dead & living corals, coll. H. ten Hove, 22 Jun 1983; AM W.44053, MI QLD 2352; AM W.44538, MI QLD 2388 (5); AM W.47301, Fore Reef, 14°36'54"S, 145°37'12"E, 12 m, coll. M. Blazewicz-Paskowycz, 13 Feb 2009; AM W.47580, stn.G231, Coconut Beach, coll. G. Rouse & E. Kupriyanova, 26 Oct 2005; AM W.47583, stn.G232, rubble between First Beach & Osprey Island, coll. G. Rouse & E. Kupriyanova, 26 Oct 2005; AM W.47585, stn.G232, rubble between First Beach & Osprey Island, coll. G. Rouse & E. Kupriyanova, 26 Oct 2005; MAGNT W025499, Patch Reef near lagoon entrance, 14°41'20"S, 145°28'12"E, coral rubble, 2 m, coll. N. Bruce, 11 Apr 2008, det. Kupriyanova; ZMA V.Pol. 4765 (6), between First Beach & Osprey Island, reef flat, dead corals & rubble in sand, 3–4 m, coll. H. ten Hove, 17 Jun 1983; ZMA V.Pol. 4766, stn.20, reef front north of South Island, sloping reef outside lagoon & sandy bottom below, 10–17 m, coll. H. ten Hove, P. Hutchings & M. Reid, 5 Mar 1986 (operculum lost); ZMA V.Pol. 4770 (2), stn.17, Palfrey Island, south of lighthouse, coral heads on sandy bottom, 7 m, coll. H. ten Hove, P. Hutchings & M. Reid, 2 Mar 1986; ZMA V.Pol. 4776 (3), stn.18, lagoon near east entrance, sheltered side of reef, near sandy bottom, 2–20 m, coll. H. ten Hove, 3 Mar 1986.

Diagnosis. Tube white, triangular in cross-section, with thick, rounded median ridge, two finely toothed lateral ridges and lateral flanges. Peduncle with asymmetrical swelling at the distal end. Operculum with a bell-shaped ampulla and a stack (3–14) of diabolo-like yellow tiers, chitinous in appearance, with distinct margins; with or without a hook at the top (Fig. 16).

Remarks. The tubes are very faintly striated transversely, as opposed to the clear ribs figured by Imajima (1978, fig. 4m –o) and visible in the paratype (ZMA V.Pol. 3295).

Distribution. Izu Island, Japan, Indo-West Pacific. New record for Australia.