Leptoconchus lamarckii Deshayes, 1863

Oliverio, Marco, 2009, Diversity of Coralliophilinae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda, Muricidae) at Austral Islands (South Pacific), Zoosystema 31 (4), pp. 759-789 : 782

Leptoconchus lamarckii Deshayes, 1863

( Fig. 11A )

Leptoconchus lamarckii Deshayes, 1863: 127 , pl. 13, figs 1, 3.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Five syntypes ( MNHN 0982).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Bourbon [ Réunion Island].

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — The type material and: Tubuai Is., BENTHAUS, stn DW 1958, 23°19.6’S, 149°30.3’W, 80-150 m, 1 juv dd. — Banc Arago, stn DW 1985, 23°26.3’S, 150°44.2’W, 100-107 m, 1 dd. — N of Raivavae, stn DW 1943, 23°48.7’S, 147°39.1’W, 950 m, 1 dd ( Fig. 11A ).

SW of Rarapai Is., ATELIER RAPA 2002 , stn 17, 27°34.6’S, 144°22.7’W, 9 m, 1 dd, 1 juv dd. — West of Tauna Is., stn 16, 27°36.3’S, 144°18.4’W, 5 m, 2 dd. — Hiri Bay, stn 10, 27°37.3’S, 144°22.2’W, 15-18 m, 1 dd.

DISTRIBUTION. — Throughout the Indo-West Pacific (uncommon in the Seychelles: Jarrett 2000), including Hawaii ( Kay 1979). New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands, empty shells in 2- 60 m. Austral Islands, empty shells in 5-15 m (ATELIER RAPA 2002 ) and 107-950 m (BENTHAUS), although the deep records (BENTHAUS) are probably drifted from shallower waters.

REMARKS

It is considered the commonest species of Leptoconchus in the Indo-West Pacific region ( Massin 1982). Despite this, only a few shells of L. lamarckii are present in the samples studied.Sampling that is more focused on endobiotic gastropods would probably give a better idea of their regional diversity.

Figures

FIG. 11. — A, Leptoconchus lamarckii Deshayes, 1863, N of Raivavae, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1943, 23°48.7’S, 147°39.1’W, 950 m; B, Leptoconchus sp. [peronii (Lamarck, 1818) group], Marotiri Is., BENTHAUS, stn DW 1888, 27°51.4’S, 143°31.4’W, 120-100 m; C-E, Rapa sp. cf. R. incurva (Dunker, 1852), Banc Président Thiers, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1926, 24°38.2’S, 146°00.8’W, 50-90 m; F, G, Magilus antiquus (Montfort, 1810), Hiri Bay, ATELIER RAPA 2002, stn 9, 27°37.3’S, 144°22.2’W, 3-24 m (inside the faviid coral). Scale bars: A, 10 mm; B-E, 5 mm; F, 30 mm; G, 20 mm.