Triphoris (Ino) sculptus Hinds, 1843

Figure 37

Triphoris (Ino) sculptus Hinds 1843b: 17, not illustrated. Illustration available in Hinds (1844): 28, pl. 8, fig. 3.

Type locality.

Straits of Malacca.

Type material.

Syntypes: NHMUK 1844.6.7.17- 19, 3 specimens, Straits of Malacca (coll. E. Belcher); NHMUK 1855.11.15.20, 1 specimen, no locality (coll. E. Belcher); NHMUK 1879.2.26.201, 1 specimen, Straits of Malacca (J. Lombe-Taylor coll.) .

Original description.

Testa pallide rufente; anfractibus 15-18 biseriatim granoso-carinatis, medio laevigatis carina secundaria; prope suturam carinula monilifera; sinu laterali patulo. Axis 4½ lin.

Geog. Straits of Malacca; in 3 fathoms.

Translation of the Latin text.

Shell pale reddish; 15-18 whorls with two granulated-keeled cords, with a smooth interspace with a secondary keel; a thin granulated keel near the suture; open posterior sinus. Height 4½ lines.

Diagnosis.

Subadult syntypes ca 9 mm high. Shell conical, with flat whorls bearing two quite thin main spiral cords with large oblong tubercles at the intersection with broad axial ribs. A third very fine spiral cord develops early in the teleoconch but never attains the strength of the other two whereas a fourth smooth cord is visible above the suture. A microsculpture of very fine threads is visible between the main cords. The apex is incomplete, but clearly bears a brown multispiral protoconch whose last two whorls have two strong spiral keels and axial riblets. The teleoconch has a whitish background with orange to brown flammulae.

Remarks.

All available syntypes are subadults without a fully developed last whorl and peristome. Specimens NHMUK 1844.6.7.17 (Fig. 37A, B) and NHMUK 1844.6.7.19 (Fig. 37H) are probably those that best fit the figure by Hinds (1844) in terms of sculpture, colour pattern and shell profile. In contrast, NHMUK 1844.6.7.18 (Fig. 37G) has a much more slender profile and resembles Triphoris bilix Hinds, 1844 (p. 185), NHMUK 1879.2.26.201 (Fig. 37J) is again more slender and has more numerous tubercles on the third spiral cord, superficially resembling T. concors Hinds, 1844 (p. 193), and NHMUK 1855.11.15.20 might be a Triphoris sculptus, but it is too ruined for proper identification.