Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Fiji and Tonga
Author
Houart, Roland
John T. Huber
Author
Héros, Virginie
John T. Huber
text
Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
2008
196
437
480
journal article
978-2-85653-614-8
1243-4442
Ergalatax contracta
(Reeve, 1846)
Fig. 4I
Buccinum contractum
Reeve, 1846
: pl. 8, fig. 53.
MATERIAL EXAMINED. —
Fiji
. SUVA 2: stn CP 45,
17°52’S
,
18°21’S
,
178°09’E
,
26 m
, 1 dd; stn CP 19,
18°26’S
,
178°04’E
,
177°13’E
,
35 m
,
1 lv
; stn DW 62,
17°48’S
,
177°13’E
,
32 m
,
48-50 m
, 1 dd (Fig. 4I); stn DW 26,
18°24’S
,
178°05’E
, 42- 1 dd; stn BS 82,
17°39’S
,
177°22’E
,
21 m
,
1 lv
, 2 dd
. — SUVA
43 m
, 1 dd.
4: stn DW 10,
18°21’S
,
178°07’E
,
39-43 m
,
1 lv
; stn DW 11,
DISTRIBUTION. — Indo-West Pacific.
REMARKS. — A highly variable and common species in the whole Indo-West Pacific. However, it is not certain whether
E. calcarius
(Dunker, 1860)
from
Japan
and
E. smithi
(
Schepman, 1911
)
from
Indonesia
are synonyms or should be considered separate species. The
Fiji
specimens are typical
E. contracta
with a high spire, shouldered teleoconch whorls, broad and high axial ribs, and a short siphonal canal.