Diversity of Coralliophilinae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda, Muricidae) at Austral Islands (South Pacific) Author Oliverio, Marco Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Rome University, “ La Sapienza ”, Viale dell’Università 32, I- 00185 Rome (Italy) marco. oliverio @ uniroma 1. it text Zoosystema 2009 2009-12-31 31 4 759 789 http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5252/z2009n4a2 journal article 8158 10.5252/z2009n4a2 e6fe093f-6002-4668-ae64-b656f2f7acfc 1638-9387 4520186 Rhizochilus antipathum Steenstrup, 1850 ( Fig. 7A, B ) Rhizochilus antipathum Steenstrup, 1850: 75 . Rhizochilus teramachii Kuroda, 1953: 118 , 125, 126, text figs 1, 2. TYPE MATERIAL. — Rhizochilus antipathum : 7 syntypes ( ZMUC ; one figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985 : pl. 50, fig. 6]) . Rhizochilus teramachii : holotype (TA 1921; figured by Kosuge & Suzuki [1985 : pl. 45, fig. 12] and Higo et al . [2001: 66 , G2412s]). TYPE LOCALITY. — Rhizochilus antipathum : no locality is given either with the type material (Ole Tendal, pers. comm.) or in the original description. Rhizochilus teramachii : East of Ashizuri-Misaki, Japan , 80-90 fms [ 146-165 m ]. MATERIAL EXAMINED. — The type material of Rhizochilus antipathum and R. teramachii , and: BENTHAUS, stn DW 1985, Banc Arago, 23°26.3’S , 150°44.2’W , 100-107 m , 1 lv ( Fig. 7B ). DISTRIBUTION Indian Ocean ( Oliverio 2008b ). Pacific Ocean, from Kii Peninsula, Japan , “sessile on branches of Antipatharians, in 100-200 m ” ( Tsuchiya 2000 ), “on Antipathes japonica Brook ” ( Higo et al . 1999: 217 , G2412), throughout the West Pacific including Hawaii (on Antipathes grandis : Gage 1962 ; Kay 1979 ). New Caledonia , shells only in 25- 400 m . Austral Islands, living in 100- 107 m . REMARKS The teleoconch of Rhizochilus is often strongly deformed due to the nearly sessile life habit (on anthipatarians).Variation in the shape and sculpture (strong to reduced spiral cords, smooth or with scaly sculpture over the cords) should be examined in a phylogeographic context to check the status of the different morphs.The multispiral protoconchs of 3.2- 3.3 whorls, indicate a planktotrophic development. Nomenclature is discussed by Oliverio (2008b) . The indication of “Indian Ocean” as type locality, as reported by Higo et al . (1999: 217 , G2412), seems unjustified.