A revision of the Indo-West Pacific fossil and Recent species of Murex s.s. and Haustellum (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Muricidae)

Abstract

The Indo-West Pacific species of Murex and Haustellum are revised and several species heretofore included in Murex s.s. are transferred to Haustellum, which is recognized as a separate genus. In all, 55 species-group taxa are recognised. Of these, 26 species (including six new) or subspecies (including three new) of Murex, and 17 species (including one new) or suspecies of Haustellum, occur in the Recent fauna. Four taxa of fossil Murex and six of Haustellum are also recognised. A subgenus of Murex is described to include one Recent and two fossil species, one from the Europen Tertiary. All Recent species are redescribed in detail and their distribution given. Ten new species-group taxa are named: Murex falsitribulus, M. kerslakae, M. spectabilis, M. queenslandicus, M. spicatus, M. altispira and Haustellum dolichourus n. spp.; and M. tenuirosturm africanus, M. pecten soelae and M. brevispina ornamentalis n. subspp. The subgenus Promurex is proposed from Murex antelmei. The known (albeit limited) biological information about these two general is summarised and comparisons are made with related genera, based upon shell, radular and anatomical data.