Spicilegia zoologica; or, original figures and short systematic descriptions of new and unfigured animals. Pt. I / By John Edward Gray.

  • John Edward Gray
Date:
[1828]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Spicilegia zoologica; or, original figures and short systematic descriptions of new and unfigured animals. Pt. I / By John Edward Gray. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Sci. Nat. X. 296.) covers the shell when alive. In examining the animal of Natica ampullacea of Lam., (preserved in spirits and much contracted,) I find that the front part of the foot is similarly, al- though in a less degree, extended and grooved'on each side : but as both the specimens in the Museum are males, I do not know if the female is furnished with a similar groove. It differs from Natica in the small size of the operculum, which escaped the obser- vation of M. Blainville, but which is very distinctly to be seen in both the species I have examined. ]. Le Sigaret, Adanson, Sen eg. L 2./. 2. Helix Haliotoidea, Linn. Lister, t. 570. y. 21. Sigaretus Haliotoideus, Lam., Blain. Cryptostoma Leachii, Blainville, Man. Malac. t, 42. f. 3. Ency. Metrop. t. . f. . Sigaretus Leachii, Sow. Gen. Shells./. 3. Icon. t.5.f. 1. the operculum./ 1. a. the details of the head. Africa, Senegal, Adanson. F. M. Mus. Brit. 2. Sigaretus concavus, Lam. Sigaretus Haliotoidea, Sow. Gen./. 3. 3. Sigaretus concavus. Sow. Gen./. 1. Cryptostoma, t.o.f. 2. a. the groove on the side of the foot. 4. Nerita Papilla. Gmel., Chem. Africa. Capt. Owen. 3. Cryptostoma Indica, n. which differs from C. Haliotoidea in being a little, more convex and solid, and in the edge of the columella being concave and polished. India, Mus. General Hardwicke. 6. Sigaretus canaliculatus, Defrance. Sow. Gen./ 4. 7. Sigaretus Icevigatus, and S. pellucidus. Deshaves, Coq. Fos. Par. t. 23./. 5, 6. and 13, 14. The genus Sigaretus of Lamarck should be removed from the Ma- crostomes to near the Naticce; they will then form a natural family, as Stomatia and Stomatclla have animals exactly similar to Haliotis. The Sigaretus of Cuvier and the Coriocella of Blainville, are not only the same genus, but are the same species, as is proved by a specimen sent by Cuvier to the British Museum, which certainly has a greenish shell. Fam. Cerithiad.® ? Gen. Tornatella. Animal. Corpus spirale. Pallium integrum submarginatum, la- ter ibuscontr actum. BranchicBpectinatce. Tentacula2 magna, supra frontem dilatata. Oculi ? Pes magnus, latus, contractione transversim plicatus, antice emarginatus. Uni- sexuale. Operculum corneum, acinaciforme, subconcentrice striatum. The body is spiral and compressed; the edge of the mantle free all round, slightly thickened in front, and with a slight fold on the right side. The head is surmounted by two very broad, thin, ex- panded, membranaceous tentacula, forming a kind of hood, and separated from each other by a longitudinal groove j each of them has a slit near the middle of its outer margin, the upper edge of the left being expanded and rounded, while that of the right is rather larger, acute, and folded down. These tentacula bear some resemblance to the double-fringed lips of Phasianella (see Cuv. Moll. t. 11. /. 2, 3). Head distinct. Eyes ? Mouth sunk- in. Foot short, folded across near the anterior part when the animal is contracted, slightly nicked anteriorly, and rounded behind. The animal is unisexual; the penis exserted, large, situated near the base of the right tentaculum. Branchiae pectinate. Operculum horny, exactly of the same shape with the mouth of the shell, at- tached to the upper part of the back of the foot, short, truncate, sickle-shaped, thin and pellucid, formed of somewhat concentric slriiE; the inner front edge is thickened, and the whole of the inner edge together with the tip, are furnished with a thin membra- naceous expansion, which is much broader at the two ends. The use of this thin edge is doubtless to enable the animal to adapt its operculum more exactly to the shape of the mouth of thy shell. It has been observed that shells with toothed columellse never have operculaj but many instances may be produced to the con- trary. Trochus Pharaonis is not distinguished in this respect from the other shells of that genus ; and the genera Turbinellus, Fas- ciolaria, and Pyramidella, are all furnished with opercula. The generic name of Acteon given by De Montfort to this shell, has been lately applied by Dr. Fleming to the small Auriculce. The present genus has been referred by M. de Ferussac to the same family with the latter, with which it has no affinity whatever. D’Acosta referred it to Turbo, Linnaeus to Voluta, and Brugui^re to Bulimus. Fam. MuRiciDiE. Gen. Murex. Murex labiosus, n.— Testd albd, ovato-fusiformi; anfractibus 5—6, convexis, spiraliter striatis, varicibus elevatis foliaceis 10—1 i I ultimo anfractu spird duplo longiore, costis tribus spiralibus elevatis; labio exteriore expanse albo: fauce rufescente. Icon. t. 6./. 9. Inhab. Valparaiso, Rev. W. Hennah, Capt. Lord Byron, R.N. Mus. Brit. Shell ovate, fusiform, white; whorls 5—6, convex, spirally striated, with 10—11 raised foliaceous varices ; last whorl twice as long as the spire, with three raised spiral ridges; outer lip expanded, white; throat red brown. Axis 4, diameter f of an inch. Fam. BucciNiDiE. Gen. Purpura. Purpura Callaoensis, n.—Testd ovatu, brunned; spird brevissimd conicd; anfractibus spiraliter striatis; ultimo subcarinato, ple- rumque costis aliis 2 spiralibus obscuris; labio exteriore tenu- iter denticulato, margine externo brunneo; fauce albo. Icon. t. 6./. 11. Inhab. Callao Bay, Rev. W. Hennah. Mus. Brit. Shell ovate, brownish; spire very short, conical; whorls 4, spi- rally striated, rapidly enlarging, last slightly keeled, mostly marked with 2 other very obscure spiral ridges; throat white; outer lip finely denticulated; outer edge brown. Axis f, diameter i of an inch. Fam. VoLUTAD^. Gen. Mitra. Mitka. Animal: corpore spirali compresso, latere columellari co- lumellcE sulcis impresso; pede parvo, postice cTontracto, antice dilatato, truncato; capite cylindrico, brevi; proboscide longis- simo, clavato, apice reftexo, disco crassiore; tentaculis brevibus, subcylindricis,compressis; oculis ?; pallio tenui; siphone brevi, compresso. Operculum nullum. Mus. Brit. The animal of Mitra, now, I believe, for the first time described, has the trunk of great length, being often twice as long as the foot. Mr. S. Stutchbury informs me that in M. Episcopalis he has fre- quently seen the animal project it to the distance of five inches. Mitra (species undetermined), South Seas. Animal, t. 6./. 13. Fam. Aplysiad.®. Gen. Aplysia. Aplysia Petersonii, n.—Corpore postice contracto, transversim in duas portiones prof unde diviso; pede postice rugoso, tuberculato. Icon. t. 4. /. 4. 4 a. the shell. Inhab. Marseilles, Peterson, Esq. Mus. Brit. Body contracted posteriorly, and divided transversely into two por- tions. Head very large, depressed, smooth. Foot very broad, deeply emarginate in front, expanded beyond the edge of the body; the part beneath the hinder portion of the body divided by deep wrinkles into distinct tubercles. Mouth sunk-in, large; labial expansions short, triangular, wrinkled. Tentacula situated half way between the head and the transverse contraction, short, co- nical. Body subglobular, externally tubercular, wrinkled. Lobes of the mantle rounded, united behind, the right one rather longer than the left, partly covering the shield. Shield partly exposed, ovate; nucleus submedial; columellar edge subangularly bent. Length 5 inches, breadth 2|. This species constitutes a peculiar section of the genus, charac- terized by the transverse contraction of the body. The animal
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