 M013912 |
 i15616 |
 i15617 |
 i15618 |
Murex superbus Sowerby 3rd, 1889
Gastropoda : Muricoidea : Muricidae| Current Name: | Chicomurex superbus (Sowerby, 1889) [WoRMS: 405857] |
| Type Status: | Holotype |
| Collection: | Melvill-Tomlin |
| Accession No.: | NMW.1955.158.00016 |
| Preparations: | Dry shells |
| No. of Specimens: | 1 |
| Locality: | Hong Kong, Indo-West Pacific. |
| Collecting Details: | R. Hungerford, (ex.Coll.) J. J. MacAndrew; J. C.Melvill |
References
Reference |
Citation |
Reference available |
|---|---|---|
| Sowerby, G. B. (3rd). 1889a. Descriptions of fourteen new species of shells from China, Japan and the Andaman Islands, chiefly collected by Deputy Surgeon-Gen. R. Hungerford. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1888: 565-570; pl. 28. [565; pl. 28, figs 10-11] | Cited Figured Original Description Type Designation |
 request |
| Abbott, R. T. & Dance, S. P. 1982. Compendium of seashells. E. P. Dutton, Inc. New York. i-x, 1-411pp; text figs [133; text fig.] | Figured | |
| Houart, R. 1992. The genus Chicoreus and related genera (Gastropoda: Muricidae) in the Indo-West Pacific. (A), 154. Mémoires du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle. 1-188pp; figs 1-480 [122] | Cited | request |
| Merle, D., Garrigues, B. & Pointier, J.-P. 2011. Fossil and recent Muricidae of the world. Hackenheim: ConchBooks. 1-648pp; pls 1-608; text figs 1-81 [398] | Cited | |
| Houart, R., Moe, C.O. & Chen, C. 2014. Chicomurex lani sp. nov. (Gastropoda: Muricidae), a new species from Taiwan and its intricate history. Bulletin of Malacology, Taiwan. 37: 1-14; figs 1-24. [7, 11; figs 17-19] | Cited Figured |
request |
Detailed Locality
| Verbatim Locality |
| Label: Hong Kong. Sowerby, 1889: Hong Kong. |
| Point Locality: | |
| Country: | Hong Kong |
| Station: | |
| Grid ref./Coordinates: |
| Region: | |
| Sea Region: | Indo-West Pacific. |
| Altitude: | |
| Depth: |
| Expedition: | |
| Ex. Collection: | J. J. MacAndrew; J. C.Melvill |
| Collecting date: | |
| Collected by: | R. Hungerford |
Classification
Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Superfamily |
Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animalia | Mollusca | Gastropoda
Subclass: Prosobranchia |
Neogastropoda | Muricoidea | Muricidae Subfamily: Muricinae |
Remarks
Type evidence:
Sowerby indicated a unique type when he wrote: “A single specimen in perfect condition, brought back by Dr. Hungerford from Hong Kong, is the only one at present known. Now in the collection of Mr. J. J. MacAndrew.” There is a Fulton ‘type’ label and a Melvill ‘type unique’ label giving the provenance of the shell.
It was figured in Abbott & Dance’s Compendium of Seashells (1982) but he did not list it as the holotype here, even though he did list others that had type status.
During 2013 there were concerns over the validity of this specimen as the type but after discussion with Roland Houart, and checks with the NHM, it was concluded that it is the true holotype. When comparing the specimen to Sowerby’s illustration the latter has a higher spire, is less shouldered and has a longer siphonal canal (pers. comm R. Houart), but It is obvious that the siphonal canal on this specimen has been badly broken giving it a shorter appearance. It was concluded that the other differences with Sowerby’s illustration are due to artistic license.
Houart brought to light that this specimen is actually the same as Chicomurex problematicus (Lan, 1981), rather than the different species which has in recent decades been called C. superbus. To rectify this situation Houart et al have published a paper that synonimises C. problematicus under C. superbus and gives the new name of Chicomurex lani Houart, Moe & Chen 2014 to the other species.