Cerithium caeruleum G. B. Sowerby II 1855

Cerithium caeruleum Sowerby, 1855

Cerithium tuberculatum Lamarck, 1822:75 [lectotype and one paralectotype herein selected: MHNG 1097/37; type locality: Red Sea; not Cerithium tuberculatum Brown. 1827, nor Strombus tuberculatus Linné, 1758].

Verlagus schroteri Mörch, 1852:58 (refers to Schröter, 1783, pl. 3: fig. 7; holotype: ANSP 17599; type locality: Red Sea, Arabia].

Cerithium caeruleum Sowerby, 1855:866, pl. 179: figs. 61, 62 [lectotype, herein selected: BMNH 19862841, 33 mm; 5 paraleclotypes BMNH 19862842–6, type locality: Red Sea]; 1865, pl. 2: fig. 8.—Tryon, 1887:127, pl. 22: figs. 55, 56.—Jousseaume, 1930:282.—Moazzo, 1939:170.

Cerithium coeruleum [sic] Sowerby.—Kobelt, 1891:84–85, pl. 16: figs. 5, 6.

Cerithium caeruleum var. minima Fischer and Vignal in Fischer, 1901:109, pl. 4: fig. 8 (holotype: MNHNP, no number, type locality: Djibouti; 21 mm].

Clypeomorus caeruleum (Sowerby).—Taylor and Reid, 1984:201.

DESCRIPTION.—Shell (Figures 21, 22A–K): Shell large, solid, stocky, knobby, reaching 41.5 mm length and 19.2 mm width, and comprising 8–12 angulate, nodulose whorls. Protoconch 1 (Figure 22K) comprising 1.5 smooth whorls; protoconch 2 with sinusigeral notch and final 2 whorls sculptured with subsutural plicae and 3 fine, spiral lirae. Early teleoconch whorls (Figure 19F) sculptured with 2 or 3 spiral cords, numerous fine spiral lirae, and weak axial ribs. Adult teleoconch whorls angulate, sculptured with numerous spiral lirae separated by incised spiral lines, fine, colabral axial lines, and with two dominant spiral cords; small, beaded, belt-like, subsutural cord, and very large, nodulose, median cord. Median spiral cord of penultimate whorl with 8–12 large nodes and wide sutural ramp. Nodes sometimes spiny and axially drawn out. Suture slightly impressed. Body whorl large, wide, elongate, with weak siphonal constriction. Body whorl microsculpture same as on adult whorls, but with 4 or 5 major nodulose, beaded, or nearly smooth, spiral cords. Aperture ovate, a little more than one third the shell length. Columella concave with moderate thick callus. Anterior siphonal canal short, strongly reflected to left of shell axis. Anal canal deep, defined by parietal columellar plait Outer lip thick, angulate, folded into weak inner denticles. Shell color grayish blue flecked with white; nodes black, early whorls white. Measurements (Table 13). Periostracum tan. Operculum dark brown, thick.

Radula (Figure 23): Type-1 radular ribbon robust, long, about one–fifth the shell length. Rachidian tooth (Figure 23 D) squarish; basal plate with pair of posterior lunule-shaped ridges and weak, central, posterior projection. Cutting edge of rachidian with large, triangular, pointed main cusp, flanked on either side by two, sometimes three, blunt, very small denticles. Lateral tooth (Figure 23A,B) with basal plate having large central ridge with pustule on central-basal portion of ridge and long, narrow outer posterior extension. Cutting edge of lateral tooth with large triangular major cusp, one inner flanking denticle and 2 or 3 outer flanking denticles. Marginal teeth (Figure 23A,B) with wide shafts, narrow bases, and curved, hooked, blade-like apices bearing long pointed tips. Inner marginal tooth with 2 or 3 inner flanking denticles and 1 or 2 outer, flanking denticles; outer marginal tooth same, but lacking outer flanking denticles.

Anatomy: Osphradium extending length of ctenidium, not turning away from ctenidium at inhalant siphonal canal. Type-A pallial oviduct (Figure 4A). Paired salivary glands tightly lying mostly anterior to nerve ring on each side of buccal mass, but originating behind and passing through nerve ring.

SYNONYMIC