Lip-piste*.] GASTROPODA. 297 



Dentition 2+1 + 1+1 + 2; the central tooth with a multi- 

 cuspidate margin ; laterals transversely quadrangular, with a multi- 

 cuspidate border ; marginals arcuate and sharp. 



Distribution. West Indies, Japan, Philippines, Australasia, South 

 Africa. Only a small number of species are known, and they live in 

 depths from about 10 to 50 fathoms. 



1. Lippistes Benhami, Suter, 1902. Plate 15, fig. 19. 



Se-paratista Benhami, Sut., J. Mai., ix, 1902, 65, fig. in text. Lippiste* 

 Benhunii, Sut., Index, 79. 



Shell small, fragile, subdiscoidal, with a very short spire and broadly 

 expanded aperture, cancellated, and with deep umbilicus. Sculpture 

 consisting of numerous distinct spiral threads, about 12 on the body- 

 whorl, but bifurcating and thus increasing in number on reaching the 

 outer lip ; in the shallow grooves between the threads there is a fine 

 median line, recognisable only under a good lens ; the axial orna- 

 mentation represented by numerous broad, rounded, sinuated costae, 

 which become more pronounced and more distant towards the aper- 

 ture ; points of intersection granulate ; fine equidistant and numerous 

 growth-lines cross the spiral threads. Colour yellowish-white, semi- 

 transparent, flinty. Spire very low, conoidal. Protoconch consist- 

 ing of H smooth and glossy whorls. Whorls 3, rapidly increasing, 

 body-whorl with a flat shoulder and distinct angle, the larger lower 

 portion strongly convex. Suture first impressed, then, on reaching 

 the aperture, channelled. Aperture widely expanded, oval, straight 

 above, subangulated at the base. Outer lip patulous throughout, 

 sharp, sinuated below the angle. Columella subvertical, slightly con 

 cave. Inner lip broadly reflected, continuous with the outer lip, and 

 very slightly detached from the penultimate whorl. Umbilicus not 

 broad, but deep, and carinated by the lowest spiral riblet. Operculum 

 unknown. 



Diameter, 7 mm. ; height, 6-5 mm. Aperture height, 6 mm. ; 

 breadth, 6 mm. 



Animal unknown. 



Type in the Otago Museum, Dunedin. 



Hob. Cape Maria van Diemen, type (Rayner). 



Fain. JANTHINID^I, Fischer. 



Animal having a proboscidiform rostrum, tentacles bifid ; eyes 

 absent ; foot short, provided with an epipodium, and secretes a float, 

 which is an elongated vesicular body sustaining these pelagic animals, 

 and to which the eggs are attached. The sexes are separate, and 

 there is no copulatory organ. No jaws. Teeth of radula elongated. 



Shell thin, fragile, turbinated ; whitish or purplish ; aperture 

 oval or subtetragonal ; the columella a little twisted ; lip simple, 

 curved. No operculum. 



