VOLUTIDAE 171 



Genus VASUM Roding, 1798 

 Vasum niuricatumsio (Born) PI. 36, figs. 240a, b 



Alt., 60; diam. at periphery of body whorl, 42 mm. Shell heavy, 

 solid, white; thick, rugose brownish epidermis; about eight whorls; 

 apex acute, spire rises abruptly from penultimate whorl; sutures 

 not well defined; outline of body whorl triangular, base narrow, 

 shoulder nearly flat above periphery; about 10 broad, rounded ribs 

 produced into sharp, prominent tubercles at periphery of body and 

 penultimate whorl; revolving longer and smaller ridges; two or three 

 series of spinous processes about base; aperture long, rather narrow, 

 recurved notch at base; outer lip crenulate with external sculpture; 

 columella with five, unequal central folds; umbilical notch at base; 

 operculum corneous. 



Fresh shells dredged about reefs and rocky bottom in four to 

 six fathoms. 



Family TOLUTIDAE 



The shells of many members of this family are rare and ex- 

 pensive. Little is known of the habits of the animal. They are 

 believed to be carnivorous, and Australian and South American 

 species have been found in shallow water feeding upon Mytilus. 



Distribution of members of the family is confined to tropical 

 and subtropical seas. 



Genus SCAl'HELLA Sv/ainson, 1832 

 Scaphella junoniasii (Shaw) PI. 36, fig. 241 



Alt., 45; extreme alt. about 140 mm. Shell smooth, elongate- 

 ovate; pinkish ivory with revolving rows of rich mahogany-red 

 squarish spots; about five whorls; apex rounded, brown; spire short, 

 sutures distinct; early whorls finely ribbed, cancellated by spiral 

 threads; aperture elongate, notched at base, outer lip simple, sharp; 

 columella involute, with four oblique folds; no operculum. The ani- 

 mal is strikingly marked with velvet-black spots and blotches on 

 an ivory-pink ground color. 



Living specimens from 30 to 70 millimeters height have been 

 dredged about rocky reefs about one and three to four miles off 



^^° Lat., vasum, a vessel; muricatus, sharp, prickly, 

 ■''i^ Gr., scaplte, a bowl; Juno, consort of Jupiter. 



