OVULIDAE 183 



Neosimnia avena Sowerby Western Chubby Simnia 



Plate 7g 



Monterey, California, to Panama. 



/4 inch in length, oblong, with short extremities. Lower end of the 

 aperture wide, upper end narrow where the columella has a spiral swelling. 

 Inner and lower part of the columella with a long, light-colored ridge. Exte- 

 rior of whorls with numerous, microscopic, wavy, incised scratches. Color 

 mauve to deep-rose with the varix and extremities a lighter pink. Rare in 

 California, uncommon southward. 5. smilis Sowerby is probably this species. 



Neosimnia loebbeckeana Weinkauff Loebbeck's Simnia 



Plate yi 



Monterey, California, to the Gulf of California. 



% inch in length, translucent yellowish, rather fragile, and fusiform in 

 shape with the extremities narrow and the middle gently swollen. Columella 

 rounded, usually smoothish, but sometimes with a hint of flattening and sub- 

 sequent thickening of the lower part of the columella. Upper end of the 

 columella with a weak, spiral fold. Two subspecies have been described 

 {barbarefisis Dall and catalinensis Berry) but their distinctiveness has not 

 been clearly demonstrated as yet. Not uncommonly dredged in association 

 with seafans from 20 to 50 fathoms. 



NeosiTtmia inflexa Sowerby Inflexed Simnia 



Plate 7h 



Monterey, California, to Panama. 



% inch in length, a very vivid and dark lavender-rose or reddish purple. 

 Shell elongate; columella flattened, bordered within and also somewhat on 

 the body whorl by a long, axial, lighter-colored ridge. N. variabilis Carpenter 

 is this species, and detailed studies of the animals may also show that N. 

 aequalis Sowerby is a synonym. 



Genus Cyphoma Roding 1798 

 Cyphoma gibbosum Linne Flamingo Tongue 



Plates 8; 4r 



North Carolina to southeast Florida and the West Indies. 



% to I inch in length, glossy-smooth, chubby, and colored a rich cream- 

 orange to apricot-buff except for a small whitish rectangle on the back. 

 Callus on sides of shell indistinct and extending high up on the back with 

 poorly defined edges. Mantle of animal pale-flesh with numerous squarish, 

 black rings. Fairly common on gorgonians below low water. 



