152 AMERICAN JOURNAL 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF GENUS LATIRUS, 



MONTF. 



BY W. HARPER PEASE. 



L. liratus, Pease. 



Latirus (Turbinelld) gemrnatus, Rve., var., Con. Icon. pi. 12, 

 fig. 61. 



Description. — T. fusiformi-ovata, solida, longitudinaliter cos- 

 tata, costis 10, rotundatis, transversiin liris parvis, compress is 

 cingulata ; apertura parviuscula, intus lirata ; flavus, costis, linea 

 unica nigrescens strigatis ; liris hie illic ad interstitiis alba rnacu- 

 latis ; columella aperturaque, croceis, basi nigro tincta ; epider- 

 mide membranacea tenui induta, longitudinaliter rugosa. 



Dimensions. — Diam. 16, long. 30 mill. 



Hab. — Insl. Marquesas. 



Shell fusiformly ovate, solid, longitudinally ribbed, ribs con- 

 tiguous, rounded, 10 in number, encircled transversely with small 

 compressed ridges ; aperture rather small, interior ridged. Red- 

 dish-yellow, ribs striped (on the left side) with a blackish line ; 

 transverse ridges, here and there spotted with white, at the inter- 

 stices between the ribs ; aperture and columella bright saffron, 

 base stained with black ; covered with a thin membranaceous 

 epidermis, roughened longitudinally. 



Remarks. — Having received a specimen, collected alive and 

 in perfect condition, of this rare species, we have been able to 

 determine its specific characters, which prove to be quite distinct 

 from those of gemmatus, with which it was connected by Mr. 

 Reeve as a variety. 



Having a full series of the latter species, we amended the 

 original description by Mr. Reeve in Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 

 1864, p. 53. 



As compared with L. liratus, Pease, its ribs are greater in 

 number, much smaller and less prominent, nodulose and crossed 

 by impressed striae, instead of being ridged. Its color is yellow, 

 with the white spots more numerous, and it has the peculiarity, 

 in common with several species inhabiting Western Polynesia, of 

 the colors becoming iridescent when wet. The base is not stained. 



It is confined to Western Polynesia. The above species is not 

 known from any locality except the Marquesas. 



The figure by Mr. Reeve, Con. Icon. pi. 12, will serve to dis- 

 tinguish it from gemmatus on plate 2. 



