MOLLUSCA. 53 



39. Turbinella (Tudicula) armigera. | Plate V. fig. G.) 



Tudicla armigera, A. Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc. 185o, p. 221 ; Kobelt, 

 Conch.-Cab., Purpuracea, iii. p. 20; Trvon, Mini. Conch, vol. iii. 

 p. 144, pi. 58. fig. 411. 



Hah. Moreton Bay {Strange); Port Curtis, 0-11 fms., and Port 

 Molle, 14 fms. (Cojppinger). 



As the Latin diagnosis given by Adams is defective in 6overal 

 important points, I here give a more ample description of this 

 remarkable species. Shell clavately fusiform, whitish, longitudinally 

 streaked with reddish brown, clot lied with a rather thin, somewhat 

 fibrous, yellowish epidermis. Spire short, concavely conical, obtuse 

 and mamillated at the apex. Whorls 6 ; the two nuclear ones 

 smooth, convex : the three following nearly flat or a little concave 

 and sloping, angled at the lower part near the suture, bearing at the 

 angle a series of upturned, slightly recurved hollow spines, orna- 

 mented with fine wavy spiral lirations both above and below tho 

 angle. Last whorl like the three preceding at the upper part, but 

 having the spines, about nine in number, much longer, increasing 

 in length with the growth of the shell ; body of whorl a trifle 

 convex, indistinctly variced or costate beneath each spine, bearing 

 three to five lira? armed with numerous short hollow spines, tho 

 interstices being ornamented with two or three thread-like lirations; 

 lower part of the whorl prolonged into a straight canal occupying 

 about half the length of the entire shell, bearing two oblique rows 

 of spines, those of the upper series being considerably longest : a 

 third row is also indicated at the lower part, and the entire rostrum 

 is obliquely lirated throughout. Aperture ovate, white or pinkish 

 white. Outer lip thickened, crenulated at the margin, with about 

 eight lira? within. Columella covered with a large erect spreading 

 callosity extending from the upper extremity of the labrum to the 

 lower end of the aperture, armed with three plaits, of which the 

 lowermost is the thickest. Operculum ovate, acute at the nucleus, 

 which is terminal, brown. Length 65 millim., greatest diam. 30. 



This beautiful shell was originally placed in Tudicla, one of 

 those non-admissible divisions of Bolton, and subsequently a new 

 genus, Tudicula, was proposed by H. and A. Adams (P. Z. S. 1863, 

 p. 429) for the reception of this and a second species, T. spinosa, also 

 from Port Curtis. A third form, T. inermis, has more recently been 

 described by Mr. G. F. Angas, presumed to have come from Singa- 

 pore. All of these species have the plaits on the columella, the 

 mamillated apex, and the largely developed and prominent callosity 

 on the inner lip as in the typical forms of Turbinella, e. g. T.pyrum 

 and T. rapa, and differ mainly in the greater length of the canal. 

 The operculum, too, is essentially the same ; and therefore the utility 

 of this generic division becomes very questionable. 





