214 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS : PALAEONTOLOGY. 



Fam. MURICID^. Tryon. 



Gen. MUREX L. 

 144. MUREX HATCHERI Ortmann. 



PI. XXXIV, Fig. 6. 



1900 M. h. Ortmann, in: Amer. Journ. Sci., v. 10, p. 375. 



Shell ovato-subfusiform. Whorls 5-6, rapidly increasing. Spire short, 

 conical. Upper whorls angulated by a prominent, but blunt carina, which 

 is situated below the middle of the whorls ; this carina also forms an 

 angulation on the last whorl, and, below it, there are 4-5 other carinae, 

 of which the first, or the first and second, are strong, resembling the 

 upper carina, while the others are smaller, becoming indistinct toward the 

 canal. Upper part of whorls, above the upper carina, flat and obliquely 

 descending from the suture, with a few revolving striae becoming indis- 

 tinct on the last whorl. Varices 56, lamelliform, strong and thick, at 

 the points of crossing with the spiral carinae produced into short leaf- or 

 ear-like lobes, strongest on the uppermost carina, and decreasing in size 

 toward the canal. On the upper whorls only the upper row of lobes is 

 visible, which become indistinct toward the apex. Mouth large, ovate, 

 prolonged into an open canal of medium length, hardly as long as the 

 mouth. Outer lip ornamented with 56 ear-like lobes, identical with the 

 lobes of the varices. 



Height, 63 mm ; diameter, 44 mm. 



Remarks: The development of the spiral carinae differs in the two indi- 

 viduals at hand. The larger one has only two of them strongly devel- 

 oped, the others are small and indistinct, and indicated chiefly by the 

 lobes of the varices, which are quite large. In the other individual, these 

 two larger carinae are also developed, but below them are about four dis- 

 tinct ribs decreasing in size downward. The lobes of the varices are 

 indistinct and small in this individual (partly worn off on the whorls), 

 but very distinct, although smaller than in the first one, on the margin 

 of the mouth. 



As to the resemblance of this species to Urosalpinx pyriformis (v. Ih.) 

 see below. 



Record of specimens : San Julian, Darwin Station, 2 sp. 



