3 
A REVISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN TURRIDA. 
BY 
Cuartes Hepury. 
Leas 
(Plates xlii.-lvi.) 
The marine gasteropods embraced in the family Turride (formerly 
Pleurotomide) are considered by those who meddle with them to be more 
perplexing than any other molluscan family. ‘his is because that family 
embraces a bewildering wealth of recent and fossil species, frequently 
small in size, variable or indistinct in feature, and from depths difficult of 
access. For the most part the species ave expressed by a poverty of 
individuals. This small proportion of individuals to a species is the 
general rule with carnivora, which by ecological harmony must be less 
numerous in individuals than the phytophaga. But the consequent scarcity 
of specimens hinders that exchange and comparison of material between 
students, so necessary for the correction of error and advance of knowledge. 
The range of Turrid species in space appears to be rather narrow. 
Our knowledge of the Australian ’wrridw is still very incomplete. 
The fauna of eastern Australia from Hobart to Torres Strait is best 
represented in this paper; that of the north and west is scarcely known 
at all; that of the south coast has been elaborated in excellent papers by 
Sir Joseph Verco. 
Re-arrangement of species and genera to conform with modern 
taxonomy has rejected such old friends as Plenrotomu, Drillia, Mangelia, 
Glyphostoma, Clathurella, Cythara, and Bela, so that Daphnella alone 
survives of the generic names used in this group for our fauna by the last 
generation of conchologists. 
Abont three hundred and seventy recent species discussed in the 
following pages are divided into four sub-families. First are the Turri- 
ne, distinguished by a narrow unguiculate operculum with an apical 
nucleus. As this feature is not always available for study, it is useful to 
note that the nuclear whorl is comparatively large and almost as broad as 
the rest of the protoconch, and that the interior of the shell is often 
fluted. 
An operculum with a medio-lateral nucleus is held to be the distin- 
guishing feature of the sub-family Clavutuline. 
Those genera are assigned to the sub-family Mangiliine, in which the 
protoconch is helicoid, with a very small initial, and rapidly increasing 
subsequent whorls. Here the texture of the adult shell is frequently 
“oritty,” from a sculpture of minute grains; the varix is usually well 
developed, and the fasciole evanescent. A series of pustules on the 
columella is an ordinary feature. The operculum is said to be missing. 
An elaborately sculptured protoconch contrasts with the smooth 
protoconeh of previous groups, and gives ready recognition to the fourth 
family—the Duphnelline. 
