ART. 15 ISTEW AUSTRALIAI7 LAND SHELLS MAESHALL 15 



THERSITES (HADRA) FORSTEEIANA MAJOR Pfeiffer 



Plate 3, fig. 6 



1859, Helix forsteriana major Pfeiffee, Monographia Heliceorum Viven- 

 tium, vol. 4, p. 174. (Not Helioo forsteriana major Pfeiffer, Monographia 

 Heliceorum Viventium, vol. 5, p. 377, 1868.) 



Similar to Thersites forsteriana forsteriaTia but somewhat larger, 

 with lines of growth more prominent and with the periphery ob- 

 scurely angulate, and with colors less delicate. 



The figured specimen is one belonging with four others under Cat. 

 No. 100188, U.S.N.M. It measures : Major diameter, 24.5 mm. ; minor 

 diameter, 21 mm.; height, 17 mm. They belong to the Stearns 

 collection and came from Dr. J. C. Cox, who labeled them " Helix 

 {Camaena) forsteinavM Pfeiffer " and quoted the locality as northeast 

 Australia. 



It seems almost certain that Pfeiffer described specimens like these 

 as var. major. Later he gave another description of Tnajor'' which 

 was for a much larger shell and which Dohrn figured.® These are 

 not subspecies major, but belong to the new subspecies described 

 below. 



THERSITES (HADRA) FORSTERIANA ADA, new subspecies 



Plate 3, fig. 4 



1866. Helix forsteriana major Pfeiffer, Monographia Heliceorum Viven- 

 tium, vol. 5, p. 377. (Not Helix forsteriana major Pfeiffer, Mono- 

 graphia Heliceorum Viventium, vol. 4, p. 174, 1859.) 



1879. Helix forsteriana major Dohen, Conch, Cab., pi. 171, figs. 8-10. 



Shell similar to Thersites forsteriana forsteriana, but very much 

 larger, more depressed and the body whorl more descending in front. 

 The type (Cat. No. 317036, U.S.N.M.) comes from Lizard Island, off 

 the east coast of Queensland, and belongs in the Henderson collection. 

 It measures: Greater diameter, 31 mm.; lesser diameter, 27 mm.; 

 height, 18 mm. A paratype (Cat. No. 333819, U.S.N.M.) agTees in 

 all respects with the type. Probably the specimens used by Pfeiffer 

 in his second description of " var 7najor " ^ were from the same 

 locality as the specimens used here. He cites Cape Flattery, Aus- 

 tralia. Lizard Island lies just off Cape Flattery on the east coast of 

 Queensland. The specimens figured by Dohrn as Helix forsteriana 

 mhjor were from the same lot as those used by Pfeiffer in his second 

 description of major, though he gives no definite locality. Dohrn's 

 figures agree exactly with our specimens of Thersites forstenana ada. 



'' Monographia Heliceorum Viventium, vol. .5, p. S77. 1868. 

 s Conch, Cab., pi. 171, figs. 8, 9. 10, 1879. 

 » Men. Hel. Viv., vol. 5, p. .377, 1868. 



