304 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL VI, October, 1952 
KEY TO THE WEST COAST SPECIES 
OF NASSARIIDAE 
A. Orange callus spreading over body whorl 
Nassarius fossatus 
Orange callus absent B 
B. Length of shell greater than width of 
body whorl C 
Length of shell approximately equal to 
width of body whorl N. corpulentus 
C. With distinct groove over dorsum of 
anterior canal D 
Without distinct groove over dorsum of 
anterior canal N. ohsoletus 
D. Narrow shelf just at sutures E 
Shelf at sutures absent F 
E. Raised ribs formed by axial lines present 
within aperture; shell sturdy; maximum 
length, 26 mm N. perpinguis 
Raised ribs within aperture usually absent; 
shell thin; maximum length, 37 mm.. . 
N. californianus 
F. Callus spreading at least slightly over 
body whorl G 
Callus definitely delimited, not spreading 
over body whorl I 
G. Transverse sculpture of definite nodes . H 
Transverse sculpture of ribs which do not 
form definite nodes N. cerritensis 
FI. Shell white or with brown spiral bands 
on body whorl; length approximately 13 
mm N. tegula tlarula 
Shell dark brown or purplish without 
color bands; length approximately 18 mm. 
N. tegula 
I. Outer lip sharp and thin; shell slender 
and elongate J 
Outer lip swollen; shell not slender and 
elongate K 
J. Nodes prominent on body whorl 
N. mendicus cooperi 
Nodes absent or poorly developed on 
body whorl N. mendicus 
K. Anterior canal somewhat long and curved ; 
length 18 to 27 mm.; whorls angular. . . . 
N. pagodus 
Anterior canal short L 
L. Transverse sculpture prominent on all 
whorls M 
Transverse sculpture prominent only on 
upper whorls; dominant sculpture of 
numerous extremely faint spiral lines 
encircling all whorls N. insculptus 
M. Transverse sculpture forming nodes on 
body whorl; axial sculpture of impressed 
lines N. versicolor 
Transverse sculpture not forming nodes 
on any whorls; axial sculpture of raised 
lines N. catallus 
Nassarius fossatus (Gould) 
PL I, Fig. 2 
Buccinum elegans Reeve, Zool. Soc. London, 
Proc. (10) : 199, 1843, [non] Buccinum elegans 
Costa, 1822. 
Buccinum fossatum Gould, Boston Soc. Nat. 
Hist., Proc. 3: 152, 1849. 
Nassa reevei A. Adams, Zool. Soc. London, 
Proc. for 1851: 109 [nomen novum for 
Buccinum elegans Reeve]. 
Nassa fossata Gould, Gabb, GeoL Survey 
Calif., Paleontol. 2: 74, 1868-69; Cooper, 
Amer. Jour. Conch. 6: 68, 1870; Keep, 
West Coast Shells, p. 36, fig. 16, 1893; 
Packard, Calif. Univ., Pubs., Zool. 18(13): 
303, 1918. 
Nassa (Tritia) fossata Gould, Tryon, Man. 
Conch. I, 4: 55, pi. 17, figs. 316, 317, 1882. 
Alectrion fossata Gould, Chace, E. P., Nauti- 
lus 29(11): 130, 1916; Jordan, South. Calif. 
Acad. Sci., Bui. 23: 149, 1924; Johnson 
and Snook, Seashore Animals of the Pacific 
Coast, p. 513, fig. 530, 1927. 
Alectrion fossatus Gould, Dali, U. S. Natl. 
Mus., Proc. 51: 575, 1917; Oldroyd, 1. S., 
Wash. Univ., Puget Sound Biol. Sta. Pubs. 
4: 95, pi. 22, figs. 3, 4, 1924. 
Alectrion {Schizopygd) fossata Gould, Dali, U. 
S. Natl. Mus., Bui. 112: 102, 1921; Water- 
fall, Calif. Univ., Pubs., GeoL Sci. 18: 78, 
1929. 
Alectrion {Schizopyga) fossatus Gould, Oldroyd, 
1. S., Stanford Univ., Pubs., Univ. Ser. 
