West Coast Nassariidae — Demond 
315 
Nassarius corpuknta C. B. Adams, Bales, Nau- 
tilus 52: 45, 1938. 
DESCRIPTION: Maximum length, 20 mm.; 
average length, about 17 mm.; 7 or 8 convex 
whorls; body whorl longer than half length 
of shell; body whorl almost as wide as length 
of shell; sutures impressed, somewhat wavy; 
several prominent transverse ridges, most 
noticeable on first 3 whorls, forming small 
nodes near sutures; many fine, evenly-spaced, 
raised, spiral threads; outer lip considerably 
thickened; row of denticles within aperture; 
columella concave, covered with heavy callus, 
which is often denticulate; posterior canal 
faintly indicated on some specimens; anterior 
canal short, rather broad, slightly reflected; 
deep groove at base of body whorl; shell 
whitish or ashen, often with few brown bands 
encircling body whorl. 
RECENT GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Cape San Lu- 
cas. Lower California, to Colombia. 
Species of Doubtful Occurrence 
or Uncertain Systematic Position 
Several Nassariidae reportedly have been 
collected within the area treated in this paper 
which, in my opinion, do not belong to this 
fauna. These species are discussed below. 
Nassarius nodicinctus (A. Adams) 
Dali (1921) states that N. nodicinctus r3.nges 
from San Diego, California, to Panama and 
the Galapagos Islands. This range has been 
copied by succeeding authors, such as Old- 
royd (1927) and Keen (1937). However, these 
authors cite no actual specimens taken as far 
north as San Diego. In the collections con- 
sulted, there were no specimens from the 
west coast of North America; all were from 
the Galapagos Islands. I have located no 
mention, other than Dali’s report, of speci- 
mens found in this area. In collecting along 
the California coast, I have never discovered 
N. nodicinctus. Furthermore, the type locality 
of this species is in the Galapagos. For these 
reasons, I believe Dali’s record from San 
Diego is a mistake perpetuated by subsequent 
conchologists and that this species should 
be excluded from the faunal record for this 
area. 
Nassarius noduliferus (Philippi) 
N. noduliferus is also reported by Dali (1921) 
to occur at San Diego, ranging from San 
Diego to the Gulf of California. Here again, 
Oldroyd (1927) and Keen (1937) record the 
same range. However, in this case too, I have 
found no record, either in the collections or 
the literature, of actual specimens from the 
west coast. Also, the type locality of noduli- 
ferus is in the China Seas. In my opinion, this 
species definitely is not a member of the west 
coast fauna. 
Nassarius nodiferus (Powys) 
N. nodiferus, recognized by Carpenter (1864) 
as living in Panama and the Galapagos, has 
been confused with N. noduliferus. N. nodi- 
ferus is not a west coast form either; I have 
found no record of its being taken from this 
coast, and I have never collected it here 
myself. 
Alectrion tschudii (Troschel) 
If Dali’s ( 1917 ) report of a species named 
Alectrion tschudii, ranging from Cedros Island, 
Lower California, to Peru, is correct, this 
mollusc should be included in this paper, 
since it would occur within the area from 
Cape San Lucas to Cape Flattery. However, 
in my opinion, this name should be discarded 
entirely. In all the literature, Dali’s reference 
to this species is the only one I have located. 
Dr. Howard Hill, Curator of Zoology at the 
Los Angeles County Museum, writes (per- 
sonal communication) that A. tschudii is a 
,name given the juvenile form of Nassarius 
dentiferus. Since N. dentiferus lives in Mexico, 
Panama, and Peru, not ranging as far north 
as Cape San Lucas, it is not considered in 
this paper. 
