The Family Olividae — Burch and Burch 
most often by authors are both homonyms : 
O. ornata Marrat 1867 (not Roding 1798) and 
O. cylindrica Marrat 1867 (not B orson 1830, 
nor Sowerby 1850). Reeve (1850), Tryon 
(1883), and others assigned the species to O. 
irisans Lamarck 1811. No reference was given 
to a figure by Lamarck in his description. The 
fact that the figure of Reeve (1850) does not 
agree with Lamarck’s description in any essen- 
tial features is quite apparent. Deshayes (1844) 
refers to Dillwyn (1817). Dillwyn gives one 
reference to Martini (1773, fig. 561), which is 
obviously O. sericea (Roding 1798). It is dif- 
ficult to explain how Reeve (1850) and Marrat 
(1871) could have united O. tremulina La- 
marck 1811 and O. irisans (Lamarck) Duclos 
1835, in which the flattened spire is entirely 
covered with callosity. Tryon (1883) followed 
Reeve (1850). Kira (1955, 1962) illustrated 
the species under the name O. ornata Marrat 
1867. The typical form from western and 
northern Australia is slender and white with 
a fine zigzag pattern in ash to purple-brown. 
The columella is white, faintly tinged with lilac, 
the aperture light to deep violet. The color of 
the interior is not a constant character: a cer- 
tain percentage of specimens will range from 
white through light to deep violet. The apex 
of the Australian form is not as flat and cal- 
loused as are those from elsewhere throughout 
the Indo-Pacific. 
A brief comment on a few of the described 
color forms follows. 
albescens Johnson 1915. Nautilus 28:99. 
This pure-white albinistic form is not rare. 
cryptospira Ford 1891. Nautilus 4:135-136. 
The types are in the Academy of Natural Sci- 
ences of Philadelphia. This form is predomi- 
nantly orange in color. The spire is short with 
the sutures entirely covered by a heavy callus. 
fordi Johnson 1910. Nautilus 24:51. 
This is the dark brown form. It is common with 
others from the Philippines, Ceylon, and many 
other localities throughout the Indo-Pacific. 
Oliva vidua (Roding 1798). Mus. Boltenianum, 
pp. 34, 412, 20, Porphyria vidua. Die 
ungarische Wittwe. Gmel. V, sp. 17, Mar- 
tini 2, t. 45, f. 472, 473 St. 
The figures of Martini are clearly the solid 
509 
black form of the species known to many as 
O. maura Lamarck 1811. There has been an 
interval in which authors have placed this 
species in the synonymy of O. oliva (Linnaeus 
1758). Olsson and Dance (1966) show that 
the true O. oliva is, in fact, the species known 
to many as O. ispidula (Linnaeus 1758). The 
name O. vidua must be restored. 
The shape of O. vidua seldom varies. It is 
relatively a little elongated. The spire is very 
depressed, often completely flat. A projecting 
callosity restricts, at the top of the columellar 
ridge, a scanty canal. This species is remark- 
able for the richness and variety of the patterns 
and colors. The typical coloration is a brilliant 
black, which has attracted the attention of au- 
thors. 
Reeve (1850, pi. 7, sp. lOa-lOg) figured 
this plate for O. maura Lamarck 1811, and in 
his listings of synonyms cited three of Lamarck’s 
1811 species, O. fulminans, O. septuralis, and 
O. funebralis, and also O. macleaya and O. 
leucostoma of Duclos (1844). These are all 
recognized color forms of O. vidua with the 
exception of O. funebralis and O. leucostoma. 
However, Reeve did recognize in all figures 
the details of the spire and shoulder of O. 
vidua. Tryon (1883) figured the species well 
as O. maura Lamarck, as did Weinkauff (1878) 
with the color forms. T. Habe (1966) figured 
the species well as O. oliva. 
Some of the color forms of O. vidua follow. 
albofasciata Dautzenberg 1927. J. Conchyl. 
71:70. 
Dautzenberg based this name on a figure of 
Duclos (1844, pi. 25, fig. 4). The gray back- 
ground covered with a compact and faint 
pattern is crossed by two decurrent bands linked 
by little irregular black swatches. 
aurata Roding 1798. Mus. Boltenianum 33. 
This form is composed of shells with a uniform 
golden-yellow to orange color. We may add 
here that, as with other color forms, we have 
long series showing the gradual merging of one 
into others. 
c in eta Dautzenberg 1927. J. Conchyl. 71:63. 
This form is characterized by dark transverse 
lines on a background of light yellow, gray, or 
brown. The author referred to a figure of Reeve 
(1850, pi. 7, fig. lOe). 
