Micronesian Gastropods — Demond 
309 
Fig. 17. Tonnacepa (Roding). Onotoa Atoll, Gilbert 
Islands (USNM 607555). 
GEOGRAPHIC range: USNM collections are 
from East Africa and Mauritius eastward to 
Fiji, and from the Ryukyu Islands south to 
New Guinea. Uncommon in Micronesia. Not 
reported from Hawaii. 
Tonna perdix (Linne, 1758). 
Hirase and Taki (1951) pi. 98, fig. 7; Tinker 
(1952) p. 132, figs, on p. 133; Morris 
(1952) p. 183, pi. 38, fig. 11. 
Characteristically 4.5 to 7 inches long and 
elongate with a raised spire. See T. cepa for 
comparative description. 
T. perdix lives in offshore ocean waters, but 
empty shells are frequently washed ashore. 
According to Tinker (1949), this species oc- 
curs in less than 10 to well over 100 feet of 
water but is most abundant in depths greater 
than 75 feet. Allan (1950) reports T. perdix 
to be a common shell on the outer reefs of 
northern Australia. 
GEOGRAPHIC range: USNM collections are 
from East Africa eastward through the Indian 
and Pacific oceans to Hawaii and Samoa. Re- 
ported from southern Japan and the Great 
Barrier Reef, Australia. A fairly common spe- 
cies in the Indo-Pacific. 
Genus Malea Valenciennes, 1833 
Male a pomum (Linne, 1758). 
Hirase and Taki (1951) pi. 98, fig. 3 [as 
Quimalea pomum (Linne)]; Tinker (1952) 
p. 136, 3 figs, on p. 137; Morris (1952) 
p. 183, pL 38, fig. 12. 
Characteristically 2 to 3 inches long with 
well-defined teeth on its thickened outer lip. 
The recent Micronesian collections contain 
many empty shells taken from seaward reefs 
and beaches, indicating that M. pomum lives 
in deeper water beyond the reef edge. Ac- 
cording to Tinker (1949), this species is the 
third most abundant member of the Tonnidae 
in Hawaii. He reports that it is most numerous 
at depths of about 100 feet, is occasionally 
taken in shallower water, and is uncommon 
at depths of less than 40 or 50 feet. 
geographic range: Common in Micro- 
nesia, though rarely found alive. USNM col- 
lections are from East Africa eastward through 
the Indian and Pacific oceans to Samoa, and 
from the Ryukyu and Hawaiian islands south 
to the Celebes and New Caledonia. Reported 
from northern Australia. 
Family MURICIDAE— Murex and 
Rock Shells 
Genus Murex Linne, 1758 
Subgenus Chicoreus Montfort, 1810 
Murex ( Chicoreus ) brunneus (Link, 1807) (syn. 
adustus Lamarck, 1822). 
Hirase and Taki (1951) pi. 109, fig. 4 [as 
Chicoreus rubicundus (Perry)]. 
Characteristically 1.5 to 2 inches long. 
Ordinarily found in quiet, protected water 
from about 1 foot below low tide line to 
depths of 150 to 200 feet. Specimens studied 
were collected from crannies in both dead and 
living coral on small lagoon reefs, and also 
from among coral-algal rock on sandy lagoon 
floors. 
geographic RANGE: USNM records are 
from Mauritius and the coast of India east- 
