Stromboidea
Original description of Lambis crocata subspecies pilsbryi by Abbott, 1961:
- "This giant, isolated race is presumed to be limited to the Marquesas islands. I have seen only six specimens. The shells of this subspecies differ from those of crocata crocata in being twice as large (7 to 9 inches in length, including digitations), in having the 3rd, 4th and 5th digitations straight or only slightly curved, and in lacking the fairly prominent edge on the left of the parietal callus. In pilsbryi, the dorsal shoulder knob is much larger, the apex of the spire is usually buried by the first digitation, and the small, columellar ridge at the posterior end of the aperture is very weak. In other characters, such as the color of the outer shell and in the sculpturing of the spire, it is similar to crocata. Operculum and soft parts unknown. Two names have been proposed for crocata which might possibly refer to this subspecies, although one of them, Lambis joldii (Moerch, 1852) is inadequately described, and the other, Lambis aculeata (Perry, 1811) is based upon a distorted illustration and too brief a description for certain identification. We consider them nomina dubia. We name this new subspecies in honor of dr. Henry Pilsbry, former curator of the department of mollusks at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia."
Locus typicus: Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands
History and Synonymy
Lambis pilsbryi Abbott, 1961: 158, pl. 128 figs 1, 2 (Lambis (Lambis) crocata pilsbryi)
Specimens from private collections
Lambis pilsbry Abbott, 1961; Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands; in shallow water on sand; 238 mm; Coll. Christian Börnke
Lambis crocata pilsbryi Abbott, 1961; Marquesas Islands; Coll. Gijs Kronenberg no. 5767
Lambis crocata pilsbryi Abbott, 1961; Marquesas Islands; Coll. Gijs Kronenberg no. 875
Lambis pilsbryi Abbott, 1961; Marquesas Islands; Coll. Ulrich Wieneke
- Nuku Hiva, 196 mm
- Nuku Hiva, 223 mm
Lambis pilsbryi Abbott, 1961; extra digit; North French Polynesia; 241 mm; collected on a night dive, 1/2013; Coll. Paul Kanner
References
