Zoological Illustrations Volume Iii Part 9

The figure is the size of life; and, with the specific character, renders a further description unnecessary.

Pl. 143

[Ill.u.s.tration]

AMPULLARIA sordida,

_Brown Apple Snail_ _f. 1. 2._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 103.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_A. testa globosa, ferruginea, lineis transversis subcarinatis instructa aperturae margine tenui; umbilico magno; operculo corneo?_

Sh.e.l.l globose, ferruginous, with obsolete transverse subcarinated lines; margin of the aperture thin; umbilicus large; operculum h.o.r.n.y?

The only species of _Ampullaria_ with which this may be confounded is _A.

fasciata_, p. 103, in comparison with which it is a more globose sh.e.l.l, the aperture narrower, and the spire more obtuse; the umbilicus is larger, round, and not contracted; the suture is not sunk, the sh.e.l.l is not banded with coloured lines, nor is the surface smooth; on the contrary, it is marked with transverse, obscurely carinated lines; while the sh.e.l.l is uniform brown, the aperture within is white, margined with brown.

AMPULLARIA puncticulata

_Oval, punctured Apple Snail_

_A. testa ovata, subtilissime punctata; spira obtusa; labii exterioris margine, interiorisque basi rufis, incra.s.satis; operculo corneo?_

Sh.e.l.l oval, minutely punctured, spire obtuse; margin of the exterior lip within, and base of the inner lip thick and rufous; operculum h.o.r.n.y?

This and _A. oblonga_ are the only species I am yet acquainted with, whose form is not globose. It never grows to a size much larger than the figure; the whole sh.e.l.l is marked by fine longitudinal striae, and transverse lines of minute dots, discernible only by the aid of a common magnifier; the aperture within is brownish flesh-colour; the margin is strong and reddish, and, within that of the outer lip, is a thickened rim; which, should the operculum be testaceous, may supply the place of the groove for its reception observable in _A. globosa_ and _corrugata_. The localities of both these species are unknown to me.

Pl. 144

[Ill.u.s.tration]

EBURNA Valentiana,

_Arabian Eburna._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Testa turrita, laevis, nitida, umbilicata, basi truncata, emarginata.

Aperturae angulus superior interne ca.n.a.liculatus. Animal marinum._

Sh.e.l.l turrited, smooth, polished, umbilicated, base truncated, emarginate. Upper angle of the aperture with an internal channel.

Animal marine.

Generic Type _Buccinum Spiratum_ Lin.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_E. testa ventricosa, maculata; aperturae longitudine spirae longitudinem superante; spira anfractibus 5 convexis, suturis alveatis; basi balteo concavo cincta._

Sh.e.l.l ventricose, spotted; spire shorter than the aperture, of five convex volutions; suture channelled; base with a concave belt.

Eburna Valentiana. _Sw. Appendix to Bligh Cat._ _p._ 6. _lot_ 904.

Few species are known of _Eburnae_, and these are neither well defined, nor correctly figured.

The species selected by most authors as the type of this genus is _Buccinum glabratum_ of Linnaeus, a sh.e.l.l which, as it unites the characters of _Eburna_ and _Ancilia_, should not have been chosen for this purpose. Types of genera are alone intended to represent the usual appearance of those characters on which the genus has been founded; they should therefore be selected from such species only, as represent these characters in their perfect development.

_E. Valentiana_ was first characterized by myself, in the Appendix to the Bligh Collection. It was brought from the Red Sea by Lord Valentia, in honour of whom it is named. The very short spire and concave belt at the base, easily distinguish this sh.e.l.l from _E. spirata_.

Pl. 145

[Ill.u.s.tration]

EBURNA tessellata,

_Tessellated Eburna._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 144.