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3943-1.JPG (63426 bytes)

 

 

Tenagodus cumingii Mörch, 1861

Description: Whole shell loosely coiled; sculptured with broad, low longitudinal threads along most of the length of the shell. Slit closed for first few centimetres, then a series of elliptical holes, becoming a smooth-sided continuous slit. Aperture circular, lip thin and irregular. Interior smooth, white and polished. Colour white.

Size: Large specimens in the Australian Museum collection 150 mm with tube external diameter 8 mm. Type description gives length as 225 mm.

Distribution: Indo-West Pacific; in eastern Australia, as far south as Sydney.

Habitat: Shallow water down to about 200 m, buried in sponges (Okutani, 2000).

Comparison: See T. australis.

Synonymy: This species is listed by Cotton (1959: p. 359) as occurring in South Australia, but that is probably a misidentification.

Remarks: This species has not been recorded from NSW previously. The Australian Museum holds two lots from Sydney.

Fig. 1:  Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, Queensland (C.407481)

 

Copyright Des Beechey 2007