Seventy-three species of Ranellidae, Bursidae and Personidae are recorded from more than 1000 stations around New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands, and in the Coral Sea and New Hebrides Arc. One of the more remarkable aspects of this fauna is the uniquely diverse deep-water tonnoidean assemblage, dominated by species such as Bursa fijiensis (Watson); despite not having been reported since it as collected by H.M.S. Challenger last century, this proves to be moderately common and widespread in the region in 260-580 m. The assemblage includes other common deep-water Bursa species (B. latitudo Garrard, B. quirihorai Beu), common deep-water Distorsio (mainly D. habei Lewis), abundant Sassia remensa (Iredale), and less common small personids (in genera Distorsionella and Personopsis). The number of species of New Caledonian Personidae, and particularly of the smaller-sized species in genera other than Distorsio, is the highest yet recorded. The Personopsis species are the first modern ones correctly referred to the genus. Several newly recorded species were known previously only from the Philippine Islands (Cymatium fittkaui Parth, Bursa fosteri Beu, Bursa lucaensis Parth, Distorsio graceiellae Parth, D. kurzi Petuch & Harasewych), whereas a few other newly recorded species (Charonia lampas (Linné), Cymatium exaratum (Reeve), C. iredalei (Beu), C. parthenopeum (Salis Marschlins)) are range extensions of taxa previously regarded (within the study area) as limited to the temperate southwest Pacific. Cymatium armatum (G.B. Sowerby III) is also recorded from New Caledonia.Revisions are provided of Biplex, Gyrineum, Cymatium (Gelagna), the Cymatium vespaceum, C. tenuiliratum and Bursa latitudo species groups, of southwest Pacific species of Sassia, and of several C. (Ranularia) and Distorsio species. New genera proposed are Halgyrineum (type species: Gyrineum louisae Lewis) and Distorsomina (type species: Distorsio pusilla Pease). Seven new species are proposed: Biplex bozzettii (from Somalia and southem India), Gyrineum longicaudatum (from the tropical western Pacific), Cymatium (Monoplex) penniketi (from Oman), Distorsio parvimpedita, Distorsionella pseudaphera, Personopsis purpurata and P. trigonaperta (all from New Caledonia).Neotypes are designated for Murex lotorium and M. rana rubeta of Linné, 1758; Murex caudatus and M. conditus of Gmelin, 1791; Murex parthenopeus Salis Marschlins, 1793; Cymatium rhinoceros, Distorsio muricina, D. reticulata, Neptunea doliata, Tritonium bufo, T. candisatum, T. granulare, T. jabick, T. natator, T. nicobaricum, T. opis, and T. tuberosum of Röding, 1798; Gyrineum verrucosum, Tritonium nodulus and T. varicosum of Link, 1807; Septa scarlatina Perry, 1810; Biplex elegans, B. perca, B. rosa, B. rubicola, B. tuberosa, B. variegata, Monoplex australasiae, Distorta acuta, D. rotunda and Septa rubicunda of Perry, 1811; Murex candisata Dillwyn, 1817; Distorta rugosa and Lampas hians of Schumacher, 1817; Murex labiosus Wood, 1828; Ranella pulchra Gray in G. B. Sowerby II, 1836; Triton lacunatum Mighels, 1845; Triton productum Gould, 1852; Ranella lamarckii Deshayes, 1853; and Ranella chemnitzii and R. sagitta of Kiister, 1871. Lectotypes are designated for Murex anus, M. gyrinus, M. lampas, M. pyrum and M. tritonis of Linné, 1758; Murex succinctus Linné, 1771; Ranella bitubercularis, R. ranina, Triton distortum, and T. succinctum of Lamarck, 1816; Ranella granifera, Triton australe, T. canaliferus, T. chlorostomum, T. nodiferum, T. tuberosum and T. vespaceum of Lamarck, 1822; Ranella affinis, R. pusilla and R. tuberculata of Broderip, 1833; Ranella cruentata G B. Sowerby II, 1835 and R. rhodastoma Beck in G. B. Sowerby II, 1836; Triton americanum and T. antillarum of d'Orbigny, 1842; Ranella cuspidata, R. livida, R. rosea, R. siphonata, Triton decipiens, T. exaratus, T. exile, T. gracilis, T. pfeifferianus, T. sarcostoma, T. sinensis, and T. thersites of Reeve, 1844; Triton testudinarius A. Adams & Reeve, 1850; Bursa concinna and B. cumingiana of Dunker, 1862; Triton albocingulatus Deshayes, 1863; Lampas caledonensis Jousseaume, 1881; Ranella raninoides Martin, 1884; Ranella pamotanensis Martin, 1899; Gyrineum (Biplex) perca var. aculeata Schepman, 1909; Bursa (Biplex) microstoma Fulton, 1930; Ranella (Biplex) perca timorensis Kuenen in Koperberg, 1931; and Apollon deliberatus Iredale, 1936. |