Bathybembix Explained

Bathybembix is a genus of deep-water sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Eucyclidae.

This genus was originally called Bembix by Robert B. Watson (^[1] but as this was a junior homonym of Bembix Fabricius, 1775 [Hymenoptera], it was declared invalid. It was renamed in 1893 by Crosse as Bathybembix ^[2]

Description

The shell has a conical shape with a high spire. It is carinated and umbilicated. The base of the shell is inflated. The shell is covered with a thin, extremely persistent, smooth, fibrous epidermis, The epidermis swells up and becomes pustulated in water. The axis of the shell is perforated, and the columella is thin, reverted, and merely angulated in front.^[3]

Species

Species within the genus Bathybembix include:

• Bathybembix abyssorum (Smith, 1891)
• Bathybembix aeola (Watson, 1879)
• Bathybembix bairdii (Dall, 1889)
• Bathybembix delicatula Dall, 1990
• Bathybembix drakei Dall, 1990
• Bathybembix galapagana (Dall, 1908)
• Bathybembix humboldti Rehder, 1971
• Bathybembix macdonaldi (Dall, 1890)

Species brought into synonymy:

• Bathybembix ceratophora (Dall, 1896) accepted as Calliotropis ceratophora (Dall, 1896)
• Bathybembix equatorialis (Dall, 1896) accepted as Calliotropis equatorialis (Dall, 1896)

References

• Watson R. B. (1878-1883). Mollusca of H. M. S. Challenger Expedition. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, 14: 506–529, 586–605, 692-716 [1878-1879]; 15: 87–126, 217–230, 245, 274, 388, 412, 413–455, 457, 475 [1880-1881]; 16: 247–254, 324–343, 358–372, 373–392, 494-611 [1882-1883]; 17: 26–40, 112–130, 284–293, 319–340, 341-346
• Poppe G.T., Tagaro S.P. & Dekker H. (2006) The Seguenziidae, Chilodontidae, Trochidae, Calliostomatidae and Solariellidae of the Philippine Islands. Visaya Supplement 2: 1–228. page(s): 55

Notes and References

1. Watson, Journ. Linn. Soc. London 1879 vol. 14 p. 603
2. Crosse, Journ. de Conchyl. 1893, vol. 40 p. 288
3. https://archive.org/details/journaloflinnean14187779linn Watson R. B. (1878-1883). Mollusca of H. M. S. Challenger Expedition. Journal of the Linnean Society of London