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ARCHITECTONICIDAE |
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Pseudomalaxis zanclaeus meridionalis (Hedley, 1903) Description: Shell with spire sunken. Each teleoconch whorl raised above previous whorl, whorls angled on inner side of spiral, with weakly beaded spiral cord at angle; most of whorl width occupied by rounded zone with dense, radial, irregular axial riblets or growth ridges; double beaded cord at outer edge, this constituting the upper peripheral cord on last whorl. Periphery wide, smooth, slightly concave, with upper and lower peripheral cord at top and bottom Aperture nearly perfectly square apart from inner lip which is evenly concave. Base entirely occupied by very wide umbilicus. Colour off-white to fawn. Size: Up to 13.3 mm diameter. Distribution: Known from western Indian Ocean (South Africa) and western Pacific Ocean (Japan, Australia, New Zealand). Eastern Australian specimens held by the Australian Museum are from Moreton Bay, Qld, southwards to Sydney, NSW. Habitat: Subtidal, 18–420 m. Uncommon. Remarks: The nominate species Pseudomalaxis zanclaeus zanclaeus (Philippi, 1844) occurs in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. Figs. 1-4: Off Moreton Bay, Qld, in 42 fathoms (77 m) (C.092043). |
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