Taxonomic Hierarchy

Genus Fusinus Rafinesque, 1815

Type species: Murex colus Linné, 1758 (Recent, Indo-Pacific) (by typification of replaced name).

Fusinus (Fusus auct.) belongs to the family Fasciolariidae, a large group of medium to large sized carnivorous marine gastropods. Fusinus is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical seas of the present day. Many of the species are deep-water forms. Shells fusiform, elongate, spindle-shaped with tall spire and long siphonal canal. Surface sculpture consists of usually strong axial ribs, frequently nodulose at the shoulder, and spiral lirae. The aperture is ovate, frequently lirate within, the outer lip thin; inner lip often with a strong parietal callus, without columellar folds. The protoconch (embryonal whorls) usually consists of 1 1/2 - 2 smooth, glossy whorls, final part ornamented with axial riblets. The periostracum is thick and fibrous, the operculum large, thick, ovate, with a terminal nucleus. The radula consists of a tricuspid central tooth and of a curved lateral tooth on each side with 5-12 strong pointed cusps. Several subgenera are recognized but the current classification is unsatisfactory.

Type species of genus Fusinus Rafinesque, 1815

Different forms of Fusinus colus (Linné, 1758). Fusinus colus is the type species of the genus Fusinus:

Fusinus colus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Fusinus colus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Fusinus colus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Fusinus colus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Protoconch

Protoconch (embryonal whorls) of about 1 1/2-2 whorls; the first turn usually large, smooth and glossy; the last half turn with some axial riblets. The species of the subgenus Heilprinia have a protoconch sculptured with strong axial riblets over the entire surface of all of the nuclear whorls.

Protoconch of Fusinus meyeri (Dunker, 1869)

Protoconch of Fusinus tenerifensis Hadorn & Rolán, 1999 and Fusinus agadirensis Hadorn & Rolán, 1999 (Drawings made by Emilio Rolán, 1999)

Operculum

The operculum is corneous, red-brown to dark brown coloured, ovate with a terminal nucleus at the pointed end. Outer side with concentric growth lines. Size and shape corresponding to the aperture.

Left: Operculum of Fusinus caparti (Adam & Knudsen, 1955) Right: Operculum of Fusinus meyeri (Dunker, 1869)

Radula

Central tooth rather small, with 3 small, pointed cusps. Rarely with 4 cusps (e.g. Fusinus genticus (Iredale, 1936), Fusinus galatheae bountyi Rehder & Wilson, 1975). Lateral teeth rather large, curved, with usually 5-12 strong, pointed cusps.

Radula of Fusinus bocagei marcelpini Hadorn & Ryall, 1999

Radula of Fusinus boucheti Hadorn & Ryall, 1999