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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Recluzia johnii

(Holten, 1802)

Description:

Dimensions range from 23 mm - 38 mm high.
Width to height ratio: 00:1 ~ 00:1

Shell: Spire tall, smooth, oval, and pointed; lightweight, rather thin, shining, transparent; moderately small. Exterior colour fawn, translucent. About 8 whorls, rounded; teleoconch with 6-8 whorls convex. Suture deep, impressed and narrowly channelled. Intercostal spaces smooth with microscopic weak and irregular spiral grooves, and irregular axial growth lines. Columella sinuous, thin but slightly raised and reflected. Aperture wide, crescent-shaped, slightly more that half the shell height; outer lip thin, without sinus, expanded anteriorly; inner lip inner lip folded over, covering umbilicus. Periostracum thin brown.


Distribution:

Pacific Ocean, from Japan to the Pacific coast of Mexico; northern Indian Ocean and the Red Sea; Sth Africa; Australia, QLD to NSW


Habitat:

Pelargic, feeding on floating Minyadidae anemones [Beau, 2017)


Type Material:

As designated by Beau (2017:201), The name H. johnii originally was not provided with a type locality and the holotype of Recluzia hargravesi, NHMUK197432 (Figs 36I-J) is designated the neotype of Helix johnii Holten, 1802. for Recluzia johnii (Holten, 1802). [Beu, A. G., 2017]


SpeciesImage

Beu, A. G. (2017). pp: 202. Plate 36. Fig. I-J.

Neotype: Recluzia johnii,
NHMUK197432, holotype of Recluzia hargravesi Cox and neotype designated of Helix johnii Holten; Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia (photos by E. Strong)

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Chemnitz, J. H. (1795).
Shown in text as Helix johnii. Scientific names in this volume are invalid
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Plate Tab 10. Fig. 2076-2077.
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pp: 284.
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pp: 410.
exceprt from OPINIONS AND DECLARATIONS
RENDERED BY THE INTER-
NATIONAL COMMISSION ON
ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE Issued 1st April, 1954
Holten, H. S. (1802).
Species Image
pp: 76.
this refers to a specimen listed in Neues systematisches Conchylien Cabinet. vol. 11 Chemnitz, J. H. (1795)
Tryon, G.W. (1887).
Species Image
Plate 10. Fig. 24.
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pp: 38.
Tryon, G.W. (1887).
Shown in text as Recluzia hargravesi J. C. Cox, 1870
Species Image
Plate 10. Fig. 23.
Species Image
pp: 38.
Hemming, F. (ed) (1954).
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pp: 41.
Direction detailing rejection of the validity of Martini (F.H.W.) and Chemnitz (J.H.), 1769-1795, Neues Systematisches Conchylien Cabinet, Volumes 1-11, all new specific names and names of lower rank
Beechey, D. (2008).
Shown in text as Recluzia hargravesi J. C. Cox, 1870
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pp: Recluzia hargravesi. Fig. 1.
Bindagen, Bellinger River Heads, NSW (C.145648)
Beu, A. G. (2017).
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pp: 123. Plate 2. Fig. P.
(P, R) Recluzia johnii (Holten), GNS WM17360, ventral and dorsal views; trawled in sediment, 130
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pp: 123. Plate 2. Fig. R.
(P, R) Recluzia johnii (Holten), GNS WM17360, ventral and dorsal views; trawled in sediment, 130
Species Image
pp: 202. Plate 36. Fig. I-J.
Neotype: Recluzia johnii,
NHMUK197432, holotype of Recluzia hargravesi Cox and neotype designated of Helix johnii Holten; Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia (photos by E. Strong)

Synonymy:

Helix johnii. Scientific names in this volume are invalid [in Chemnitz, J. H., 1795].
Recluzia hargravesi J. C. Cox, 1870 [in Beechey, D., 2008].
Recluzia hargravesi J. C. Cox, 1870 [in Tryon, G.W., 1887].
Recluzia hargravesi J. C. Cox, 1870 [in Wilson, B.R., 1993].


Source Literature:

Beechey, D. (2008). Shells NSW -Recluzia_hargravesi. https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Janthinidae/Pages/Recluzia_hargravesi.htm [Accessed 10 May 2023]
Beu, A. G. (2017). Evolution of Janthina and Recluzia. Records of the Australian Museum. 69(3). The Australian Museum. 10.3853/j.2201-4349.69.2017.1666 [Accessed 6 December 2023]
Chemnitz, J. H. (1795). Neues systematisches Conchylien. Bd.11. Gabriel Nicolaus Raspe, Nürnberg.. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/94992 [Accessed 16 March 2025]
Hemming, F. (ed) (1954). Direction 1 Addition to the Official Lists and Official Indexes of certain scientific names and of the titles of certain books dealt with in Opinions 182 to 194. Opinions and declarations rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 3(30). International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. https://biostor.org/reference/146041 [Accessed 16 March 2025]
Holten, H. S. (1802). Enumeratio systematica conchyliorum beat J. H. Chemnitzii quondam ecclesiae Zebaothi Havniae pastoris, plurim societum sodialis p. p. quae publica auctione venduntur die 7me Decembris ano pres.. Enumeratio systematica conchyliorum beat J. H. Chemnitzii. Copenhagen: K. H. Scidelini. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46195957 [Accessed 16 March 2025]
Tryon, G.W. (1887). Manual of conchology, structural and systematic with illustrations of the species. IX. Academy of Natural Sciences. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11026889 [Accessed 20 September 2025]
Wilson, B.R. (1993). Australian Marine Shells. Australian Marine Shells. 1. Odessey Publications
WoRMS Editorial Board (2025). World Register of Marine Species. https://www.marinespecies.org [Accessed 8 November 2025]

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record