Buccinum humphreysianum

Buccinum humphreysianum, common name Humphrey's buccinum, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the true whelks.

Buccinum humphreysianum
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Buccinidae
Genus:	Buccinum
Species:	B. humphreysianum
Binomial name
Buccinum humphreysianum Bennet, 1824
Synonyms
Buccinum atractodeum Locard, 1887 Buccinum euthriaeforme Paulus & Mars, 1942 Buccinum fusiforme Kiener, 1834 (Invalid: junior homonym of Buccinum fusiforme Borson, 1820; Buccinum kieneri is a replacement name) Buccinum gracile Settepassi, 1977 (not available, published in a work which does not consistently use binomial nomenclature (ICZN art. 11.4)) Buccinum humphreysianum var. azonata Locard, 1887 Buccinum humphreysianum var. lactea Jeffreys, 1867 Buccinum inflatum Aradas & Benoit, 1876 (Invalid: junior homonym of Buccinum inflatum Shaw, 1811) Buccinum inflatum panormitanum Settepassi, 1977 (not available, published in a work which does not consistently use binominal nomenclature (ICZN art. 11.4)) Buccinum inflatum partenopaeum Settepassi, 1977 (not available, published in a work which does not consistently use binominal nomenclature (ICZN art. 11.4)) Buccinum kieneri Monterosato, 1872 (Replacement name for Buccinum fusiforme Kiener, 1834) Buccinum liocephalum Pallary, 1931 Buccinum lusitanicum Pallary, 1931 Buccinum monterosatoi Locard, 1887 Buccinum monterosatoi var. flammulata Locard, 1887 Buccinum puxleianum Leach, 1852 Buccinum striatum Philippi, 1844 (Invalid: junior homonym of Buccinum striatum Pennant, 1777) Buccinum ventricosum Kiener, 1834 (Invalid: junior homonym of Buccinum ventricosum Grateloup, 1827)

Description

The length of the shell varies between 40 mm and 80 mm. The ovate-conical shell is ventricose. Its color is of a reddish white, marked with undulated brown spots with red edges. The epidermis has a bright brown color. The shell is very fine and contains very close transverse striae, crossed by very fine and slightly apparent longitudinal striae. The spire is elongated, pointed and contains eight convex whorls to the spire. These are traversed sometimes by slightly prominent longitudinal folds. The aperture is very effuse, dilated outwardly and widely emarginated at its base. The outer lip is strongly arcuated.

Distribution

This marine species has a wide distribution. It is circumboreal and also found off Japan, North America and Western Europe.