Aplus scacchianus (Philippi, 1844)
Eastern and central Mediterranean.
Predator in the rocky infralittoral.
Original taxon: Buccinum scacchianum.
Synonym: picta Scacchi.
10-15m deep, Ayía Nápa, Famagousta, E. Cyprus. 11mm.
In his work, Philippi repeats the description of Purpura picta given by Scacchi in 1836, who was not aware that this epithet had already been used by Turton in 1825. « Shell small, dirty-white, adorned with dark transverse interrupted lines except for the last whorl that stays pale in the middle; sculpture made up of rugose transverse striae and minor radial cords; columella with one fold abapically, and one tooth adapically; labrum varicose, internally denticulate. » – A. Scacchi: Catalogus Conchyliorum regni Neapolitani, Napoli 1836, p.10.

Above, a dark specimen collected at 1m deep, Campomarino, SE. of Taranto, Puglia, S. Italy. 11mm.
Bucc. scaber (left, erroneously given as assimile) and Bucc. scacchianum (right) in H. C. Kuster: “Die Gattungen Buccinum, Purpura, Concholepas und Monoceros”, Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet Bd.3:Abt.1, Nürnberg 1858, plate XV.
A dark specimen from Panormos Bay, western coast of Skópelos island, Sporades, W. Aegean. 12,2mm.
A pale one from the same spot. 10mm.

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