Taxonomy Laevistrombus canarium

1742 illustration index testarum conchyliorum, showing abapertural (left) , apertural (right) views of adult dog-conch shell

the first published depictions of shell of species appeared in 1681 in earliest book solely sea shells, recreatio mentis et oculi in observatione animalium testaceorum (refreshment of mind , eye in observation of shell-bearing animals) italian scholar filippo buonanni. species shown in 1742 index testarum conchyliorum, quae adservantur in museo nicolai gualtieri (list of shells of shellfish preserved in museum of niccolò gualtieri) italian physician , malacologist niccolò gualtieri. in both books, morphology of adult shell shown different perspectives.

in 1758, dog conch formally described , named strombus canarium swedish naturalist , taxonomist carl linnaeus, originated system of binomial nomenclature. specific name of taxon, canarium, derived latin canis (dog). original description given linnaeus in book, systema naturae, in latin: s. testae labro rotundato brevi retuso, spiraque laevi. can translated strombus shell having retuse, short, rounded lip, , smooth spire . linnaeus did not mention specific locality in original description, giving eastern asia area in species found.

the taxon laevistrombus introduced in literature subgenus of strombus tetsuaki kira (1955) in third printing of 1st edition of coloured illustrations of shells of japan. comprised 2 species, strombus (laevistrombus) canarium , strombus (l.) isabella lamarck, 1822. no type specimen designated, , kira gave no formal description or statement of differentiation, required iczn code validate name. in later version of book, laevistrombus elevated genus level, description still lacking. rüdiger bieler , richard petit (1996) considered nomen nudum, , authorship transferred robert tucker abbott (1960), had provided proper description , illustrations of laevistrombus , specified type species, strombus canarium l., in first volume of monograph indo-pacific mollusca. accepted combination, laevistrombus canarium, proposed jack john sepkoski jr. (2002), elevated laevistrombus genus level based on palaeontological data.

the synonyms other binomial names given on time taxon authors unaware specimens describing belonged species described linnaeus; in cases, local variations in colour , form may have misled these authors thinking had different species. strombus vanicorensis subsequent, changed spelling of strombus vanikorensis 1 of original authors. there disagreement in literature whether or not taxon , similar-looking laevistrombus turturella separate species. leo man in t veld , koenraad de turck (1998) considered l. canarium , l. turturella distinct (yet sympatric) species, based on shell morphology , radula comparison. however, when zaidi che cob reviewed number of strombus species in 2009, examining both shell characters , anatomical data including details of genitalia, operculum , radula, concluded l. turturella morphotype, , therefore synonym of l. canarium.

laevistrombus canarium comprises @ least 2 known subspecies; 1 nominate subspecies laevistrombus canarium canarium, , other laevistrombus canarium guidoi. l. canarium guidoi distinguishes other subspecies solid white colour, outline of posterior canal , more prominent posteriorly protruding outer lip. presence of freely protruding lip @ posterior portion of columella distinctive character.