Taxonomy and evolution of the genus Ocinebrellus (Gastropoda : Muricidae) in Japan

Abstract

We have examined the genus-and species-level taxonomy and distribution of the ocenebrine muricid gastropod genus Ocinebrellus Jousseaume, 1880. The genus comprises two stocks. The O. inornatus stock includes O. inornatus (Recluz, 1851) and O. Iumarius (Yokoyama, 1926). The O. aduncus stock comprises O. aduncus (Sowerby, 1834), O. protoaduncus (Hatai and Kotaka, 1959) and O. ogasawarai sp. nov. Since its first appearance during the middle Miocene, Ocinebrellus has been limited to the warm-and cool-temperate shallow seas of northeastern Asia.