Pterynotus (Pterymarchia) Houart 1995

Subgenus Pterymarchia Houart, 1995 TYPE SPECIES. — Murex tripterus Born, 1778, by original designation. Recent: Indo-Pacific. COMMENTS ON THE SUBGENUS According toHouart (1995), Pterymarchia can be distinguished from Pterynotus (s.s.) by having more numerous axial varices on the early teleoconch whorls (9-11 vs 6-8), later appearance in ontogeny of the trivaricate sculpture, when present, sometimes more varices on the last whorls (3-5 vs 3), and more strongly developed denticles. Houart (1995, 2018) proposed full generic status for Pterymarchia. However, we prefer to maintain it at subgeneric rank because: 1) based on molecular data, Pterynotus and Pterymarchia are very close (Barco et al. 2010); and 2) based on shell characters, Pterymarchia shares with Pterynotus a scabrous surface appearing early in ontogeny, generally fine to moderately fine primary cords (from IP to ABP), and a series of internal denticles from ID to D6. Furthermore, several other characters are occasionally shared by both genera, such as the trivaricate sculpture, columellar tubercles [e.g., P. (s.s.) patagiatus (Hedley, 1912), P. (s.s.) praepatagiatus Vokes, 1992 and P. (s.s.) granuliferus (Grateloup, 1833)], and even developed denticles in some P. (s.s.) albobruneus Bertsch & D’Attilio, 1980.