Xymenopsis Powell 1951

“Genus Xymenopsis n.g.

Type : Fusus liratus Gould

This genus is provided for a large group of Magellan species which differ from typical Trophon in having a tall, narrowly conic, polygyrate protoconch instead of a paucispiral asymmetrical one, and sculpture in the form of rounded axial varices crossed by spiral cords, but never lamellate processes,

The style of protoconch is similar to that of the New Zealand genus Zeatrophon and the sculpture that of Xymene, another New Zealand genus.

The central tooth of the radula is distinctive in that the base is a simple, broad, shallow, almost straight bar with rounded ends and the cusps, consisting of three tall, slender primaries and two intermediates appear as serrations of a single outgrowth from the basal plate.

There is a large number of nominal species in this group, but doubtless many of them ultimately will prove to be synonyms. The following names refer to members of the genus Xymenopsis: acuminatus Strebel, 1904 ; albidus Philippi, 1846; albus and brucei Strebel, 1904; cancellarioides Reeve, 1847 (=liratus Gould); cancellinus Philippi, 1845; candidatus Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889; corrugatus Reeve 1848; couthouyi Strebel, 1904; decolor Philippi, 1845; dispar Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889; elegans and elongatus Strebel, 1904; falklandicus Strebel, 1908; fenestratus and hoylei Strebel, 1904; lebruni Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889; liratus Gould, 1849; loebbeckei Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889; obesus, ornatus, paessleri and paessleri turrita Strebel, 1904; plumbeus Gould, 1852; pseudoelongatus and ringei Strebel, 1904; roseus Hombron & Jacquinot, 1853 (=plumbeus?); standeni Strebel, 1904; textiliosus Hombron & Jacquinot, 1854 (= liratus Gould); and violaceus Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889.

An evaluation of these names is not possible without recourse to the type material which is in European museums.”

(Powell, 1951: 158)

Xymenopsis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.