Tom,
 
At 08:54 AM 5/20/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Just a quick question, how come the genus Morum was moved from Cassis to
>Harpa?  The shells certainly do not match, I have yet to see a parietal
>shield on a Harpa and yet most Morum and Cassis have a prominent shield.
> I have also been told the animal does not match between the Harpa and
>the Morum.  Was this one of those radula matches?
>
>We all live with name changes and family/genus moves, but this one has
>always bothered me.  I held out changing my data base on the slim chance
>someone would change or at least dispute the move - alas, this morning I
>gave up and moved the genus Morum into what had previously been a clean,
>short family of harps (with a few Austroharpa thrown in - can't afford
>them so I doubt I'll have to worry about them in my database).
>
 
Two scientific papers appeared 1986 and 1987 which will answer your
question.
 
Hughes, Roger N.,  Anatomy of the Foregut of Morum Roding, 1798
(Gastropoda: Tonnacea) and the Taxonomic Misplacement of the Genus.  The
Veliger 29(1): 91-100 (July 1, 1986)
 
and
 
Hughes, Roger N. & Emerson, William K., 1987.  Anatomical and Taxonomic
Characteristics of Harpa and Morum (Neogastropoda; Harpaidae).  The Veliger
29(4):349-358 (April 1, 1987)
 
[note: Harpaidae was subsequently ammended to Harpidae]
 
The abstract from the latter paper states, "Harpa and Morum have similar
external and internal anatomies, which are described in detail.  Both
autotomize the metapodial tip when disturbed.  Their radulae are similar.
Both probably feed on decapod crustaceans by capturing them in the
propodial shield, enfolding them with the metapodium and secreting around
them a mucus envelope.  The clawed teeth of the minute radula may puncture
arthrodial membranes of the prey. ...... Both are predominantly inhabitants
of deep-water sediments, but a few species occur in shallow water.  The
taxonomic misplacement of Morum (sensu lato) in the mesogastropod family
Cassidae is here rectified.  A new subfamily, Moruminae Hughes & Emerson,
with Morum Roding, 1798, the type genus, is proposed and allocated to the
neogastropod family Harpaidae (Harpidae of authors)."
 
In short, the anatomical and ecological similarities played more of a role
in the decision to transfer Morum to Harpidae than did the conchological
characteristics.
 
By-the-way, Conch-L continues to take us down Memory Lane and is still
spitting out postings from the first week in May.  Delete, delete, delete.....
 
Rich
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Richard L. Goldberg
Worldwide Specimen Shells
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http://www.erols.com/worldwide
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