The genus Babylonia (Prosobranchia, Buccinidae)

INTRODUCTION The members of the Ivory Shell genus Babylonia Schlüter, 1838, belonging to the Buccinidae, are characterized by more or less slender buccinoid shells, mostly ornamented with a beautiful colour-pattern. Some species, e.g. the type species B. spirata, have a conspicuous sutural canal (see pl. 8 figs. 1-3), resembling the spirally arranged staircase of the Babylonian Tower in certain old pictures (pl. 6 fig. 1). Some of the species are found in many collections, others are rarely seen. A l l Recent members of the genus are restricted to the Indo-Pacific region. The fossil Babylonia species are found in a more extensive area, including southern and central Europe. The Recent species have been treated in the well known iconographies of the nineteenth century. Much later a short revision was given by Habe (1965), followed by comments on some species by Altena (1968). It should be emphasized that we have concentrated on the Recent species in this monograph. Far less original research has been done on fossil taxa; many data have simply been taken from the literature here.