Original description: Fusus fornicatus f. multistriata Aurivillius, 1885: 363, 379. Taxonomic history: This species was hitherto classified as "Neptunea communis Middendorff" which is however a synonym of Neptunea ventricosa. The type locality given by Middendorff (1849) for "var. communis forma normalis" is "Ice Sea off the coast of Russian Lapland' on page 131; "Isl. of St. Paul, in Bering Sea" on page 132; and "The Island of St. Paul in Bering Sea (Wosness.). The Ice Sea off the coast of Russian Lapland (Baer and Middendorff). The Island Nowaja-Semlja (Baer). The Island Kolgujev (Ruprecht). The tundra of Taimyr (subfossil. Middendorff) on page 133. The specimen figured by him (pl. 2, fig. 1-2, as "forma normalis canali longissimo") most probably belongs to Neptunea ventricosa. The other specimens figured are Neptunea borealis. Therefore the name communis may be regarded as not related to the species collected on Pribiloff Island which is commonly named as such. For synonymy we refer to Neptunea borealis. Type locality: Not specified, but the material used for the description is indicated as from stn. 1068: 62° 39' N, 177° 5' E, in the Gulf of Anadyr, western Bering Sea (9 specimens). The remaining specimens collected during the Vega expedition are from stn. 41: 75° N, 113° 30' E, in Chatanga Bay, western Laptev Sea (2 specimens, most probably belonging to Neptunea borealis); and a unspecified number of specimens from an unknown locality in the Bering Sea. Description: "Similar to the typical (fornicata) form, but with spiral ribs present, the last whorl with 6-8 sharp spiral ribs, the interspaces with 1/3-1/4 stocky ones. Siphon strongly curved (as usual in specimens with less whorls). Aperture white or yellow.", (Aurivillius, 1885: 379, translated from Latin.) (the nominal species mentioned is Neptunea fornicata J. E. Gray (non Fabricius), a junior synonym of Neptunea heros). Range and habitat: Boreal to Arctic Pacific, occasionally collected in the Barentz Sea. Living in the northern and central Bering Sea and in the Sea of Okhotsk. Known from the Bering Strait, St. Lawrence Island, the Gulf of Anadyr, Pribiloff Island. Bathymetric range shallow between 30 and 93 m. Living on sandy-muddy bottoms with stones. The presence of specimens with almost indistinguishable sculpture in the Barentz Sea suggests a rather recent migration or accidental import, which is discussed in chapter "Migration and speculation". Comparison: Neptunea multistriata has a characteristically spiral sculpture consisting of sharp primary spiral cords and rather broad secondary spiral cords with a narrow groove as interspace. First teleoconch whorl with sharp spiral cord, a second one appearing on second or third whorl. Penultimate whorl with 2, body whorl with 7 or 8 usually slightly weaker primary spiral cords, gradually becoming flattened on the base close to the siphonal canal. The axial sculpture consists of slender spiral knobs, the strongest on the shoulder.