DIAGNOSIS. Shell: Spire moderate to low, whorls flat, sculpture of rather short spines and scaly (sometimes gemmate) spirals; sutures strongly channelled. Shoulder flat, to slightly concave, edge bordered by a row of large, white beads between which and periphery are up to 7 rows of small beaded spirals which often do not commence for 2-3 whorls. Periphery sharply angled, bearing up to about 17 rather long, curved, hollow spines on body whorl. Basal angulation prominent, weakly to strongly gemmate or scaly. Space between peripheral and basal angulation flat, bearing 0-5 scaled (or sometimes beaded) spirals. Base with up to 10 scaled (or sometimes beaded) spirals, smooth in small specimens. Growth lamellae fine, strongly prosocline. Basal callus narrow, white, not separated from columella. Colour light yellowish-pink, base paler than upper surface. Operculum: Oval, rather flattened in centre, with steep edges and a very slight flange on outer lower margin, weakly granulose in centre, with faint concentric marginal striae; white.
DIMENSIONS. Lectotype of T. henicus: height 21.6 mm, diameter 26.5 mm (including spines), 22.2 mm (excluding spines). Lectotype of A. abyssorum (from original description): height 17 mm, diameter (excluding spines) 24 mm. Large specimen: height 28.4 mm, diameter (including spines) 26.5 mm, diameter (excluding spines) 21.0 mm.
TYPE LOCALITIES. T. henicus: 19°9'35" S, 179°41'50" E, off Matuku, Fiji Ids, 576 m, H.M.S. "Challenger" Stn 173. A. abyssorum: not specified by Schepman (1908, p. 27), who listed 7 localities in depths of 189 to 520 m, in and around the Straits of Samau, Indonesia, taken by the "Siboga" Expedition. His figured specimen is from "Siboga" Stn 59, western entrance to Samau Strait, Indonesia, 10°22.7'S, 123°16.5'E, 390 m, and this specimen is here designated the lectotype of Astralium (Pseudastralium) abyssorum Schepman, 1908. P. gloriosum: Southern parts of Honshu and Shikoku, as deep as 91-146 m (Kira 1961; Kira 1962); exact locality not known to us.
OTHER LOCALITIES. Southern parts of Honshu and Shikoku, Japan, as deep as 91-146 m (Kira, 1961; Kira, 1962). Recorded as a fossil from the Pliocene Chinen Sand of Okinawa and Ryukyus Limestone of Kikaiga-shima, Ryukyu Islands, by McNeil (1960) and Nomura & Zinbo (1934).
This species exhibits variation in the degree of spiral sculpturing, some specimens being almost smooth (except for the subsutural and subperipheral cords and the peripheral spines). Intergrading sculptural forms have, however, been observed from several localities. The observed shell variation encompasses the forms included in the synonomy.
Barnard (1963, p. 219) suggested that von Martens' (1903) record of henica from South Africa was probably B. tayloriana or possibly S. gilchristi (= B. guttata bathyraphis
herein). Examination of the "Valdivia" specimens has shown that von Martens' identification is the correct one.
The species name gloriosum of Kuroda & Habe, MS, first published by Kira (1955, p. 20), is a nomen nudum as no statement was given to distinguish it from related taxa (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Art. 13a). A description was first associated with the name by Kira (1961, p. 20) and, as with several other Japanese mollusc names, we consider the authorship should be attributed to Kuroda & Habe in Kira, 1961.