Awheaturris lozoueti, Morassi, Mauro & Bonfitto, Antonio, 2013

Morassi, Mauro & Bonfitto, Antonio, 2013, Three new bathyal raphitomine gastropods (Mollusca: Conoidea) from the Indo-Pacific region, Zootaxa 3620 (4), pp. 579-588 : 586

Awheaturris lozoueti sp. nov.

Fig. 1 . O –T

Type material: Holotype MNHN (MNHN25730).

Type locality: offshore of Polillo Island, Philippines Sea, 15º.00.9’N 122 º51.9’E, 1544–1624 m [AURORA 2007, stn CP 2682].

Material examined: only known from the holotype.

Description: Shell solid, biconic (b/1 0.52; a/1 0.47) with a well produced, shallowly excavated base and rather blunt, orthoconoid spire. Teleoconch of about 4 whorls with a distinct angular shoulder at mid-whorl, separated by a moderately deep but not channeled suture bordered below by a faint spiral cord. Sculpture mainly axial consisting of relatively strong (for genus) axial ribs, separated by interspaces much wider than them, becoming rather weak on sutural ramp and forming sharp tubercles on subsutural cord and on shoulder. Axial ribs becoming weaker and narrower on last whorl, rapidly vanishing on upper part of base. There are 15 and 17 ribs on penultimate and last whorls respectively. Spiral sculpture consisting of two faint cords, one at level of upper suture the other on shoulder. An additional weak cord, bordering lower suture, develops on last whorl. In the interspace between the shoulder cord and cord bordering lower suture there are two indistinct spiral threads. Base of last whorl sculptured by 3 spiral threads, neck with indistinct lines. Aperture somewhat oblanceolate. Columella gently convex. Siphonal canal rather short, wide. Labial callus rather thin. Outer lip thin, with very shallow and broad anal sinus, its apex on peripheral cord. Protoconch somewhat papilliform, consisting of 1¼ whorls, smooth with few terminal axial riblets (fig. 1. S–T). Diameter: 0.68 mm. Colourless. Dimensions: Holotype 5.8 x 3.0 mm, aperture height 2.7 mm.

Etymology: named after Dr. Pierre Lozouet of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (MHNH).

Remarks: Awheaturris lozoueti sp. nov. is supercially similar to members of Taranis from which it differs in the stronger axial ribbing, absence of microgranules on teleoconch surface and smooth protoconch. Awheaturris echinata Beu, 1970 , type species of Awheaturris , is similar in shape and size (up to 6.5 mm) but differs in having stronger and fewer axial ribs and presence of distinct spiral sculpture on base of the last whorl. Awheaturris pahoensis (Vella, 1954) is larger (8.3 mm) with a relatively well-developed spiral sculpture. Awheaturris lozoueti is the first record in the recent Indo-Pacific molluscan fauna of a hitherto Miocene fossil genus.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A – G. Taranis adenensis sp. nov. A. Holotype, scale bar 800 μm, Gulf of Aden, stn RED SED S 92 / 1 (MZB 49753); B – G. Paratype, Gulf of Aden, stn RED SED 92 / 1 (MZB 49754); B. Frontal view, scale bar 600 μm; C. Apical view, scale bar 400 μm; D. Penultimate whorl, scale bar 200 μm; E. Surface microsculpture, scale bar 40 μm; F – G. Protoconch, scale bar 100 μm. H – N. Mioawateria vivens sp. nov. H. Holotype, 6.3 x 3.3 mm, Gulf of Aden, stn RED SED 92 / 1 (MZB 49755); I – N. Paratype, Red Sea, stn RED SED 92 / 4 (MZB 49756); I. Frontal view, scale bar 1 mm; J. Apical view, scale bar 1 mm; K – L. Protoconch, scale bar 100 μm; M. Detail of protoconch I, scale bar 50 μm; N. Surface microsculpture, scale bar 50 μm. O – T. Holotype of Awheaturris lozoueti sp. nov., Philippines, AURORA 2007 stn CP 2682 (MNHN 25730); O. Frontal view, scale bar 1 mm; P. Apical view, scale bar 1 mm; Q. Penultimate whorl, scale bar 500 μm; R. Surface microsculpture, scale bar 80 μm; S – T. Protoconch, scale bar 200 μm.