Cerithiopsis fusiformis (C. B. Adams, 1850 )

Pimenta, Alexandre Dias, Faria, Raquel Garofalo De Souza, Figueira, Raquel Medeiros Andrade & Fernandes, Maurício Romulo, 2024, Unraveling another of the ‘ Big Fiveʹ: new species and records of Cerithiopsidae from Brazil (Caenogastropoda: Triphoroidea), Zootaxa 5494 (1), pp. 1-71 : 33-34

Cerithiopsis fusiformis (C. B. Adams, 1850)

( Fig. 16 )

Cerithium fusiforme C. B. Adams, 1850: 120 . Cerithiopsis vanhyningi Bartsch, 1918: 135 ; synonymized by Lee (2009), but considered valid in MolluscaBase (2021). Cerithiopsis brassica Olsson & Harbison, 1953: 299 , pl. 43, fig. 5; synonymized by De Jong & Coomans (1988). Cerithium fusiforme : Clench & Turner (1950: 285, pl. 38 fig. 4); Abbott (1974: 109, not figured). Cerithiopsis fusiforme : Robinson & Montoya (1987: 384, not figured); De Jong & Coomans (1988, not figured); Merlano &

Hegedus (1994: 146, not figured); Rolán & Espinosa (1996: 132, figs. 2–6, 47); Espinosa & Ortea (2001: 23. not figured). Cerithiopsis? fusiformis : Mörch (1876: 95, not figured). Cerithiopsis (Cerithiopsis) fusiformis : Vokes & Vokes (1983: 18, pl. 27 fig. 6; Odé (1989: 24, not figured). Cerithiopsis fusiformis : Lyons (1989: 1, pl. V fig. 4); García & Lee (2002: 11, not figured); Rodríguez et al. (2003: 342, not figured); Figueira & Pimenta (2008 partim: 73, figs. 1–5); Rosenberg et al. (2009: 644, not figured); Lee (2009: 86, text-fig); Tunnell et al. (2010: 201, text-fig); Krisberg (2010c: https://olram9.wixsite.com/letstalkseashells/copy-of-template- 97); Daccarett & Bossio: (2011, 93, not figured); Zhang (2011: 105, fig. 318); Rolán et al. (2012: 9, fig. 16); Redfern (2013: 140, fig. 401); Forcelli & Narosky (2015: 52, fig. 114); Hernández & Álvarez (2019: 5, not figured); Cecalupo & Perugia (2020: 40, pl. 19 figs. 2a–c).

Joculator fusiformis : Redfern (2001: 74, figs. 310A–B).

Type material. Holotype: MCZ 186127 .

Type locality. Jamaica .

Material examined. The holotype and: Brazil, -- Ceará state: Paracuru, vi/2010: CMPHRM 2931B [1]; -- Bahia state: Baía de Todos os Santos, 12/iv/1997: IBUFRJ 12906 , [42], IBUFRJ 12908 [14]; -- Espírito Santo state: REVIZEE–Central sta. C1–VV21: IBUFRJ 12900 [3]; REVIZEE– Central sta. C1–VV38: IBUFRJ 23527 [12]; off Piúma , 1993, F. Pitombo coll.: IBUFRJ 8517 [5]; REVIZEE– Central sta. C1–C64: IBUFRJ 9515 [1]; REVIZEE– Central sta. C1–C65: IBUFRJ 12905 [1]; -- Rio de Janeiro state: Praia da Figueira, Angra dos Reis, C. Alvarenga coll., 1998: IBUFRJ 13665 [15]; RAP IG sta. 4: UERJ ex–4013 [6].

Remarks. The teleoconch of Cerithiopsis fusiformis is ovate-fusiform with three spiral rows of nodules, of which the two adapical ones are very close to each other, being apparently fused ( Fig. 16A–C ); this fusion is less pronounced on the first whorl, in which the three rows of nodules are often distinct, the adapical one being weaker ( Fig. 16D–E ). This feature results in an apparently bilobed nodule, axially oriented ( Fig. 16F ), that separates into two nodules along the growth of the shell ( Fig. 16A–C ). In the body whorl, the three spiral cords are entirely separated and approximately equidistant ( Fig. 16G ).

Figueira & Pimenta (2008) recognized that this type of teleoconch sculpture is present in other western Atlantic Cerithiopsis species. Accordingly, these species differ from each other in, some minor aspects of shell shape and teleoconch sculpture, but mainly in protoconch sculpture: Cerithiopsis aimen ( Fig. 20A–D ), C. prieguei ( Fig. 20E– H ), C. balaustium ( Fig. 20I–L ) and C. capixaba ( Fig. 19A–H ). The present work recognizes a similar sculpture pattern in other species: C. brucei , C. vescula sp. nov. and C. scobinata sp. nov.

The original description of C. fusiformis does not mention its protoconch, and all available images of the holotype (e.g., Clench & Turner 1950; Vokes & Vokes 1983) show a decollate shell, lacking the protoconch. Based on specimens from Cuba, Rolán & Espinosa (1996) stated that its protoconch is smooth, with a slight angulation at mid-whorl and a spiral cord near the base. This description was accepted by all subsequent authors dealing with this species (see synonymic list).

Figueira & Pimenta (2008) listed several specimens of C. fusiformis from Brazil but failed to recognize the distinction between C. fusiformis and C. vescula sp. nov.: in the latter, the two adapical spiral cords are never fused (see below). A revision of part of the material examined by Figueira & Pimenta (2008) indicated that these two species were interpreted as belonging to a single species by these authors.

Several recent papers in the field of Biochemistry (e.g., Ozkan & Berberoglu 2013; and many subsequent papers) wrongly cited C. fusiformis as a diatom that has particular properties in biofilm formation; this name does not exist outside Zoology. This probably relies in a lapsus calami with Cylindrotheca fusiformis (see Ozkan & Berberoglu 2013: abstract vs. analysis section).

Geographic and bathymetric distribution. Cerithiopsis fusiformis is a widespread species in the Western Atlantic, often listed in faunistic surveys. However, its precise geographic distribution should be revised, due to the great similarity with other species, as indicated above. Currently, it includes records from several localities of the Warm Temperate Northwest Atlantic and Tropical Northwestern Atlantic provinces, from North Carolina ( USA) to Lesser Antilles, including the Gulf of Mexico and the entire Caribbean region (except Bermuda). It also occurs in the Pliocene of St. Petersburg, Florida, according to the synonymy proposed by De Jong & Coomans (1988), but this should be reviewed.

From Brazil, it is herein confirmed only from the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic Province and from the Warm Temperate Southwestern Atlantic Province, from Ceará to Rio de Janeiro states. It is also recorded from Uruguay ( Forcelli & Narosky 2015). Littoral to 165 m ( Abbott 1974).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Cerithiopsis fusiformis (C. B. Adams, 1850). A: holotype from Jamaica (MCZ 186127); B, D, F: shell from Rio de Janeiro state (IBUFRJ 13665); C, E, G: shell from Bahia state IBUFRJ 12906); A–C: whole shell; D–E: protoconchs of shells in B and C, respectively; F: detail of teleoconch sculpture of shell in B; G: body whorl of shell in C. Lengths of whole shells: A: 2.6 mm; B: 2.8 mm; C: 2.8 mm. Scale bars: A–C: 1 mm; D–F: 100 µm; G: 200 µm.

FIGURE 19. Cerithiopsis capixaba Figueira & Pimenta, 2008. A: holotype, from Espírito Santo state (IBUFRJ 15221); B–H: shells from Rio de Janeiro state (B: MNRJ 33007; C, E: MNRJ 32947; D, F–H: MNRJ 16552); E: detail of teleoconch sculpture of shell in C; F–H: protoconch and details of protoconch sculpture of shell in D. Lengths of whole shells:A: 2.8 mm; B: 3.2 mm; C: 3.1 mm; D: 2.8 mm. Scale bars: A–D: 1 mm; E: 200 µm; F–G: 100 µm; H: 20 µm.

FIGURE 20A–D. Cerithiopsis aimen Rolán & Espinosa, 1996. Shell from Rio de Janeiro state (MNRJ 16531). FIGURE 20E–H. Cerithiopsis prieguei Rolán & Espinosa, 1996. Shell from Rio de Janeiro state (MNRJ 32617). FIGURE 20I–L. Cerithiopsis balaustium Figueira & Pimenta, 2008. Shell from Rio de Janeiro state (MNRJ 16527). C, G, K: protoconch of shells in B, F and J, respectively; D: detail of teleoconch whorls of shell in B; H, L: detail of protoconch sculpture of protoconchs in G and K, respectively. Lengths of whole shells: A–B: 1.8 mm; E–F: 2.4 mm; I: 1.8 mm; J: 1.7 mm. Scale bars: A–B, E–F, I–J: 1 mm; C–D, G–H, K–L: 100 µm.