Cerithiopsis albovittata (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 : 24-27

Cerithiopsis albovittata (C. B. Adams, 1850) —species complex

( Figs 10 , 11 )

Cerithium albovittatum C. B. Adams, 1850: 122 .

Cerithium albovittatum : Clench & Turner (1950: 254, pl. 38 fig. 6).

Bittium (Platygyra) albovittatum : Mörch (1876: 101, not figured).

Cerithiopsis albovittatum : De Jong & Coomans (1988: 47, pl. 3 fig. 228).

Cerithiopsis albovittata : Lyons (1989: 13, pl. V fig. 2); Redfern (2001: 70, pl. 34, figs. 293A–C; 2013: 132, figs. 378A–B); García & Lee (2002: 11, not figured); García & Lee (2003: 26, fig. 183); Espinosa et al. (2005: 29, not figured); Lamy & Pointier (2017: 290, pl. 93 figs. 2a–b); Cecalupo & Perugia (2020 partim: 21, pl. 6 figs. 1a–o, pl. 7, figs. 1a–f); Rolán et al. (2007: 10, figs. 27–33, 71–73, 106; 2012: 7, fig. 22); Rosenberg et al. (2009: 644, not figured); Tunnell et al. (2010: 200, text-fig); Krisberg (2010b: https://olram9.wixsite.com/letstalkseashells/copy-of-template-92); Zhang (2011: 103, fig. 311); Espinosa et al. (2012: 76, fig. 375).

Nanopsis albovittata : Cecalupo & Robba (2010: 53, mentioned on a list of species for new generic allocation).

Costulopsis albovittata : Cecalupo & Robba (2019: 66, mentioned on a list of species for new generic allocation).

Type material. Holotype: MCZ 156412 .

Type locality: Jamaica.

Material examined. The holotype and: Brazil: -- Pernambuco state: Cabo de Santo Agostinho , P. Maestrati coll., 1984–1989: MNHN [2*]; -- Bahia state: Baía de Todos os Santos, O. Falcão coll., 1997: IBUFRJ 14148 ; -- Espírito Santo State [23]; HAB 13 sta. I2: MNRJ 16274 [4*p]; HAB 17 sta. I2: MNRJ 17381 [5*p]; HAB 17 sta. I4: MNRJ 17387 [2*]; REVIZEE– Central sta. C1–VV38: IBUFRJ 21654 [19]; REVIZEE– Central sta. C6–Y7: IBUFRJ 15814 [11]; off Piúma; 1993: IBUFRJ 8674 [2]; -- Rio de Janeiro state: HAB 13 sta. H3: MNRJ 16287 [4*]; HAB 16 sta. H3: MNRJ 17369 [1*], MNRJ 17379 [3*p]; HAB 16 sta. H2: MNRJ 17388 [3*p]; HAB 13 sta. H2: MNRJ 16248 [5*p], MNRJ 16275 [3*p], MNRJ 17375 [1*]; HAB 13 sta. H1: MNRJ 16247 [2*p]; HAB 16 sta. H4: MNRJ 17380 [2*p]; HAB 16 sta. G3: MNRJ 17389 [12*p]; HAB 11 sta. G3: MNRJ 16273 [1*], MNRJ 16249 [2*p]; HAB 11 sta. F2: MNRJ 16259 [1*]; HAB 16 sta. C4: MNRJ 17396 [1*]; HAB 16 sta. C3: MNRJ 17386 [1*p]; HAB 11 sta. B5: MNRJ 16250 [1*p]; HAB 16 sta. B5: MNRJ 17390 [3*p]; HAB 16 sta. B4: MNRJ 17378 [8*p]; 22°42ʹS, 40°40ʹW, iii/2007: MNRJ 15396 [6*]; 22°42ʹS, 40°40ʹW, 12 m, x/2005: MNRJ 15406 [6*p]; 22°42ʹS, 40°40ʹW, 110–120 m, 2006: MNRJ 18755 [1*]; 22°42ʹS, 40°40ʹW, 100 m, 2007: MNRJ 33384 [1*p]; 22°42ʹW, 40°40ʹW, 12 m, 19–22/iii/2004: MNRJ 30853 [4*]; 22°42ʹS, 40°40ʹW: MNRJ 33889 [1*]; 22°42ʹS, 40°40ʹW, iii/2007: MNRJ 31791 [2*p]; 23°6ʹW, 41°06ʹW, x/2008: MNRJ 31790 [1*]; 23°08ʹS, 41°02ʹW, x/2008: MNRJ 32367 [1*]; 23°05ʹ23ʺW, 40°58ʹ55ʺW, 100 m, 16–17/ix/2004: MNRJ 32227 [1*]; 23°04ʹ14ʺW, 40°59ʹ31ʺW, 17/x/2004: MNRJ 33020 [2*].

Remarks. Although the holotype of Cerithiopsis albovittata is much damaged, with a broken protoconch and a worn teleoconch, it still shows some traces of the coloration ( Fig. 10A ). Rolán et al. (2007) assumed that the material studied by them, from Cuba, and by Redfern (2001) from the Bahamas, should be interpreted as belonging to C. albovittata . This concept is followed herein.

Cerithiopsis albovittata exhibits a wide variation in shell color ( Redfern, 2001, 2013; Rolán et al., 2007), which is also observed in shells from Brazil. Typically, the median spiral cord is white or light cream, whereas the adapical cord and the base are light brown, and the abapical cord varies between both types ( Fig. 10B–C, G, J ). Other shells have darker brown bands (e.g., Fig. 10D ), and others show the dark brown color spread over almost the entire body whorl and base, in different tones ( Fig. 10I, K ).

Cecalupo & Perugia (2020) also recognized C. albovittata as a very abundant species in Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guyana, with a wide variation of shell color; their illustrations of live specimens also evidence a great range of colors in the head-foot. Several shells illustrated by Cecalupo & Perugia (2020: pl. 6, figs. 1a–o, pl. 7, figs. 1a–f) agree with the concept of C. albovittata adopted in the present work. However, many others ( Cecalupo & Perugia, 2020: pl. 7 figs. 1g –o, pl. 8 figs. 1a–o, pl. 9 figs. 1d–l) differ regarding shell sculptures and agree with Cerithiopsis cf. hielardae Cecalupo & Perugia, 2020 (see further discussion below). Thus, we consider that this record by Cecalupo & Perugia (2020) is composed of a mixed material of C. albovittata , C. cf. hielardae and possibly other undetermined species (e.g., a shell figured in their pl. 9, fig. 1a–c, has only two spiral cords on the teleoconch).

The protoconch of C. albovittata was described by Rolán et al. (2007) as having a spiral cord in the lower part of the whorls and small axial riblets below it. This sculpture is present in all shells of C. albovittata from Brazil, but with a wide variation in the strength of this sculpture, from very fine ( Fig. 11B–C ) to very distinct ( Fig. 11H–I ) spiral cord and axial marks, with intermediate ones ( Fig. 11E–F ). The protoconch color of the present material variesng from brown to cream (or even whitish), which was also described by Rolán et al. (2007).

Cerithiopsis albovittata presents considerable variation in shell size and shape ( Fig. 10B–L ). Figures 10G and 10I show two shells at the same scale and with almost the same number of teleoconch whorls (7 vs 7.5 whorls), but with quite distinct length and width. An anomalous shell ( Fig. 10H ) with an abrupt change in growth pattern after the fifth whorl reveals the two growth shapes, the initial five-six teleoconch whorls much like the shell in figure 10I, and the remainder whorls in the same pattern as the shell in figure 10G. All other features, such as coloration and protoconch and teleoconch sculptures are in the range of variation of C. albovittata . Thus, C. albovittata may express two phenotypes in the same shell ( Fig. 10H ). This change in growth shape is rare but not unprecedented in Cerithiopsis , judging for example from the image of C. flava in Rolán et al. (2007: fig. 44), from Cuba.

The holotype of Cerithiopsis parvada Rolán, Espinosa & Fernández-Garcés, 2007 , figured in Rolán et al. (2007: fig. 34), is very similar to some shells from Brazil ( Fig. 10I–J ) in shell color, sculpture and protoconch morphology. In fact, Rolán et al. (2007) indicated the similarity between C. albovittata and C. parvada , listing minor differences in protoconch size and color (slightly wider and cream in C. parvada ; white, cream or brown in C. albovittata ), shell size (larger in C. albovittata ) and color, and differences in the distance between spiral cords in the first teleoconch whorls. Rolán et al. (2007) considered the position of the adapical spiral cord in the first teleoconch whorl as an important character to distinguish C. albovittata from C. parvada , but this feature is diffuse in several shells from Brazil ( Fig. 11B, E, H ). These differences are very subtle and not enough to distinguish shells that could be named as C. parvada among the material from Brazil.

Another species from Cuba that probably fits into the species complex of C. albovittata is Cerithiopsis familiarum Rolán, Espinosa & Fernández-Garcés, 2007 , but Rolán et al. (2007) did not compare it with C. albovittata in the original description of C. familiarum . We cannot see any substantial difference between both species based on the available images. Because C. albovittata is a species complex based on genetic evidence (unpublished data), we prefer to postpone the decision to synonymize both species.

This is the first record of C. albovittata from Brazil, although Rios (1985) considered it as a synomym of C. gemmulosa , an opinion never followed by other authors.

Geographic and bathymetric distribution. Cerithiopsis albovittata is largely cited in the western Atlantic, including records from several localities of the Tropical Northwestern Atlantic province and at North Brazil Shelf province, ranging from Florida to French Guyana, including almost all of the Caribbean region (except Bermuda). It is also present at the Warm Temperate Northwest Atlantic province (in the Northern Gulf of Mexico). From Brazil, it is herein confirmed from the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic Province (from Pernambuco to Rio de Janeiro states). Littoral to 141 m (this study).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Cerithiopsis albovittata (C. B. Adams, 1850)—species complex, whole shells.A: holotype, from Jamaica (MCZ 156412); B–L: shells from Rio de Janeiro state (B, H: MNRJ 16249; C: MNRJ 17379; D, I: MNRJ 17389; E: MNRJ 17390; F: MNRJ 16247; G: MNRJ 15406; J: MNRJ 16275; K: MNRJ 16248; L: MNRJ 17386). Lengths of whole shells: A: 2.54 mm; B: 3.3 mm; C: 3.5 mm; D: 3.6 mm; E: 2.8 mm; F: 3.2 mm; G: 4.6 mm; H: 5.0 mm; I: 3.0 mm; J: 3.1 mm; K: 2.9 mm; L: 3.9 mm. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Cerithiopsis albovittata (C. B. Adams, 1850)—species complex. A–F: shells from Rio de Janeiro state (A–C: MNRJ 15406; D–F: MNRJ 31791); G–I: shell from Bahia state (MNRJ 17381); B–C, E–F, H–I: protoconch and detail of scupture of shells in A, D, G, respectively. Lengths of whole shells: A: 4.7 mm; D: 4.8 mm; G: 3.0 mm. Scale bars: A, D, G: 1 mm; B–C, E–F, H–I: 100 µm.