Cerithiopsis beneitoi Rolán, Espinosa & Fernández-Garcés, 2007

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 : 30

Cerithiopsis beneitoi Rolán, Espinosa & Fernández-Garcés, 2007

( Fig. 14A–E )

Cerithiopsis beneitoi Rolán, Espinosa & Fernández-Garcés, 2007: 6 , Fig. 13–16 , 61–62.

Cerithiopsis beneitoi : Rolán et al. (2013: 9, fig. 5); Rosenberg et al. (2009: 644 [not figured]; Zhang (2011: 105, fig. 319); Redfern (2013: 139, fig. 400); Cecalupo & Perugia (2020: 37, pl. 19 Fig. 1a–d ).

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

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

Type material. Holotype: MNCN 15.05 /47008.

Type locality. Cuba, Rancho Luna, Cienfuegos Bay , 45 m.

Material examined. The holotype and: Brazil: -- off Rio de Janeiro state: HAB 13 sta. H1: MNRJ 16572 [1*p]; HAB 13 sta. H2: MNRJ 16571 [1*p]; RAP IG sta. 34, exUERJ 5256 [1] .

Remarks. Cerithiopsis beneitoi can be distinguished from other similar Caribbean species by its small (up to 2.9 mm long) and mainly white shell, with faintly darker bands on the adapical and subperipheral cords, and in having equally spaced spiral cords on the teleoconch (Rolán et al. 2007). All these features are observed in shells from Brazil despite they reach a maximum length of 2.0 mm ( Fig. 14A–C ). The material from the Caribbean shows a thin spiral cord on the second and third whorls of the protoconch (Rolán et al., 2007, 2013), which could not be observed in the illustrated shell from Brazil due to the eroded condition of the protoconch ( Fig. 14D–E ), although the minute riblets in the suture can be seen ( Fig. 14F ).

A very similar species was described from Guadeloupe and Martinique: Cerithiopsis michellegalli Cecalupo & Perugia, 2020 , with similar size, colour and protoconch. Cecalupo & Perugia (2020) did not provide a comparison to C. beneitoi , and both species seem to be mainly distinguished by the darker brown bands and apparently a more developed adapical spiral cord in C. michellegalli , especially if compared to Caribbean shells of C. beneitoi (Rolán et al. 2007) .

Geographic and bathymetric distribution. Disjunct distribution, in the Tropical Northwestern Atlantic Province (Bahamian, Southwestern Caribbean, Greater Antilles, Eastern Caribbean ecoregion), and in the boundary of the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic Province and the Warm Temperate Southwestern Atlantic Province (Rio de Janeiro state). From 4 m (Rolán et al. 2007) to 59 m ( Cecalupo & Perugia 2020).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cerithiopsis gemmulosa (C. B. Adams, 1850) species complex. A–B: holotype from Jamaica (MCZ 186075); C–D, F, N–O: shells from Rio de Janeiro state (C–D: MORG ex–19330; F: MORG 33005; N–O: MNRJ 26853); E, P–T: shells from Bahia state (E: IBUFRJ 14146; P–Q: MZSP 155546; R–T: MZSP 155508); G–J: shells from Florida (G–H: MNRJ 17992; I–J: BMSM 81286); K: shell from Santa Catarina state (MZSP 8336); L–M: shell from Pernambuco state (MNHN). Lengths of whole shells: A–B: 5.1 mm; C–D: 4.7 mm; E: 4.5 mm; F: 4.3 mm; G–H: 5.3 mm; I–J: 3.9 mm; K: 4.9 mm; L–M: 3.4 mm; N–O: 3.0 mm; P–Q: 3.0 mm; R: 3.7 mm; S–T: 3.4 mm. Scale bar: 1 mm. Horizontal lines indicate that the two images are from the same shell.

FIGURE 13. Cerithiopsis cf. hielardae Cecalupo & Perugia, 2020. A–B, D–E, G–H: shells from Rio de Janeiro state (A: MNRJ 16290; B, D–E: MNRJ 32225; G–H: MNRJ 33013); C, F: shell from Espírito Santo state (IBUFRJ 14141); D–E: detail of teleoconch sculpture and body whorl of shell in B; F: body whorl of shell in C; G–H: protoconch an detail of protoconch sculpture. Lengths of whole shells: A: 5.4 mm; B: 4.1 mm; C: 3.1 mm. Scale bars: A–C: 1 mm; D–F: 200 μm; G–H: 100 μm.

FIGURE 14 A–E. Cerithiopsis beneitoi Rolán, Espinosa & Fernández-Garcés, 2007. Shell from Rio de Janeiro state (MNRJ 16572); C–E: body whorl, protoconch and detail of protoconch sculpture of shell in A/B. FIGURE 14 F–N. Cerithiopsis sp. 1. F: shell from Espírito Santo state (IBUFRJ 15818); G, K–N. Shells from Rio de Janeiro state (MNRJ 16221); H: shell from Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (MZSP 31997); I–J: shells from Bahia state (I: IBUFRJ 20653; J: IBUFRJ 18766); L–N: body whorl, protoconch and detail of protoconch sculpture of shell in K. Lengths of whole shells:A–B: 2.0 mm; F: 2.2 mm; G: 2.2 mm; H: 2.1 mm; I: 1.9 mm; J: 2.5 mm; K: 2.1 mm. Scale bars: A–B, F–K: 1 mm; C, L: 200 μm; D, M–N: 100 μm; E: 50 μm. Horizontal bar indicates the same shell.

FIGURE 15A–C. Cerithiopsis perigaudae Cecalupo & Perugia, 2020. Shell from Sergipe state (CZUFS GAS-00095). C: protoconch. FIGURE 15D–G. Cerithiopsis cf. perigaudae. Shell from Rio de Janeiro state (MNRJ 15407). E: body whorl; F: protoconch; G: detail of protoconch. Lengths of whole shells: A–B: 1.7 mm; D: 3.1 mm. Scale bars: A–B, D: 1 mm; C, F–G: 100 µm; E: 200 µm.

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.