Vetulonia parajeffreysi Absalão & Pimenta, 2005

Herbert, David G., 2024, The Vetigastropoda (Mollusca) of Walters Shoal, with descriptions of two new genera and thirty new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 923, pp. 1-119 : 37

Vetulonia parajeffreysi Absalão & Pimenta, 2005

Fig. 14F–I

Vetulonia parajeffreysi Absalão & Pimenta, 2005: 194 , figs 3–8.

Type loc.: Campos Basin , off Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 1290 m.

Material examined

WALTERS SHOAL • 1 empty shell; south plain, stn CP4913; 33°52′ S, 44°05′ E; depth 1539–1615 m; 11 May 2017; MNHN .

Remarks

A single damaged specimen referable to Vetulonia was collected, height 1.85 mm, diameter 2.5 mm (H/D =0.74). Despite its poor quality, I record the occurrence of this material on Walters Shoal as it represents the first record of the genus from the Indian Ocean. The specimen closely resembles V. parajeffreysi from similar depths in the south-western Atlantic. The shell is more depressed than the holotype of that species, but is closer to the less elevated specimen illustrated ( Absalão & Pimenta 2005: fig. 8). Since the specimen from Walters Shoal is damaged, it is difficult to be certain of its identity, but I can find no features that might serve to clearly differentiate it from V. parajeffreysi . The protoconch (diameter 270 μm) is slightly tilted, but not conspicuously raised above the first teleoconch whorl. Its apical region is rounded, but not bulbous, the surface coarsely granular and the terminal lip convex, with a slight step down to the first teleoconch whorl ( Fig. 14I ). The latter possesses a distinct vermiform microsculpture between the axial ribs.

Figures

Fig. 14. A–B. Calliotropis velata Vilvens, 2006, Walters Shoal, stn CP4911 (MNHN), scale bars =200 μm. A. Microsculpture, third whorl. B. Protoconch. C. Danilia textilis Herbert, 2012, Walters Shoal, stn DW4887, height 11.7 mm (MNHN-IM-2013-67256). D–E. Vaceuchelus gemmula (Turton, 1932), Walters Shoal, stnWB05, height 3.4 mm (MNHN-IM-2013-67254).F–H. Vetulonia parajeffreysi Absalão & Pimenta, 2005, Walters Shoal, stn CP4913, diameter 2.5 mm (MNHN). I. Vetulonia parajeffreysi, protoconch, Walters Shoal, stn CP4913, scale bar =100 μm (MNHN).