Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970

Amati, Bruno, Appolloni, Massimo, Giulio, Andrea Di, Scuderi, Danilo, Smriglio, Carlo & Oliverio, Marco, 2020, Revision of the Recent Alvania scabra (Philippi, 1844) complex (Mollusca, Gastropoda Rissoidae) from the Mediterranean Sea with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 4767 (3), pp. 415-458 : 434-436

Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970

( Figs 7 A–G; 8; 16D–F; Table V)

Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970: 3

Alvania gothica van Aartsen & van der Linden, 1986: 14 , figs 1, 2

Other references.

Alvania lucinae ; Oliverio et al., 1986: 44, fig. 2; Amati et al., 1990: 48, fig. 6; Moolenbeek et al., 1991: 114, figs 6, 17; Giannuzzi Savelli et al., 2002: 109, figs 451–452; Scaperrotta et al., 2012: 50, 5 unnumbered figs; Perna, 2013: 62, 2 unnumbered figs; Scaperrotta et al., 2019: 143, pl. IV, fig. G.

Type material. Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970 : the lectotype ( MHNB figured by Oliverio et al., 1986: 51 fig. 2 as “ holotype ”; designated by Moolenbeek et al., 1991) is lost. Two paralectotypes ( ZMA Moll. 3.7003), one of which is figured by Moolenbeek et al. (1991: 114, figs 6, 17, St. Tropez, France, H 1.5 mm, W 0.9 mm, and here referred to in the description, see below), type locality: St. Tropez, France. Alvania gothica van Aartsen & van der Linden, 1986 : holotype and eight paratypes ( RMNH), four paratypes ( BMNH, USNM e MNHN), other paratypes (van Aartsen coll., Dieren, The Netherlands), type locality: Pinarello, Corsica.

Other material examined. Corsica: Bastìa, 6 sh as Rissoa canariensis ( d’Orbigny, 1840) (MCZR-M-30062); Cerbicale Is., Secca del Toro 25 m depth 52 sh ( CS-PM); Pisciucani/Paragan, beached, 22 sh (DS). Sardinia: Stretto di Bonifacio, 120 m depth, 1 sh (MO); La Maddalena Is., 25 m depth, 1 sh ( CS-PM), 15 m depth, 1 sh (MO); Palau, beached, 1 sh (MO); Golfo Aranci, 1985, beached, Ivonne Panaccione legit, 11 sh + 7 sh broken (BA); Oristano, S’Archittu, 1995, beached, 2 sh (DS); Carloforte, Cala Sapone, viii.2009, 1 m depth, 46 sh (BA). Sicily; fossil of Milazzo (Sahariano, Pliocene), 1 sh as Alvania philippiana Jeffreys var. ( MGUF, vertical cabinet 153, Seguenza G. coll.). Italy: Giglio Is., Secca Subbielli, 38 m depth, 16 sh (BA); Giglio Is., 27 m depth, VII.1989, 3 sh (BA); 57 m depth, 24 sh (MO).

Distribution. Central western Mediterranean, locally common, amidst algae ( Scaperrotta et al. 2012). Italy: Argentarola Is. (Giannuzzi-Savelli et al. 2002), Capri Is. (Giannuzzi-Savelli et al. 2002), Sardinia (present work) and fossil from Sicily (present work). Greece: Paleokastritsa, Kerkyra, Northeastern Ionian Sea ( Romani et al. 2017). France: St. Tropez. Corsica ( Oberling 1970; van Aartsen & van der Linden 1986; Scaperrotta et al. 2012; present work) ( Fig. 8 ). Empty shells in 1–30 m depth. Found sympatric with A. scabra and with A. pizzinii sp. n.

Description (between parentheses data of one paralectotype). Shell ( Figs 7 A–G; 16D–F) small for the genus, height 1.46–1.95 (1.5) mm, width 0.93–1.13 (0.90) mm, H/W ratio 1.570 –1.756 (1.666), ovate-conic. Protoconch ( Fig. 16E ) paucispiral with nucleus moderately intorted, of 1.3–1.5 (?) whorls, height 0.275 –0.287 (?) mm; nucleus diameter (d) 0.100 –0.112 (?) mm, first half whorl diameter (Do) 0.187 –0.212 (?) mm, maximum diameter (DM) 0.300 –0.312 (?) mm, sculpture of ca. 10 parallel rows of rounded to broadly rounded microtubercles, and occasional spiral threads in the interspaces ( Fig. 16E ). Protoconch-teleoconch boundary well marked. Teleoconch of 2.7–3.5 (?) convex, angled whorls, with suture impressed. Axial sculpture on the last whorl of 13–16 (?) orthocline ribs, plus labial varix, narrower than interspaces and interrupted at the base. Spiral sculpture same strength as axial, of equidistant cords, 8–9 (8) on the last whorl, with 3–4 (4) above the aperture and 4–5 (4), smooth on the base, 3 (3) on the penultimate whorl. Cords II and IV starting immediately after the protoconch-teleoconch boundary; cord I appearing at 1–2 whorls as a keel, gradually yet rapidly turning into a cord, cord III starting after 0.8–1 whorls (Table V), and protruding more than the others. Small, spinose tubercles at the intersections; interspaces quadrangular. Microsculpture of growth lines and spiral threads overall ( Fig. 16F ). Umbilical chink absent or barely visible. Aperture pyriform, large, height 0.63–0.85 (0.63) mm, H/Ha ratio 2.294 –2.582 (2.42), peristome continuous, outer varix modest, internally smooth. Colouration translucent whitish-yellowish, with quadrangular subsutural brown blotches; columellar area brownish. Operculum typical for the genus, thin, corneous, paucispiral with eccentric nucleus. Soft parts unknown.

Remarks. Species with minimal variability, observed in the range of RH/W: (1.570 –1.756) and in the spinose appearance of the tubercles; occasional monochrome whitish shells ( van Aartsen & van der Linden 1986) (See also Table V and Figs 7 A–G; 16D–F).

The type material of Rissoa scabriuscula Requien, 1848 is lost (Pierre Moulet, Museum Requien, Avignon, pers. comm. 23.iv.2018) and the original description [“(27) Testa oblonga, acuta, alba, pellucida, anfractibus convexiusculis eleganter cingulatis, cingulis inferioribus ultimi anfractus simplicibus, superioribus granulato-muricatis, labro simplici. Long. 3. lat. 1 ½.”] is insufficient for a proper identification, making it a nomen dubium. Given the size indicated (3 mm), it may represent a form of A. pagodula (B.D.D., 1884) or A. rudis ( Philippi, 1844) . Monterosato (1878) referred it to A. weinkauffi Schwartz in Weinkauff, 1868 (that does not live along the Mediterranean French coast, though) and later (1884) to A. philippiana ( Jeffreys, 1856) (= A. pagodula ). See under A. scabra , A. sculptilis , A. sororcula and A. pizzinii sp. n. for the differences with these species.

A. lucinae differs from A. josefoi by the teleoconch microsculpture (weak and sparse in A. lucinae vs fine and dense in A. josefoi ); the tubercles at the intersections (large, spinose and protruding, especially the row on cord III, in A. lucinae vs small rounded tubercles in A. josefoi ); the number of axials (13–16 in A. lucinae vs 19–32 in A josefoi ); the colouration (whitish-yellowish with subsutural blotches, and periphery and median columellar area whitish in A. lucinae (rarely completely whitish) vs monochrome white, with the typical brown subsutural blotch before the varix in A. josefoi ).

A. lucinae differs from A. scuderii by the tubercles at the intersections (large, spinose and protruding, especially the row on cord III in A. lucinae vs small rounded tubercles in A. josefoi ); the appearance of the spiral cords (cord III at 0.8–1 whorls, cord I at 1–2 whorls I A. lucinae vs cord III at 0.5–0.8 whorls, cord I at 1–1.5 whorls in A. josefoi ).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970. A, B. Golfo Aranci (Sardinia) height 1.75 mm, (BA). C. Same locality (Sardinia), height 1.72 mm (BA). D. Giglio Is. (Italy), height 1.55 mm (BA). E. Paralectotype (by Moolenbeek et al. 1991), height 1.5 mm (MZA). F. idem (drawing by Moolenbeek et al., 1991). G. Giglio Is. (Italy), height 1.95 mm (BA).

FIGURE 8. Distribution based on the material examined and checked literature data. Red dots, Alvania sculptilis (Monterosato, 1877). Light blue (Recent) and blue (fossil) dots, Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970.

FIGURE 16. Alvania spp. (SEM). A–C. Alvania sororcula (Granata-Grillo, 1877) syntype numbered 1, Monterosato coll. ex Granata-Grillo coll. MCZR-M-22227/S, Messina (Sicily), height 1.95 mm. A. Shell. B. Detail of the protoconch microsculpture, same specimen. C. Detail of the teleoconch microsculpture, same specimen. D–F. Alvania lucinae Oberling, 1970, Giglio Is. (Italy) height 1.55 mm (BA). D. Shell. E. Detail of the protoconch microsculpture, same specimen. F. Detail of the teleoconch microsculpture, same specimen. G–I. Alvania josefoi Oliver & Templado, 2009, Punta de na Gall (Menorca, Baleares, Spain), 10 m depth, height 1.6 mm (JT, JDO). G. Shell. H. Detail of the protoconch microsculpture, same specimen. I. Detail of the teleoconch microsculpture, same specimen.