Phos, Montfort, 1810

Fraussen, Koen, Galindo, Lee Ann & Rosado, José, 2020, Deep-water Photinae (Gastropoda: Nassariidae) from eastern Africa, with descriptions of five new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 720, pp. 144-169 : 165-166

Phos sp.

Fig. 7

Material examined

MOZAMBIQUE • 1 lv; Zavora Point , ex-pisces; 24°36.7′ S, 35°22.0′ E; depth 85–120 m; J. Rosado leg.; JR ( Fig. 7 A–B) .

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 dd; north Transkei, Msikaba; depth 90–120 m; 2004; F. Lorenz leg.; dredge; KF 4691 ( Fig. 7 C–D).

Distribution and habitat

This form is known from Transkei (northeastern South Africa) in the south to Zavora (southern Mozambique) in the north. Its bathymetric range is between 90 and 120 m (the single live-collected specimen in South Africa). It was also found ex-pisces, in the stomach of ʻCachucho fishʼ ( Polysteganus

coeruleopunctatus (Klunzinger,1870)) or ʻMarreco fishʼ ( Chrysoblephus puniceus (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908)) , caught at between 90 and 145 m.

Remarks

This species is characterized by its glossy shell with obscure spiral sculpturing in combination with dark spiral bands and fine, interrupted but well-defined spiral lines. The harmonious combination of these features makes this shell an outstanding piece of visual beauty that recalls some species belonging to the genus Lyria Gray, 1847 (Volutidae) .

Phos pulchritudus sp. nov. looks quite similar in pattern and gloss but differs from this species in its slender shape with a stretched base, the deeper suture, the presence of a notch at the transition from the outer lip to the siphonal canal, the higher number of axial ribs, the higher number of spiral cords, the fine spiral lines in the pattern that form specks (rather than well defined short lines), and by the lack of pink spots at the outer lip of the aperture and siphonal canal.

Both Phos laevis Kuroda & Habe, 1961 from the West Pacific and P. scitamentus Fraussen & Poppe, 2005 from the Philippines have a similar gloss but differ from this species in their larger number of axial ribs, the uniform colour without pattern and the smaller adult size.

Figures

Fig. 7. Phos sp. A–B. Specimen from Southern Mozambique, Zavora Point, 24°36.7′ S, 35°22.0′ E, ex-pisces, depth 85–120 m, 26.6 mm long (JR). C–D. Specimen from South Africa, north Transkei, Msikaba, dredged at 90–120 m, 24.5 mm long (KF 4691). Scale bars: 5.0 mm.