Inquisitor vividus, Li & Kilburn & Li, 2010

Li, Bao Quan, Kilburn, Richard N. & Li, Xin Zheng, 2010, Report on Crassispirinae Morrison, 1966 (Mollusca: Neogastropoda: Turridae) from the China Seas, Journal of Natural History 44 (11 - 12), pp. 699-740 : 726-727

Inquisitor vividus sp. nov.

( Figure 3F, G )

Type material

Holotype. Nansha Islands . CN SSVIIIB8-30 - 1 , 7°24′ N, 104°52′ E, muddy sand, 44 m, AT, 9 June 1990.

Paratypes. Nansha Islands . One specimens, CN SSVIIIB8-30 - 2 , 7°24′ N, 104°52′ E, muddy sand, 44 m, AT, 9 June 1990 ; 1 spm, CN SSB5-8 , 5°30′ N, 108°30′ E, 93 m, 17 September 1994 .

SCS. Two specimens, CN SIII23 B-91, 22°15′ N, 115°30′ E, sandy mud, 47.2 m, AT, 17 July 1959 ; 1 spm, CN S140 B-39, 21°15′ N, 114°30′ E, silty mud, 75 m, AT, 10 December 1959 .

Measurements

See Table 1.

Description

Shell medium-sized, up to 23.2 mm in height, fusiform, with high (1.4 to 1.5 times length of aperture including canal). Suture narrow, distinct, undulating, with a distinct, relatively low, nodular subsutural cord; sulcus moderately deep, initially crossed by axial ribs, but incising them on last two whorls. Teleoconch of 11 whorls, early whorls weakly convex, later ones strongly so. Sculpture of narrow, angular axial ribs, 13 on penultimate whorl, 14 on last whorl, which extend to parietal level; ribs slightly opisthocline, tending to line up on adjacent whorls, bases of ribs on last whorl thin and curved (vermiculate); ribs randomly forming one to two distinct varices on each whorl, that on back of last whorl particularly strong. Numerous flat and wavy spiral ridges override axial ribs, forming coarse nodules; five to six spirals on penultimate whorl, 12 on body whorl, plus several fine spiral threads continuing to tip of anterior canal; interspaces between each pair of primary spiral ridges with one relatively fine intermediary thread. Spiral striae absent. Numerous axial growth lines. Aperture elongate-ovate. Outer lip thick, crenulated, with distinct stromboid notch near anterior tip. Anal sinus lacrimiform (deeply U-shaped with strongly constricted opening), its rounded apex on the side of shoulder ramp. Columella straight, with thin, narrow callus. Anterior canal relatively short, deep, anterior tip notched, strongly recurved to right. Protoconch high, conical, three whorls, smooth, breadth 1.52–1.63 mm.

Ground colour light reddish-brown, apical whorls darker brown, axial ribs offwhite, forming a broad, interrupted white band around middle of each whorl, lower on earlier whorls, base of last whorl with pale nodules, one row whiter than others, with darkish brown maculations besides the varices; subsutural cord with white nodules and brown intervals.

Distribution

Only known from northern part of the SCS and Nansha Islands.

Etymology

Latin adjective, vividus , meaning vividly coloured.

Remarks

Somewhat similar to Inquisitor rubrozonatus ( Schepman, 1913) , a widely-distributed species (Arabian Gulf to Indonesia), which is smaller, without distinct granules on its base, with a less recurved siphonal canal and a more open anal sinus; it also lacks the broad white zone on the axial ribs of I. vividus . There is also a slight similarity to Inquisitor taivaricosa Chang and Wu, 2000 , of southern China and the Philippines, but that has brown spiral lines, lacks the conspicuous white ribs and has a shorter siphonal canal and less constricted anal sinus.

Figures

Figure 3. Species of subfamily Crassispirinae. (A, B) Epideira sibogae (ECS, CN V525B-53); (C, D) Epideira multiseriata (Beibu Gulf, CN Q225B-7); (E) Inquisitor sp. 1 (ECS, CN H21B- 45); (F, G) Inquisitor vividus sp. nov. (holotype, Nansha Islands, CN SSVIIIB8-30-1, 44 m, 23.2 × 7.0 mm); (H) Ptychobela minimarus (Hainan Island); (I) Paradrillia patruelis (Yellow Sea, CN Y405B-7); (J) Turridrupa deceptrix (Beibu Gulf, CN X202B-18-1).