Vexillum (Protoelongata) xerampelina ( MELVILL, 1895 ) Herrmann & Stossier & Salisbury, 2014

Herrmann, Manfred, Stossier, Günter & Salisbury, Richard, 2014, A new subgenus including three new species of the genus Vexillum (Gastropoda: Costellariidae) from the central Indo-Pacific with remarks on Vexillum (Pusia) semicostatum (ANTON, 1838), Contributions to Natural History 24, pp. 1-55 : 17

Vexillum (Protoelongata) xerampelina ( MELVILL, 1895) comb. nov.

( Figs 3 , 40–41 )

Description

Broad, cylindraceous shell with elongated spire, shiny, reaching about 20 mm in length. Teleoconch consists of 8 to 10 slightly convex whorls. Spire outline straight to slightly concave, 16 to 18 regularly positioned axial ribs on all whorls, sometimes flattened on dorsal side of body whorl, spiral striae on the whole shell. Suture well defined, slightly undulated. Aperture shorter than half the entire shell, lirate inside. Lip straight in posterior half, then recurved towards the siphonal fasciole. Siphonal canal short and slightly recurved. Columella with 4 strong folds, decreasing in size anteriorly and merging into spiral cords on the siphonal fasciole.

Colour pattern: Shell dark red to orange. Protoconch and first whorls sometimes darker, columellar folds greyish, columellar shield and aperture shell coloured.

Holotype: NMW.1955.158.00429 (coll. Melvill-Tomlin), ex coll. E.R. Shopland; J.C. Melvill; 18.8 mm.

Type locality: Arabian Sea, Yemen, Aden.

Distribution: From the Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba) in the north ( Wils & Verbinnen 2002) via the Arabian Sea ( Melvill 1895) and Mozambique to Réunion in the south ( Robin & Martin 2004). The species is also reported from the western Pacific: Japan ( Okutani 2000), Philippines (Schepmann 1911 – Figs 42–43 ) and Guam. Further investigation is necessary to prove whether those specimens also belong to this species or to a closely related one.

Remarks: This species was often put into synonymy with Vexillum (Protoelongata) corallinum ( REEVE, 1845) comb. nov. ( Okutani 2000) or Vexillum (Pusia) semicostatum (ANTON, 1838) ( Turner 1989, 1997, 2001; Wils & Verbinnen 2002), but is easy to distinguish from those species by the missing white dots.

Figures

Plate 1: Vexillum (Protoelongata) subgen. nov., all figures 4.5 x Fig. 1: Vexillum (Protoelongata) dekkersi sp. nov., paratype 1, Philippines, Bohol, Balicasag Island, collected 2000, 11.7 mm, MS 63760. Fig. 2: Vexillum (Protoelongata) bilineatum (REEVE, 1845) comb. nov., Philippines, Cebu, dived 15–20 m, 20.6 mm, MH. Fig. 3: Vexillum (Protoelongata) xerampelina (MELVILL, 1895) comb. nov., holotype, Arabian Sea, Yemen, Aden, 18.8 mm, ex coll. E.R. Shopland; J.C. Melvill, NMW.1955.158.00429 (coll. Melvill-Tomlin). Fig. 4: Vexillum (Protoelongata) rubrotaeniatum sp. nov., paratype 9, Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Bonegi, collected Aug 1987 by F. Lorenz on rocks at night at 21 m, 13.8 mm, MH. Fig. 5: Vexillum (Protoelongata) corallinum (REEVE, 1845) comb. nov., Philippines, Bohol, Balicasag Island, 73–88 m, 17.5 mm, ex coll. Steinke, MH. Fig. 6: Vexillum (Protoelongata) heleneae sp. nov., holotype, Guam, Orote Point, Orote Cliffs, collected by R. Salisbury under a pile of rocks at 18 m, 7 Jan 1978, 17.2 mm, MNHN 27071. Fig. 7: Vexillum (Protoelongata) loyaltyense (HERVIER, 1897) comb. nov., Philippines, Cebu, Mactan Island, Punta Engaño, collected 2009 by lumun lumun net at 25–50 m, 10.3 mm, MH. Photos: Fig. 3 Harriet Wood (NMW), Fig. 6 Richard Salisbury, other photos Manfred Herrmann.

Plate 12: Vexillum (Protoelongata) xerampelina (MELVILL, 1895) comb. nov., all figures 3.5 x Fig. 40: Holotype, Arabian Sea, Yemen, Aden, 18.8 mm, ex coll. E.R. Shopland; J.C. Melvill, NMW.1955. 158.00429 (coll. Melvill-Tomlin). Fig. 41: Specimen, Mozambique, Nacala Bay, taken Oct 2006 by snorkel in coral sand at 1–2 m, 17.5 mm, MH. Fig. 42a–b: Specimen cf. V. (Pr.) xerampelina (MELVILL, 1895), Philippines, Cebu, Mactan Islands, collected May 1984 by shell nets, ex Ray Walker, 15.6 mm, NMBE 32379-2. Fig. 43: Specimen cf. V. (Pr.) xerampelina (MELVILL, 1895), Philippines, Bohol Strait, collected Jul 1991 by shell nets, 15.7 mm, NMBE 32378-2. Photos: Fig. 40 Harriet Wood (NMW), other photos Manfred Herrmann.