Columbella xiphitella Duclos, 1840

Russini, Valeria, Fassio, Giulia, Modica, Maria Vittoria, deMaintenon, Marta J. & Oliverio, Marco, 2017, An assessment of the genus Columbella Lamarck, 1799 (Gastropoda: Columbellidae) from eastern Atlantic, Zoosystema 39 (2), pp. 197-212 : 206-209

Columbella xiphitella Duclos, 1840

( Figs 6 E-L; 7A-H; 8B; 9A, B)

Colombella xiphitella Duclos, 1840 : pl. 9, figs 13, 14. Columbella nucleus Kiener, 1841: 14-15 , pl. 3, fig. 4.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Colombella xiphitella : lectotype (here designated: Fig. 6F, G ) and 11 paralectotypes MNHN-IM-2000-9599, 4 paralectotypes MNHN-IM-2000-9598. — Type locality: “Californie”, erroneous, corrected to Gabon ( ICZN 1999: rec. 76.A.2).

Columbella nucleus : MHNG-MOLL-95502 lectotype (here selected: Fig. 6H, J, K ) and 9 paralectoypes (from Delessert collection). — Type locality: Gabon (imposed herein, ICZN 1999: rec. 76A.1.4).

DISTRIBUTION. — According to the material examined genetically herein, Columbella xiphitella ranges along West African coasts from Ghana to Angola, including São Tomé and Principe.

DIAGNOSIS. — Shell of medium size for the family, 10-18 mm long, biconic/strombiform.

Protoconch of 2.5-2.6 convex whorls, entirely covered by densely spaced microgranules; embryonic shell (protoconch I) of 0.8 whorls, and larval shell (protoconch II) of 1.7 whorls; protoconch-teleoconch boundary marked by a sinusigera scar.

Teleoconch of 7-9 almost straight-sided whorls, penultimate whorl slightly convex, body whorl rounded and inflated, about 3/4 shell length. Sculpture of nodulose axial ridges on the first whorls, fading after 2-3 whorls, and very weak, irregular spiral striae. Aperture narrow, elongate and sinuous.

Outer lip angulate posteriorly in some, thickened, especially medially, with 14-19 strong denticles, and rust coloured markings between denticles. Columellar wall with two weak ridges medially; parietal wall with 5-8 strong denticles anteriorly, usually with rust coloured markings between. Siphonal canal open.

Colour very variable, with white-whitish background and yellow, orange, brown, grey or black irregular spots, sometimes arranged into axial flames or sinuous bands. Periostracum thin, brown.

Animal observed only in alcohol preserved specimens: whitish background and dark brown to dark tawny spots, dense on propodium and head, very dense on mantle; tip of cephalic tentacles white, siphon dark grey. Radula rachiglossate, with central tooth reduced to a slightly arched plate with no cusps. One pair of massive lateral teeth with a small, basal, outer cusp and a tall, sinuous inner primary

ABGD group Voucher ID a priori morphological identification a posteriori MOTU assignation

1 IM-2007-33580 Aesopus cumingii (Duclos, 1846) A. cumingii

1 IM-2007-33581 Aesopus cumingii A. cumingii

2 KF643896.1 Amphissa columbiana (Dall, 1916) A. aff. columbiana

2 KF644010.1 Amphissa columbiana A. aff. columbiana

2 KF644101.1 Amphissa columbiana A. aff. columbiana

2 KF643694.1 Amphissa versicolor (Dall, 1871) A. aff. columbiana

3 KF644285.1 Amphissa reticulata (Dall, 1916) A. reticulata

4 KF643489.1 Alia carinata (Hinds, 1844) A. carinata

4 KF643493.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF643566.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF643846.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF643937.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF644175.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF644247.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF644276.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

4 KF643354.1 Alia carinata A. carinata

5 IM-2009-11313 Anachis sp. Anachis sp.

6 BAU 710_7 Columbella adansoni Menke, 1853 C. adansoni

6 BAU 726_7 Columbella adansoni C. adansoni

6 BAU 741_11 Columbella adansoni C. adansoni

7 BAU 1120_1 Columbella adansoni C. xiphitella

7 BAU 1120_2 Columbella adansoni C. xiphitella

7 BAU1120_3 Columbella adansoni C. xiphitella

8 BAU 817_1 Columbella rustica ( Linnaeus, 1758) C. rustica

8 BAU 818_5 Columbella rustica C. rustica

8 BAU 821_2 Columbella rustica C. rustica

9 IM-2009-18927 columbellid indet. columbellid indet.

9 IM-2007-35775 columbellid indet. columbellid indet.

10 IM-2007-35599 columbellid indet. columbellid indet.

11 IM-2007-33570 columbellid indet. columbellid indet.

12 IM-2007-33521 Euplica borealis (Pilsbry, 1904) E. borealis

13 IM-2007-33515 Euplica scripta ( Lamarck, 1822) E. scripta

14 JN052985.1 Euplica scripta E. scripta

15 JN052986.1 Euplica scripta E. scripta

15 JN052987.1 Euplica scripta E. scripta

15 HQ834054.1 Euplica scripta E. scripta

16 IM-2007-33519 Euplica turturina ( Lamarck, 1822) E. turturina

16 IM-2007-33522 Euplica turturina E. turturina

16 IM-2007-33524 Euplica turturina E. turturina

16 IM-2007-33539 Euplica turturina E. turturina

16 JQ950207.1 Euplica turturina E. turturina

17 IM-2007-33537 Euplica varians (Sowerby, 1832) E. varians

17 IM-2007-33583 Euplica varians E. varians

18 IM-2007-33493 Graphicomassa albina (Kiener, 1841) G. adiostina ( Duclos, 1840)

18 IM-2007-33494 Graphicomassa albina G. adiostina

19 IM-2007-33514 Graphicomassa ligula (Duclos, 1835) G. ligula

19 IM-2007-33517 Graphicomassa ligula G. ligula

19 IM-2007-33523 Graphicomassa ligula G. ligula

19 IM-2007-33534 Graphicomassa ligula G. ligula

19 IM-2007-33542 Graphicomassa ligula G. ligula

19 JQ950206.1 Graphicomassa ligula as Mitrella ligula ( Duclos, 1840) G. ligula

20 IM-2007-35779 Indomitrella cf. conspersa (Gaskoin, 1851) I. cf. conspersa

21 IM-2007-33532 Indomitrella puella (Sowerby, 1844) I. puella

22 IM-2007-33548 Indomitrella schepmani K. Monsecour & D. Monsecour, 2007 I. schepmani

22 IM-2007-35594 Indomitrella schepmani I. schepmani

23 HM180683.1 Mitrella bicincta (Gould, 1860) M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180684.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180685.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180687.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180688.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180690.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180691.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 HM180692.1 Mitrella bicincta M. aff. bicincta

23 JN053028.1 Mitrella burchardi (Dunker, 1877) M. aff. bicincta

23 HQ834098.1 Mitrella burchardi M. aff. bicincta

24 JN052988.1 Mitrella bicincta (Gould, 1860) M. bicincta

24 JN052989.1 Mitrella bicincta M. bicincta

24 JN052990.1 Mitrella bicincta M. bicincta

24 JN052991.1 Mitrella bicincta M. bicincta

Table 4. — Continuation.

ABGD group Voucher ID a priori morphological identification a posteriori MOTU assignation

24 HQ834055.1 Mitrella bicincta (Gould, 1860) M. bicincta

24 HM180686.1 Mitrella bicincta M. bicincta

24 HM180689.1 Mitrella bicincta M. bicincta

25 IM-2007-30282 Mitrella cf. philia (Duclos, 1846) M. cf. philia

26 IM-2007-35498 Mitrella essingtonensis (Reeve, 1859) M. essingtonensis

27 IM-2007-33485 Metanachis jaspidea (Sowerby, 1844) M. jaspidea

27 IM-2007-33529 Metanachis jaspidea M. jaspidea

27 IM-2007-33585 Metanachis jaspidea M. jaspidea

28 IM-2007-33490 Mitrella moleculina (Duclos, 1835) M. moleculina

29 IM-2007-33504 Mitrella nympha (Kiener, 1841) M. nympha

29 IM-2007-33565 Mitrella nympha M. nympha

30 IM-2007-35750 columbellid indet. Mitrella sp.

30 IM-2007-35749 Mitrella cf. moleculina ( Duclos, 1840) Mitrella sp.

30 IM-2007-35495 Mitrella sp. Mitrella sp.

31 KF643804.1 Mitrella cf. tuberosa (Carpenter, 1865) Mitrella sp.

32 IM-2007-33582 Mitrella sp. Mitrella sp.

33 IM-2007-35626 Mitrella sp. Mitrella sp.

34 IM-2013-20589 Nassarina metabrunnea (Dall & Simpson, 1901) N. metabrunnea

35 IM-2007-36625 Pyrene flava (Bruguière, 1789) P. flava

35 IM-2007-36760 Pyrene flava P. flava

35 IM-2007-36685 Pyrene flava P. flava

36 IM-2007-33560 Pyrene punctata (Bruguiere, 1789) P. punctata

36 IM-2007-33578 Pyrene punctata P. punctata

37 HQ834097.1 Pseudamycla sp. Pseudamycla sp.

38 IM-2007-39377 columbellid indet. S. cf. kanamaruana A

38 IM-2007-32142 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana (Kuroda, 1953) S. cf. kanamaruana A

38 IM-2007-33555 Sulcomitrella sp. S. cf. kanamaruana A

39 IM-2009-11298 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana (Kuroda, 1953) S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2009-11301 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-32150 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-33479 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-33482 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-33574 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-33575 Sulcomitrella cf. kanamaruana S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-33540 Sulcomitrella circumstriata (Schepman, 1911) S. cf. kanamaruana B

39 IM-2007-36339 Sulcomitrella circumstriata S. cf. kanamaruana B

40 IM-2007-35773 Sulcomitrella cf.. monodonta (Habe, 1958) S. cf.. monodonta A

41 IM-2009-11304 Sulcomitrella monodonta (Habe, 1958) S. cf.. monodonta B

42 IM-2007-33551 Sulcomitrella circumstriata (Schepman, 1911) S. circumstriata

42 IM-2007-33552 Sulcomitrella circumstriata S. circumstriata

43 IM-2007-30246 Zafra cf. pumila (Dunker, 1858) Z. cf. pumila

44 IM-2007-33480 Zafrona isomella ( Duclos, 1840) Z. isomella

45 IM-2007-30355 Zafra pumila (Dunker, 1858) Z. pumila

46 IM-2007-33535 Metanachis laingensis Sleurs, 1985 Mitrella sp.

46 IM-2007-33536 Mitrella cf. alizonae (Melvill & Standen, 1901) Mitrella sp.

46 IM-2007-33488 Mitrella chinoi Monsecour & Dekkers, 2013 Mitrella sp.

cusp with three secondary cusps along the posterior edge: a narrow, pointed distal cusp, a flat central cusp slightly enlarged at the base, and a quadrangular and apically curved basal cusp.

REMARKS

Dunker (1853: 24) used Columbella striata Duclos for his specimens from Luanda and Annobon, quite certainly referring to this species. However, Columbella striata Duclos (described from Senegal and here provisionally included in the synonymy of C. rustica ) is preoccupied by Columbella striata Menke 1829 , a nomen dubium without type(s) availables. The 10 syntypes of Columbella nucleus Kiener at MHNG are to be considered as syntypes as they originate from the Delessert collection, as reported for this species in the original description.

C. xiphitella differs from Columbella rustica by its multispiral protoconch ( v. paucispiral in C. rustica ). Morphological (including colour pattern) variation in the teleoconch of the three eastern Atlantic species ( C. rustica , C. adansoni and C. xiphitella ) largely overlaps with no evident diagnostic characters. All shells of C. xiphitella examined (including the type series) have strong dentition on columellar and outer lips, and very dark marks between the denticles, features only occasionally present in the other two species. However, the three species are unequivocally separated by molecular data from COI and 16S. Eighteen autapomorphic positions were scored in the COI sequences: 34 [T], 55 [T], 78 [G], 100 [T], 115 [T], 117 [A], 130 [A], 133 [C/G], 178 [C], 309 [C], 346 [C], 385 [T], 430 [C], 463 [T], 472 [G], 565 [T], 598 [T], 619 [T].

Figures

FIG. 6. — Columbella spp. types: A, B, Columbella rustica (Linnaeus, 1758), syntype of Voluta rustica (LSL.348), Mediterranean (permission of The Linnean Society of London); C, D, Columbela adansoni Menke, 1853, lectotype SMF, Cape Verde (after Moolenbeek & Hoenselaar 1991, figs 1, 2); E-G, Columbella xiphitella Duclos, 1840, lectotype (F, G) and paralectotypes (E) from lot MNHN-IM-2000-9599, Gabon; H-L, Columbella xiphitella, lectotype (H, J, K) and paralectotypes (I, L) of C. nucleus Kiener, 1841 from lot MHNG-MOLL-95502. Symbols:, the selected lectotypes;, the paralectotype with close-up of the protoconch (L).