Seven new genera and thirty-four new species of buccinoid gastropods (Neogastropoda: Buccinidae) from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Author
Mclean, James H.
Author
Clark, Roger N.
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-09-26
5351
2
151
201
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5351.2.1
journal article
270509
10.11646/zootaxa.5351.2.1
b3b05d51-3aeb-49c7-bbc1-0365bc92c886
1175-5326
8391375
F34F6B3C-F251-4D8E-B002-A96BD70CA1BE
Volutopsius nanus
n. sp.
Figures 19 A–C
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:
B6C52DEE-CFE6-4858-9013-AE5100D4E120
Type
locality:
SW of
Buldir Island
,
Aleutian Is.
,
Alaska
(
52°18.5 N
,
175°49.0 E
),
325 m
(
NMFS 23-199701
-
243
)
.
Type:
Holotype
,
LACM 3588
,
35.6 mm
(
leg.
RNC
9 Aug. 1997
)
;
Paratypes
:
Pt
1–3,
LACM 3669
,
20.8–29.5 mm
. SW of Agattu Island, Near Ids. (
52°13.5 N
,
173°27.8 E
),
169 m
(
NMFS 23-199701
-
229
);
Pt
4,
SBMNH 169015
,
33.4 mm
.
SE of Buldir Island
(
51°24.6 N
,
175°20.0 E
),
187 m
(
NMFS 94-200201
-
158
);
Pt
6,
USNM 1606664
,
35.1 mm
.
SE of Buldir Island
(
51°24.6 N
,
175°20.0 E
),
187 m
(
NMFS 94-200201
-
158
);
Pt
7,
RNC 4711
, 40.0 mm. (Type locality).
Referred material:
RNC 4888
,
1 sp.
,
36.8 mm
. SW of
Agattu Island
,
Near Ids.
(
52°13.5 N
,
173°27.8 E
),
169 m
(
NMFS 23-199701
-
229
)
;
RNC 4901
,
15.34 mm
. ESE of
Buldir Island
(
52°20.61 N
,
176°22.79 E
),
227 m
(23- 2000-01-173)
.
Description:
Small for genus, height to 40.0 mm; suture moderately impressed, whorls rounded. Protoconch, one whorl,
3.7–4.1 mm
in diameter, with four spiral cords; teleconch with three whorls; spiral sculpture of very fine lirae, with slightly wider interspaces, about 30 on penultimate whorl, and continuing on below the suture. Aperture a little more than half of shell height, outer lip flared; canal short, broad. Operculum small, less than half of aperture height.
Radula: Typical for subfamily, rachidian tooth with four subequal cusps; lateral teeth with two large, heavy cusps, outer cusp strongly curved, inner cusp straight.
Remarks:
This is the smallest known species of
Volutopsius
, and probably cannot be confused with any congeners.
Volutopsius middendorffi
(Dall, 1891)
is similar but much larger, reaching over
11 cm
, and has a pinkish protoconch.
Etymology:
Named for its small size, from the Latin nanus, dwarf.
Volutopsius nanus
is considerably smaller than all other known Volutopsinae.
Distribution:
This small species is restricted to the western-most Aleutians, from the vicinity of Buldir Id. (
176°22 E
) to Attu Id. (
173° E
), at depths of
169–
325 m
.
Habitat:
Lives on black sand and gravel, at temperatures of 3.6°–4.1° C.