Taxonomic review of tropical western Atlantic shallow water Drilliidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea) including descriptions of 100 new species
Author
Fallon, Phillip J.
text
Zootaxa
2016
4090
1
1
363
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4090.1.1
e6b35f5a-435e-4473-b29e-1e4d842f84b0
1175-5326
263299
203BAC25-B542-48FE-B5AD-EBA8C0285833
Cerodrillia arubensis
,
new species
(
Plate 22
)
Splendrillia
sp. Jong & Coomans, 1988: 113; pl. 43, fig. 598.
Type
material.
Holotype
7.0 x
2.8 mm
, frère Verberne! roughly
1970–85
(ANSP 465010). Two
paratypes
: 1 spec., 7.8 x
3.1 mm
, from beach drift, Malmok beach,
Aruba
, A.N. de
Man
! 1966 (USNM 1291328); 1 spec., 7.2 x
2.8 mm
, from harbor dredgings, Oranjestad,
12°32'N
,
070°02'W
, F. Fredericus! (ANSP 349130). The
holotype
is the same specimen described as
Splendrillia
sp. in Jong & Coomans (1988: 113) and depicted on their plate 43, fig. 598 (per note on sample label).
Type
locality.
Aruba
,
Netherlands Antilles
.
Range and habitat.
Known only from
Aruba
. Its habitat is also unknown because specimens were taken from beach drift or harbor dredgings.
Description.
Shell
very small (to
7.8 mm
total length), fusiform, with up to approximately 7¼ glossy whorls, sutures appressed, the last whorl approximately 58% of the shell’s total length. Whorls convex below sulcus, sculpted by bold, rounded axial ribs.
Protoconch
conical, of approximately 1¾ glossy-smooth whorls, the first not immersed in the second.
Axial sculpture
of broad, round-crested opisthocline ribs that are reduced on whorl shoulder, obsolete in sulcus on last whorl, where they evanesce on shell base below whorl periphery. Ribs are spaced about the same as their width, 7 on the penultimate, 5 on the last whorl to the varix. Growth striae are very fine.
Spiral sculpture
consists of fine ridges on shell base and anterior fasciole. Shell surface microsculpture, as viewed under a dissecting microscope, consists of groups of 1 or more very fine threads separated by a single somewhat wider but still microscopic space. SEM images of the shell surface show that the pattern of narrow threads and wide spaces is created by groups of closely spaced rows of punctae (in the image about 5–6 rows) separated by wider spaces where punctae are sparse and placed randomly (
Plate 22
, Fig. 7).
Sulcus
narrow, concave, with low and slightly arcuate ribs.
Varix
larger than preceding rib, cup handle-like, within ¼-turn of edge of outer lip.
Outer lip
edge thin and produced in a low arc from the anal sinus to a weak stromboid notch anteriorly. A strengthening fold is located near the edge of the outer lip of the
holotype
(outer lip missing on
paratypes
).
Anal sinus
located on the shoulder, deep, U-shaped with a slightly flared inner edge; offset from the wall by a parietal callus; sides parallel.
Inner lip
thin, recumbent, “pinched” erect anteriorly, thin and unemarginate in parietal area; parietal callus at posterior end weak, forming one side of anal sinus.
Anterior canal
short but well defined, curved to the right when viewed ventrally, unnotched; anterior fasciole not swollen, with about 6–9 fine spiral threads.
Color
white to off-white, protoconch darker on
holotype
, the best specimen.
Remarks.
The
holotype
was originally identified as
Splendrillia
sp. by Jong & Coomans (fig. 598) but later recognized as an undescribed
Cerodrillia
by Faber (unpublished MS). Since the
Drilliidae
portion of Faber’s manuscript was not published, the specimen was donated to the ANSP for use in this project (Faber, pers. comm..
22 Apr 2011
). Two other specimens were subsequently found during the course of this work and are included as
paratypes
.
Taxonomy.
Cerodrillia arubensis
has the characteristics of the genus: a glossy shell with spiral sculpture confined to the anterior portion of the shell base and anterior fasciole, a sulcus with reduced ribs, obsolete on last whorl, a varix within ¼-turn from the edge of the outer lip, and a short but well defined anterior canal. The coarse microsculpture is somewhat unusual compared to other members of the genus, but differs from examined specimens of
Decoradrillia
,
Fenimorea
, and
Splendrillia
(compare with SEMs in
Plates 49
, 62 & 130–131, respectively). Where present, most of its congeners have fainter spiral lines. Like most members of the genus, its shell is nearly monochromatic.
Variability
. The average total length of three specimens is
7.33 mm
(7.0–
7.8 mm
), and average W/L is 0.395. Little variability in form and color is exhibited by this small sample size.
Identification.
Splendrillia stellae
,
new species
, is very similar and also found in
Aruba
but differs in having a smooth, narrower shell without spiral microsculpture except for spiral ridges on anterior fasciole, a varix hump-like about ⅓-turn from edge of outer lip, and a shorter anterior canal.
Etymology.
The
Aruba
Cerodrillia
. Named for the
type
locality.