Gastropods from the Burdwood Bank (southwestern Atlantic): an overview of species diversity Author Luca, Javier Di Author Zelaya, Diego G. text Zootaxa 2019 2019-01-10 4544 1 41 78 journal article 27685 10.11646/zootaxa.4544.1.2 2f89f82f-be57-45b4-ad3c-ed72a7647551 1175-5326 2618137 211842AA-6C98-425B-9377-1AF0DC78C893 Proneptunea (?) minuta Castellanos, 1992 Fig. 4A Proneptunea minuta Castellanos, 1992 : 17 , pl. 1, fig. 1; Signorelli et al ., 2015 : 62 Examined material. 2 an. and 4 sh. (MACN-In 40694). Description. Shell height to 4.3 mm (up to 4.7 mm according to Castellanos 1992 ); fusiform, delicate. Protoconch large, of 2 markedly convex whorls; sculptured with 3 low, wide spiral cords towards teleoconch. Teleoconch of up to 3.25 whorls, slightly convex in outline, with almost straight to slightly concave shoulders; last whorl comprising about 70% of total shell height. Suture impressed. Surface white; sculptured with 15 to 23 strong but narrow axial ribs per whorl, and spiral cords, wider than the axial ribs, 3 on the spire whorls, and 12 on the last whorl. Axial sculpture vanishing towards the base and shoulder, where numerous well marked growth lines are evident; 2 or 3 additional lower cords are present at the last whorls of large specimens. Aperture ovate, interior white; outer lip with markedly developed posterior (“anal”) canal; columellar callus narrow, slightly expanded on the base; siphonal canal short, almost straight, wide. Operculum absent. Remarks. Thiele (1912) described Proneptunea based on radular characters. Powell (1951) attributed to this genus species with relatively large protoconch of straight sides, and having the operculum with terminal nucleus. The material studied here agrees with the original description of Proneptunea minuta . However, contrary to other species assigned to this genus, the protoconch shows convex whorls and the operculum is absent.