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
Leptadrillia luciae
,
new species
(
Plate 112
)
Type
material.
Holotype
11.0 x
3.7 mm
(USNM 1199828); 4
paratypes
from the
type
locality: 10.1 x 3.3, 10.0 x 3.1, 8.8 x 3.0 & 7.8 x
2.6 mm
(USNM 1199872). All from inside beer bottles retrieved by M. Harasewych! aboard submersible
Curasub
,
23 May 2012
.
Type
locality.
Off Sea Aquarium, Bapor Kibra, Willemstad,
Curaçao
,
Netherlands Antilles
,
12°04.87'N
,
68°53.75'W
, in glass bottles collected at
130–
168 m
.
Range and habitat.
Known only from the
type
locality. Empty shells collected from in bottles at
130–168 m
depths.
PLATE 112.
Leptadrillia luciae
,
new species
. Figs. 1–3: holotype, off Sea Aquarium, Curaçao (USNM 119982). Fig. 1: ventral, lateral & dorsal views; Fig. 2: enlarged view of protoconch (not to scale); Fig. 3: apical view, V= varix. Fig. 4: paratype, from the type locality (USNM 1199872).
Description.
Shell
small (to 11.0 mm in total length), glossy, semi-translucent, narrowly fusiform with a long anterior canal and surface sculpture of axial ribs; whorls slightly convex, their peripheries are anterior to whorl midpoints appearing to “sag” near the suture of succeeding whorl; whorls total up to 9, the last about 59% of total length.
Protoconch
of 2 smooth, translucent whorls; tip of first partially immersed.
Axial sculpture
of narrow ribs that run from suture-to-suture on spire whorls, to anterior fasciole on last, number 9 on penultimate and 8 to varix on last whorl; ribs recurved on shoulder, sigmoidal on last whorl; interspaces about as wide as their width; rib crests round.
Vari x
rather large, protruding, broader and higher than preceding ribs; straight, not sigmoidal.
Spiral sculpture
absent except for approximately 12 faint threads on and adjacent to anterior fasciole.
Sulcus
obscure; ribs and growth striae on shoulder recurved, reflecting outline of the anal sinus.
Outer lip
missing on all specimens in hand, which were collected as empty shells.
Anal sinus
also missing, but which may not have been fully developed on these specimens, which appear juvenile as there is no sign of the development of a callus on the parietal wall.
Inner lip
narrow, thin, unemarginate.
Anterior canal
long, open; fasciole not swollen.
Color
base tan with a subsutural light golden brown band; varix also light golden brown.
Remarks.
Taxonomy.
Leptadrillia luciae
has all of the characteristics of the genus: a spindly shell with a long anterior canal, ribs that extend from suture-to-suture, no sulcus, and no spiral sculpture except for threads near and on the anterior fasciole. This species may be unique for the large size of its large varix.
Variability.
The average total length of five specimens is
9.54 mm
(7.8–11.0 mm); their average W/
L ratio
is 0.329. The faded condition of available specimens precludes assessment of the variability in color pattern.
Identification.
Leptadrillia luciae
is very close in color pattern and size to
L. incarnata
,
new species
but differs in possessing less convex ribs with whorl peripheries closer to the sutures, a broader yellow-brown shoulder band, and a larger varix. Color has mostly faded in the dead-collected
paratypes
, but a trace of the band is still visible. The color pattern differentiates this species from all other
Leptadrillia
. From
L. splendida
Bartsch, 1934
it also differs in possessing less convex whorls and straighter ribs. From
L. flavomaculata
,
new species
it differs in having broader ribs and shell (W/
L ratio
is 0.329 versus 0.313).
Etymology.
Lucy’s
Leptadrillia
; named after my granddaughter, Lucy Lillian Fallon, who arrived just days before completing this species’ description.