Vetulonia parajeffreysi Absalão & Pimenta, 2005

Fig. 14F–I

Vetulonia parajeffreysi Absalão & Pimenta, 2005: 194, figs 3–8.

Type loc.: Campos Basin, off Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 1290 m.

Material examined

WALTERS SHOAL • 1 empty shell; south plain, stn CP4913; 33°52′ S, 44°05′ E; depth 1539–1615 m; 11 May 2017; MNHN .

Remarks

A single damaged specimen referable to Vetulonia was collected, height 1.85 mm, diameter 2.5 mm (H/D =0.74). Despite its poor quality, I record the occurrence of this material on Walters Shoal as it represents the first record of the genus from the Indian Ocean. The specimen closely resembles V. parajeffreysi from similar depths in the south-western Atlantic. The shell is more depressed than the holotype of that species, but is closer to the less elevated specimen illustrated (Absalão & Pimenta 2005: fig. 8). Since the specimen from Walters Shoal is damaged, it is difficult to be certain of its identity, but I can find no features that might serve to clearly differentiate it from V. parajeffreysi . The protoconch (diameter 270 μm) is slightly tilted, but not conspicuously raised above the first teleoconch whorl. Its apical region is rounded, but not bulbous, the surface coarsely granular and the terminal lip convex, with a slight step down to the first teleoconch whorl (Fig. 14I). The latter possesses a distinct vermiform microsculpture between the axial ribs.