Turridrupa imitiata Stahlschmidt, Puillandre, Olivera & Kantor sp. nov.

(Figs. 11 G–M)

Type material

HOLOTYPE: New Caledonia, BATHUS 1, Stn. DW692, 20°35'S, 164°59'E, 140–150 m, 14.8 mm (MNHN-IM- 2000-30399, Figs. 11 G–I).

Material examined

NEW CALEDONIA: LAGON: Stn. DW830, 20°49'S, 165°19'E, 105–110 m, 2 juv. spms. (MNHN-IM-2014-181, Fig. 11 L)—BATHUS 1: Stn. DW692, 20°35'S, 164°59'E, 140–150, 1 juv. spm. (MNHN-IM-2014-182).— WALLIS AND FUTUNA: MUSORSTOM 7: Stn. DW512, 14°13'S, 178°10'E, 210–245, 1 juv. spm (MNHN-IM-2014-178, Fig. 11 M).

Distribution

So far only known from the South and West Pacific (New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna).

Description

Shell medium-sized for genus, up to 14.8 mm in height; somewhat broadly fusiform to claviform, with spire about 1.5 times height of aperture including siphonal canal, with about 7 convex teleoconch whorls; suture shallow, indistinct; siphonal canal rather long, curved to right, terminally truncate, barely indented; anal sinus very deep at the termination of the second spiral cord, U-shaped, but constricted at the opening, outer lip slightly projecting on anterior side of anal sinus; parietal callus-pad well developed and thick; lip preceded by a high and broadly convex varix.

Sculpture of well-developed but rather weak spiral cords with sloping sides, 3 on spire whorls, increasing to 4 on penultimate whorl, spiral cords narrower than their intervals; with laterally elliptical and low gemmules, about 20 per spiral and whorl, slightly stronger developed on sinus cord; last whorl with about 8 strong spiral cords, intervals between cords with up to 6 very fine spiral threads, no axial sculpture.

Protoconch papillifprm, about 1.5 whorls, latest third of the latest whorl with arcuate opisthocline axial riblets.

Colour buff to whitish-cream to diffuse light brown, spiral cords maculated with brown spots, mainly situated in the interspaces of the gemmules.

Remarks

Turridrupa imitiata sp. nov. is almost indistinguishable from Turridrupa decorata sp. nov., but differs readily in the paucispiral protoconch (about 1.5 whorls in T. imitiata compared to almost 3 whorls in T. decorata). Apart from these differences, shells of T. imitiata differ only by minor characters such as the slightly weaker spiral cords as well as in the shallower anal sinus. However, only few specimens of both species are known (and only a single adult specimen of T. imitiata); therefore, additional material might demonstrate that these differences fall within the variations of both species.

Ethymology

The new species resembles Turridrupa decorata sp. nov. in general appearance (apart from the protoconch) resulting in possible confusion over their identities. The epithet is based on the Latin imitor (copy or mimic) in allusion to this similarity.