Comispira subsuturalis (von Martens, 1901) comb. nov.

Fig. 36E–F

Pleurotoma (Brachytoma) subsuturalis von Martens, 1901: 16 .

Brachytoma subsuturalis – von Martens 1904: 85, pl. 1 fig. 7.

Comitas subsuturalis – Powell 1969: 285 (23-297), pl. 226 figs 3–4. — Sysoev 1996: 7, figs 31–40. — Hasegawa 2005: 169, fig. 11e-f.

Type material

Syntypes

INDIAN OCEAN • 2 specs; East Africa; 1°49′ N, 45°29′ E; depth 1134 m; ZMB Mol 60088 .

Remarks

Powell (1966: fig. 52) illustrated the radula of a specimen from the John Murray expedition, which features a large central formation typical of Cochlespiridae, but absent in Comitas and Leucosyrinx . The shell of this species has a row of subsutural nodules, a feature not found in any species of Leucosyrinx or Comitas, but present in all species of Sibogasyrinx and Comispira . The shell shape and sculpture closely resemble those of Comispira, leading us to transfer the species to that genus.

Distribution

This species is very broadly distributed, ranging from East Africa through the Indian Ocean to Japan, at depths of 494–1789 meters. This exceptionally wide distribution and high variability (Sysoev 1996) may indicate that we are dealing with a complex of species.