Eulimella cf. calva Schander, 1994

Pimenta, Alexandre Dias, Santos, Franklin Noel Dos & Absalão, Ricardo Silva, 2011, Taxonomic revision of the genus Eulimella (Gastropoda, Pyramidellidae) from Brazil, with description of three new species, Zootaxa 3063 (1), pp. 22-38 : 31-32

Eulimella cf. calva Schander, 1994

Figures 33–39

Material examined. Maranhão state: MNHN , Praia da Raposa, P. Maestrati coll., 1984–89 [1]; MNHN , Praia Vermelha [1]; MNRJ 15307 , off São Luiz [3]; -- Rio Grande do Norte State: DOUFPE 5016 , sta 2 (05º02.102'S, 36º22.473'W, 7.7 m), 06/iiiv/2002 [1]; DOUFPE 5017 , sta 7 (05º03.207'S, 36º22.395'W, 6.7 m), 05/iiiv/2002 [1]; DOUFPE 5019 , sta 18 (05º01.140'S, 36º23.692'W, 9.2 m), 05/iiiv/2002 [1]; DOUFPE 5020 , sta 22 (05º02.542'S, 36º23.335'W, 8.8 m), 04/iiiv/2002 [1]; -- Pernambuco state: MNRJ 15397 , off Fernando de Noronha [4] .

Material of Eulimella calva: MNRJ 16296, Miamia, Ghana, 40 m [3].

Characterization. Shell small, pupoid to subcylindrical, with blunt apex, reaching 3.25 mm in length; white, with diffuse yellow spiral band on lower part of teleoconch whorls, above suture. Teleoconch with up to five whorls strictly rectilinear in profile. Suture shallow, rectilinear. Protoconch heterostrophic planispiral, type B with “spiral” shaped suture and ~2.25 whorls; diameter 385µm to 449µm (mean =417µm, n=10). Axial sculpture absent, except for growth lines, more evident as short, microscopic axial threads organized in a spiral belt below suture, not visible neither in all whorls and shells. Spiral sculpture absent, except for very tiny lines on base. Base elongated. Aperture ovoid, pointed posteriorly, inner lip slightly projected into parietal region; columella arcuate, with very tiny columellar fold. Outer lip thin. Not umbilicate.

Dimensions. Maximum shell length / width: 3.25 mm / 1.13 mm (five teleoconch whorls); maximum protoconch width: 449 µm.

Geographic distribution. Eulimella cf. calva is restricted to lower depths (up to 9.2 m) in continental slope of northeastern of Brazil.

Remarks. Eulimella calva Schander, 1994 is a West African species characterized by the short, pupoid shell, with a blunt apex. Eulimella tydemani Aartsen, Gittenberger & Goud, 1998 , from Cape Verde, is similar. The shells from Brazil determined herein as E. cf. calva strongly resemble both species in their short pupoid-shaped shell with a blunt apex.

The shells studied herein bear a diffuse yellow spiral band on each teleoconch whorl, which is very similar, although not as strongly marked, to that of Eulimella calva , as illustrated by Ardovini & Cossignani (2004).

Pimenta et al. (2009) advocated that in the absence of supporting data to justify the existence of amphi-Atlantism in species of Pyramidellidae , the cases of shells with identical morphology occurring in the eastern and western Atlantic localities should be viewed with caution, avoiding the introduction of new names or proposal of synonymies without proper foundation. For this reason, we refrain from describing this material as a new species, but do not determine it categorically as Eulimella calva ; rather we refer to it provisionally as Eulimella cf. calva ( Figs. 33–39 ).

Figures

FIGURE 33–39. Eulimella cf. calva. 33, 37: whole shells (lengths: 33. 3.32 mm; 37. 3.0 mm); 34: last whorl; 35–36: protoconchs; 38–39: detail of sculpture. Scale bars: 33, 37. 1.0 mm; 34-36, 38-39. 200 µm. 33–35. DOUFPE 5018; 37–39. DOUFPE 5017.