Bellaspira rosea, Fallon, Phillip J., 2016

Fallon, Phillip J., 2016, Taxonomic review of tropical western Atlantic shallow water Drilliidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea) including descriptions of 100 new species, Zootaxa 4090 (1), pp. 1-363 : 41-43

Bellaspira rosea , new species

( Plate 13 )

Bellaspira cf. grippi (Dall, 1908) : Rios (1985: 145, pl. 49, fig. 681); Williams (2005: species 1510, right photo only). Bellaspira sp. 1 of Leal, 1991: 183 may be this species.

Bellaspira grippi auct. non (Dall, 1908) is a misidentification by Rios (1994: 160, pl. 53, fig. 713). B. grippi is an eastern Pacific species.

Type material. Holotype 12.8 x 4.9 mm (MZSP 122053); 15 paratypes: 14 spec. from the type locality: 10.7 x 4.2 mm (ANSP 464973), 12.0 x 4.3 mm (ANSP 464980), 10.8 x 4.0 mm (BMSM 14983); 11.8 x 4.2 mm (BMSM 14982), 12.8 x 4.3 mm (MNRJ 34639), 11.9 x 4.1, 13.1 x 4.6 & 11.8 x 4.2 mm (UF 470271); 7.5 x 3.2, 10.6 x 4.0, 12.6 x 4.6, 13.0 x 4.8, 12.5 x 4.5 & 12.5 x 4.3 mm (P. Stahlschmidt coll.). 1 spec., 12.7 x 4.4 mm, in 50–60 m, off Conceição da Barra, Espirito Santo, Brazil, C. Lyra ! Dec 2010 (USNM 1291320).

Type locality. Off Guarapari, Espirito Santo State, south central Brazil, in 25– 30 m.

Other material examined. Two additional specimens were examined: 1 spec., 10.0 x 3.8 mm, at 100 m, off Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, taken by local fishermen (USNM 1291321); 1 spec., 9.0 x 3.3 mm, at 2–5 m, Corumbau, Bahia state, Brazil (USNM 1291322). These two specimens are light brown in color, not pink, and are believed to be a color form ( Plate 13 , Figs. 12–13).

Range and habitat. According to Rios (1985) for Bellaspira grippi : Bahia to Rio de Janeiro states, Brazil. According to Leal (1991b: 183) Vitória and Davis Seamounts of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, off Espirito Santo State, Brazil. Specimens examined for this work were from Bahia, Espirito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro States, which correspond to reports by these authors. Reported from 2–100 m, on rubble and on Lithothamnion deposits.

Description. Shell small (to 13.1 mm in length), narrowly fusiform, glossy, up to about 8 slightly convex whorls with impressed sutures and low ribs, the last whorl about 60% of total shell length. Protoconch of 1¾–2 smooth whorls, large for the shell and dome-shaped, the first partially immersed in the second. Axial sculpture of low, slightly oblique ribs, narrower than their interspaces, running from suture-to-suture but almost obsolete in sulcus; somewhat knob-like on the whorl’s periphery, and evanescent below periphery of last whorl. Ribs are almost entirely obsolete on some specimens. Varix represented by a swollen last rib, near the edge of the outer lip, not evanescent. Spiral sculpture of fine incised lines over the shell’s entire surface, fairly evenly spaced; ridge-like on the anterior fasciole. Incised lines limited to the shell base on some specimens. Sulcus demarcated by a depression of the axial ribs about ⅓-whorl height; ribs in sulcus quite low, sometimes obsolete. Outer lip solid, without axial folds; anterior end projects outward, beyond end of anterior canal in mature specimens; without a stromboid notch. Anal sinus is a wide but shallow indentation of the outer lip beginning at the suture, (shell viewed laterally), and shaped like an inverted “V”, with inner callus on both parietal wall and outer lip of mature specimens (when shell is viewed ventrally). Inner lip a faint wash, not margined on the parietal wall, very slightly margined at the anterior portion of the anterior canal; ending in a light callus at the posterior sinal area. Anterior canal short, open, turned slightly to the left when viewed ventrally, slightly notched at its tip. Color of most examined specimens a faint pink with a dark pink band just below mid-whorl that only shows between the ribs; protoconch and first teleoconch whorl cream-colored. Other specimens are all white, white with faint rose patches, all light golden brown or golden yellow with rose banding.

Remarks. Taxonomy. Bellaspira rosea has all the key characteristics of the genus: axial ribs that extend from suture-to-suture, (but sharply diminished in the sulcus—a trait not present in all members of the genus); the last rib slightly enlarged into a varix; anal sinus a wide but shallow indentation of the outer lip beginning at the suture, (shell viewed laterally), and surface microsculpture of incised lines over most of the teleoconch. The near disappearance of the ribs in the sulcus is almost Splendrillia -like, but the anal sinus is very typical of Bellaspira and believed to be a more important indicator of this species’ affinity. Variability. The 18 examined specimens have an average total length of 11.56 mm (7.5–13.1 mm) and average W/ L ratio of 0.366. Examined specimens vary principally in color, in the strength of axial ribs (almost obsolete in some), and in the extent of spiral incised lines (over the entire shell or confined to the shell base). Identification. Rios (1994) erroneously identified this as B. grippi (Dall, 1908) . That species differs in being broader, and is from the eastern Pacific. They are similar though, and may be cognate species. The brown form of B. rosea may be confused with Lissodrillia cabofrioensis , new species from the same general area. It is about the same size, golden brown, and glossy but can be distinguished by the flat sulcus and Splendrillia -like anal sinus.

Etymology. The Rose-colored Bellaspira , from the Latin adjective roseus, feminine rosea , meaning rosecolored. Named after the predominant color form of examined specimens.

Figures

PLATE 13. Bellaspira rosea, new species, Brazil. Upper panel. Figs. 1 – 3: holotype, off Guarapari, Espirito Santo (MZSP 122053). Fig. 1: ventral, lateral & dorsal views; Fig. 2: enlarged view of protoconch (not to scale); Fig. 3: apical view, V = varix, L = edge of outer lip. Lower panel. Figs. 4 – 11: paratypes, off Guarapari, Espirito Santo. Fig. 4: P. Stahlschmidt coll.; Fig. 5: MNRJ 34639; Fig. 6: UF 470271; Fig. 7: ANSP 464980; Fig. 8: BMSM 14982; Figs. 9 – 11: P. Stahlschmidt coll.; Fig. 12: Corumbau, Bahia (USNM 1291322); Fig. 13: off Cabo Frio, Rio de Janeiro (USNM 1291321); Figs. 14 – 15: paratypes, off Guarapari, Espirito Santo (P. Stahlschmidt coll.); Fig. 16: paratype, off Conceição da Barra, Espirito Santo (USNM 1291320); Fig. 17: paratype, off Guarapari, Espirito Santo (UF 470271).