Fenimorea kathyae Tippett, 1995

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 : 179

Fenimorea kathyae Tippett, 1995

( Plate 84 )

Splendrillia sp.: Petuch (1987: pl. 38, figs. 5, 6) is this species according to Tippett (1995). Splendrillia kathyae (Tippett, 1995) : Turgeon et al. (1998: 102)

Fenimorea kathyae Tippett, 1995: 132 , figs. 14, 32. K. & L. Sunderland (1999c: 16, text fig. [ Barbados]); Williams (2005; 2009: species 1565); Daccarett & Bossio (2011: 133, fig. 830).

Types. Holotype 36.2 x 14.1 mm (USNM 880072).

Type locality. W coast of Barbados in 500 ft (152 m).

Other material examined. An additional 7 specimens were examined: 1 spec., 30.6 x 11.7 mm, in 46–61 m, off Bridgetown, Barbados, D. Hunt! 1986 (EFG 9248); 1 spec. 34.1 x 13 mm, in 46–61 m, off W coast of Barbados (author’s coll.); 1 spec., 29.2 x 11.4 mm, in 125 m, off Holetown, St. James Par., Barbados, F. Sander! Jan 1979 (ANSP 353505); 1 spec., 28.0 x 10.5 mm, in 99 m, Ewing Bank, Louisiana, 28°6.21'N, 091°2.23'W, E. García! aboard R/V Pelican, 3 Jul 2003 (EFG 24379); 1 spec., 31.0 x 11.9 mm, in 91 m off Egmont Key, Hillsborough Co., W Florida (USNM 900228); 1 spec., 32.5 x 12.1 mm, “in deep water”, NW Gulf of Mexico, K. Sunderland! (EFG 27076); 1 spec., 27.0 x 10.7 mm, in 100–150 m, Straits of Florida, by research vessel, May 1957 (USNM 900229).

Range and habitat. Louisiana (Ewing Bank); NW Gulf of Mexico; W Florida (off Hillsborough Co.; off Collier Co.); Straits of Florida; off Barbados. If the report of this species by Daccarett & Bossio (2011), is correct, then its range would include San Andreas I., Colombia, in the western Caribbean. Reported from 46–152 m depths.

Description. Shell medium (to approximately 36.2 mm), broadly fusiform, whorls strongly convex and well shouldered, number about 11½ total, the last approximately 55% of total shell length. Shell surface glossy, sculptured by straight broad ribs; aperture narrow, anterior canal short, narrow. Protoconch of 2 smooth round whorls. Axial sculpture of straight round-crested ribs that extend from suture-to-suture but abruptly diminish at sulcus, extending to suture as low, narrow, recurved ridges; ribs evanesce on shell base; number 8–10 on penultimate, 6–8 to varix on last whorl. Ribs a little wider than their interspaces are broadest at about mid-whorl. Varix large, well-defined, hump-like, more than twice the width and height of preceding ribs, about ⅓-turn from edge of outer lip. Spiral sculpture of fine threads intersected with closely-spaced microscopic axial growth lines; microscopic “pits” visible between striae. Sulcus relatively narrow, about ¼ whorl height; spiral threads more closely packed than on whorl proper. Outer lip thin, flattened from varix outward, may be reinforced by 4 or more axial folds, the largest under the anal sinus; edge smooth, not scalloped, produced into a low arc from anal sinus to stromboid notch, which is wide and shallow. Anal sinus on shoulder near suture; deeply notched, U-shaped, entrance partially to almost completely constricted and offset spout-like from shell axis by parietal lobe and upward extension of outer lip. Inner edge of sinus flared upward. Inner lip thickened and erect along anterior canal, thin on parietal wall, and formed into a parietal lobe posteriorly at and slightly beyond suture. Anterior canal short, well defined; deep, open, tip bent dorsally, well notched. Color white with a dark orange-red central band, narrow over rib crests but filling the intercostal space, and 2 fainter, narrower yellow bands, one on whorl shoulders and 1 below the central band, visible only on the last whorl. Varix with orange-red blotch on leading (ventral) side.

Remarks. Taxonomy. Fenimorea kathyae has all the diagnostic characteristics of Fenimorea : ribs suture-tosuture but greatly reduced in the sulcus, microsculpture of very fine spiral threads and growth striae that show intervening pits and a large hump-like varix about ⅓-turn from the edge of the outer lip. Variability. The average total length of eight specimens is 31.08 mm (27.0– 36.2 mm), and their average W/L is 0.384. Little variability in shape or color pattern is seen in the small sample size of examined specimens. Identification. Fenimorea kathyae may be mistaken for F. sunderlandi (Petuch, 1987) or F. janetae Bartsch, 1939 . It differs from F. sunderlandi in possessing less convex whorls, broader, straighter ribs that have round, not ridged crests, and a more tapered last whorl. Also, the central color band is darker, more reddish, a narrow portion usually extending over the ribs in a continuous band, not confined to intercostal spaces as is usual in F. sunderlandi , and it is less distinct. From F. janetae it differs in having less angular shoulders, a shorter spire, and less ribs (8–10 versus 12 on penultimate whorl) that have round, not ridged, crests. While the central color band of F. j a ne t a e also extends vertically in the intercostal spaces, it is generally broader on rib crests and less reddish overall.

Figures

PLATE 84. Fenimorea kathyae Tippett, 1995. Upper panel. Figs. 1 – 3: holotype, off W coast of Barbados (USNM 880072). 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 – 9: specimens from various localities. Fig. 4: off W coast of Barbados (author’s coll.); Fig. 5: off Bridgetown, Barbados (EFG 9248); Fig. 6: NW Gulf of Mexico (EFG 27076); Fig. 7: Ewing Bank, Louisiana (EFG 24379); Fig. 8: off Holetown, Barbados (ANSP 353505); and Fig. 9: off Egmont Key, Hillsborough Co., W Florida (USNM 900228).