Neptunea quhmax, Mclean & Clark, 2023

Mclean, James H. & Clark, Roger N., 2023, Seven new genera and thirty-four new species of buccinoid gastropods (Neogastropoda: Buccinidae) from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, Zootaxa 5351 (2), pp. 151-201 : 180-181

Neptunea quhmax n. sp.

Figures 16 D–F

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Type locality: Stalemate Bank, W of Attu Island, Near Ids. , Aleutian Is. , Alaska (52°54.5 N, 170°49.26 E), 219 m ( NMFS 23-199701 - 211 ) .

Type material: Holotype: LACM 3584, 109.5 mm.(leg. RNC, 3Aug. 1997, trawled R/V Dominator ) ; Paratypes: Pt 1, SBMNH 169009 , 97.4 mm. Stalemate Bank , W of Attu Island, Near Ids. (52°54.52 N, 170°47.75 E), 222 m ( NMFS 143-201001 - 199 ); Pt 2, RNC 4599, 114.8 mm. Stalemate Bank , W of Attu Island, Near Ids. (52°56.06 N, 170°° 58.73 E), 185 m ( NMFS 147-200401 - 221 ) .

Description: Shell fusiform, of medium size (to 114.8 mm, RNS 4599); whorls rounded, concave above the shoulder angulation, suture strongly impressed; solid white, periostracum very thin or absent. Apex missing, about four teleconch whorls, axial sculpture lacking. Spiral sculpture of four strongly projecting cords above suture, with 3–4 lesser cords on shoulder ramp; one secondary cord between main cords, and 2–4 finer tertiary cords; base with 10–12 primary cords, with one or two secondary cords between. Aperture short, about 1/3 of shell height, broadly oval; canal relatively short, narrow.

Radula: Rather unique for genus, rachidian tooth chevron shaped, bearing three slender cusps at center of tooth, central cusp longest, lateral cusps much shorter (in the holotype one of the lateral cusps is deformed and mostly absent). Lateral teeth tri-cuspid, outer cusp much larger than others, strongly curved; inner cusp slightly shorter and about half as broad as inner cusp.

Remarks: Differs from N. aleutica in 1) heavier shell, 2) taller, slenderer, profile with shorter aperture, more strongly impressed suture and 3) more strongly projecting spiral cords. This species also resembles Neptunea alabaster Alexeyev & Fraussen, 2005 (figs. 16 G–H), in its strongly projecting cords, but has a narrower profile and a shorter aperture.

Etymology: The name is derived from the western Unangan “Aleut” word for white, quhmax, pronounced: Kue-hm-ach.

Distribution: Appears to be restricted to the Stalemate Bank, West of Attu Island, Near Ids. (170°30 E to 171°00 E), at depths of 185– 222 m.

Habitat: Lives on sand/gravel and cobble bottoms at a bottom temperature of 3.9°C.

Figures

FIGURE 16. A–D. Neptunea petrelensis n. sp.; A. Holotype LACM 3583, Petrel Bank, 143 m, 74.5 mm; B. Paratype, RNC 4984, Petrel Bank, 101 m, 102.8 mm; C. Radula, paratype, RNC 4984, bar = 200 µm; D–F. Neptunea quhmax n. sp.; D. Holotype, LACM 3584, Stalemate Bank, 219 m, 109.5 mm; E. Paratype, SBMNH 169009, Stalemate Bank, 222 m, 97.4 mm; F. Radula, Paratype, RNC 4599, Stalemate Bank, bar = 200 µm; G, H. Neptunea alabaster Alexeyev & Fraussen, 2005; G. Paratype, RNC 4069, Bering Sea, W of Cape Olyutor, Russia, 290 m, 113.8 mm; H. Radula, RNC 4464, Bering Sea, Pervenets Canyon, 913 m, bar = 200 µm; I–K. Neptunea vesteraalen n. sp.; I. Holotype, LACM 3585, W of Akutan Island, 411 m, 160 mm; J. Paratype 3, USNM 1606669, S of Herbert Island, 238 m, 127 mm; K. Radula, paratype, RNC 4510, bar = 200 µm.