Kermia eugenei, Kilburn, 2009

Kilburn, Richard Neil, 2009, Genus Kermia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea: Conidae: Raphitominae) in South African waters, with observations on the identities of related extralimital species, African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 217-217 : 226-228

Kermia eugenei sp. n.

Figs 22, 23

Etymology: Named in honour of my son, Eugene, for his help and encouragement.

Description: Shell globose-fusiform with a tapering base; b/l 0.43–0.47, a/l 0.47–0.56; whorls strongly convex with a slight indentation below suture, and a fairly deep suture, crenulated by rib terminations, base of last whorl only slightly constricted at top of rostrum; rostrum narrow, flat-sided, without a fasciole; aperture narrowly elliptical, more or less linear, constricted at siphonal canal, which is more or less parallel-sided, its termination oblique, shallowly indented in dorsal view; columella straight. Outer lip flattened in side view, slightly serrated at ridge terminations, edge incurved; anal sinus moderately deep, linguiform, abapically directed, its opening constricted, its margin not raised; interior of lip with 7 ridges or small teeth, the strongest one at entrance to siphonal canal; inner lip smooth, with a flattened callus, parietal pad weak.

Sculpture nodose-cancellate, of axial ribs crossed by narrower spiral ridges, forming compressed nodules, interstices rather deep and quadrate, a slightly deeper interval demarcating rostrum. Axial ribs somewhat arcuate, slightly opisthocyrt on last whorl, reaching and crenulating suture, evanescing on upper part of rostrum, fasciole with strong nodules; ribs in t/s strongly rounded and slightly compressed on spire whorls, lower with sloping sides on last whorl, ribs slightly wider than their intervals, one behind lip high and varicoid, 12 or 13 axials per whorl. Spiral ridges more or less evenly sized, first teleoconch whorl with 2, increasing to 3, spiral ridges, 2 nd whorl with 4; penultimate whorl with 5–7 ridges, subsutural one or two usually weaker than others; base of last whorl with an additional 2 ridges, rostrum bearing 7 or 8 close, angular spiral ridges, upper 2 or 3 somewhat crenulate, progressively weakening towards base. Prelabral varix crossed by 8–10 ridges. Interstices with extremely fine and close collabral striae (coarsest behind lip).

Protoconch conical, of ca 3.3 convex whorls, 1 st one tilted, last one very finely diagonally cancellate, penultimate one punctate; breadth of last whorl 0.37 mm.

Uniform pale to medium brown, early spire whorls sometimes faintly tinted with orange, protoconch pale brown; columella and inner edge of outer lip orange-brown.

Dimensions: 3.5× 1.4 mm (holotype); 4.2× 1.8 mm (largest paratype).

Comparisons and remarks: K. eugenei appears closely comparable only with K. cavernosa (Reeve, 1845) from the Philippines. The freshest of five syntypes of Pleurotoma cavernosa (BMNH 1963801), which retains its protoconch, is here illustrated ( Figs 25, 26 ). Compared with K. eugenei , K. cavernosa has flatter whorls, only two spiral ridges on the early teleoconch whorls, a distinct waist-like basal furrow demarcating four or five nodular cords on the rostrum, and lacks an orange inner margin to the aperture. K. aniani Kay, 1979 , of Hawaii, is markedly more cylindrical in shape, with a narrower aperture, stronger labral denticles and more numerous spiral ridges ( Fig. 24 ).

Holotype: NMSA V23411 /T2331. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 1–4 km S of Kosi Bay (26°54'S: 32°52'E), - 20–22 m, reef, D. Herbert & K. Bloem.

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: between Bhanga Neck and Kosi Bay, reef near pinnacles, - 10–12 m, hand-dredged sand (D. Herbert; NMSA S2371 / T2334 ); Leadsman Shoal , coral reef, - 7–11 m, 1 specimen (D. Herbert & Natal Parks Board; NMSA E6778 / T2332 ); off Durban Bluff , - 20–22 m, sand (reclamation dump), 5 specimens (R. Kilburn & R. Fregona; NMSA B5467 / T2333 ) .

Distribution: From northern KZN to Durban, in ca - 10– 22 m.

Figures

Figs 22–26. Kermia eugenei sp. n. and similar species: (22, 23) K. eugenei, holotype NMSA V23411/ T2331, apertural and side views, 3.5×1.4 mm; (24) K. aniani Kay, 1979, paratype USNM 806725, Nanakuli beach, Oahu, Hawaii, apertural view, 3.1×1.2 mm; (25, 26) K.cavernosa (Reeve, 1845), syntype of Pleurotoma cavernosa, BMNH 1963801, Philippine Is, apertural and side views, 5.9×2.5 mm.