Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851

Egger, Christina, Neusser, Timea P., Norenburg, Jon, Leasi, Francesca, Buge, Barbara, Vannozzi, Angelo, Cunha, Regina L., Cox, Cymon J. & Joerger, Katharina M., 2020, Uncovering the shell game with barcodes: diversity of meiofaunal Caecidae snails (Truncatelloidea, Caenogastropoda) from Central America, ZooKeys 968, pp. 1-42 : 1

Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851

Caecum pulchellum Stimpson, 1851 in Stimpson (1851b): 36, pl. 2, fig. 3. Type locality: New England, Buzzard’s Bay [New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts].

Caecum capitanum de Folin, 1874: 227, 228, pl. 9, fig. 8; Caecum conjunctum de Folin, 1867: 46, pl. 4, figs 5, 6, Caecum curtatum de Folin, 1867: 20, pl. 2, figs 4, 5

Material examined.

Saint Lucia • 1 (Fig. 7A, C, E, F ); Soufriere Bay; 13.8494, -61.0675; depth 8-9 m; 19 Feb 2009; ZSM stuff leg.; DNA voucher; DNA bank: r462p19f2t91; GenBank: MT727074, MT704300, MT731729; ZSM-Mol-20090485. • 1, juv. (Fig. 7B, D ); same collection data as for preceding; DNA voucher; DNA bank: r462p20f2t91; ZSM-Mol-20200118.

Shell description.

Color opaque whitish, slightly translucent, shell thick (Fig. 7A ). Adult specimen 2.1 mm long, 0.5 mm wide. Tube slightly tapering, constricted at aperture, with thickened lip (Figs 7C ). Septum slightly lower than posterior end of tube, rising, small and peaked mucro (Fig. 7E ). Shell bears 27 squares transverse ribs of even width and equal interspaces, except two or three ribs which meld close to the aperture. Topmost ring sloped towards septum and smaller than others. Fine inconspicuous longitudinal microstriae cover ribs (Fig. 7F ). Interspaces covered with organic material, therefore no microsculptural pattern visible.

Remarks.

Our investigated specimens agree well with recent descriptions and geographical records of C. pulchellum (e.g., Bandel (1996): 112, 113, pl. 6, figs 1-4, 6, pl. 7, figs 1, 2 from Columbia and Curaçao; Lightfoot (1992a): 143, fig. 2). The type specimen, however, is originally described from Buzzard’s Bay in Massachusetts, USA. A molecular comparison of specimen from the Caribbean and northeast America is needed to confirm the distribution range based on morphology.

Figures

Figure 7. A-F Caecum pulchellum A, C, E, F specimen ZSM-Mol- 20090485 B, D juvenile specimen ZSM-Mol- 20200118 A, B light microscopic pictures C, D SEM scans E close-up of mucro and F microsculpture H-K C. donmoorei, specimen USNM 1618844 H-K C. regulare, specimen ZSM-Mol- 20100321, juvenile H light microscopic picture I SEM scans J close-up of mucro and K microsculpture L-T C. cf. teres and C. cf. strangulatum L specimen ZSM-Mol- 20200033, juvenile specimen with larval shell still attached M, N, Q, S specimen ZSM-Mol- 20200032, juvenile M light microscopic picture N SEM scan Q close-up of mucro and S microsculpture O, P, R, T C. cf. strangulatum, specimen ZSM-Mol- 20200038, juvenile O light microscopic picture P SEM scan R close-up of mucro and T microsculpture U-X C. cf. semilaeve, specimen ZSM-Mol- 20200034 U Light microscopic picture V SEM scan W close-up of mucro and X microsculpture. Scale bars: 10 µm (F, S, T, W, X); 20 µm (J, K, Q, R); 50 µm (E); 100 µm (H, I, L-P, U, V); 200 µm (A-D).