Pagodibela maia, Criscione, 2020

Criscione, Francesco, Hallan, Anders, Puillandre, Nicolas & Fedosov, Alexander, 2021, Where the snails have no name: a molecular phylogeny of Raphitomidae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea) uncovers vast unexplored diversity in the deep seas of temperate southern and eastern Australia, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 191, pp. 961-1000 : 982-983

PAGODIBELA MAIA CRISCIONE SP. NOV.

( FIGS 3E, 5C, 6E)

Z o o B a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: 30D02181-94B6-45D7-9275-CEA1845F3DE6.

Holotype: Australia, Coral Sea CMR, 1013 m, IN2017_ V03 _121, (–23.587, 154.194), AMS C.571678.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Etymology: In honour of my adorable little explorer Maia Criscione, in recognition of the love she always expresses for the natural world. It is a noun in apposition.

Description

Shell ( Fig. 3E) (SL = 19.9, SW = 9.5) fusiform-biconical, thin-walled, semitranslucent. Protoconch ( Fig. 5C) orange, multispiral, broadly conical, of 2.5 gently convex to indistinctly shouldered diagonally cancellate whorls. Protoconch–teleoconch transition clearly defined, broadly sinuate. Teleoconch of 6.2 white, strongly angulated whorls; suture deeply impressed. First teleoconch whorl convex to indistinctly shouldered, succeeding whorls pagodiform, with wide, straight or slightly concave subsutural ramp concluded by gemmate carina situated about mid-height of whorl. Whorl base narrowing clearly towards lower suture. Subsutural ramp sculpture of low and rounded cords and evenly spaced, raised arcuate riblets producing somewhat reticulate pattern. Supraperipheral two last cords stronger and more narrowly spaced. At whorl base, regularly spaced, alternate strong and weak cords, somewhat gemmate due to weak nodules at intersections of cords with dense collabral riblets. Last adult whorl with almost triangular base, shortly constricted to and clearly demarcated from straight, tapering siphonal canal. Aperture elongate, nearly half of shell length; outer lip thin; inner lip whitish, with thin callus, straight. Anal sinus narrow. Head wide, cephalic tentacles cylindrical; small black eyes situated at their bases. Penis small, simple. Proboscis elongate, conical, not large; venom gland short; muscular bulb large.

Radular teeth ( Fig. 6E) of hypodermic type, attaining about 175 µm in length, relatively straight to slightly curved, tightly rolled; barbs absent; dorsal blade extremely long, approaching half of shaft length; adapical opening narrow and elongate, approximately one-third of shaft length; base broad, external texture coarse, consisting of dense network of diagonal ridges, becoming obsolete toward lateral margins; lateral process weak; basal opening large, subcircular. Ligament small, short.

Remarks

This species can be differentiated from other raphitomids by its pagodiform shell with a gemmate carina, sculpture of equally spaced fine spiral cords and a radula with hypodermic teeth bearing extremely long dorsal blade and adapical openings.