Coralliophila, H. Adams & A. Adams, 1853

Oliverio, Marco, 2009, Diversity of Coralliophilinae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda, Muricidae) at Austral Islands (South Pacific), Zoosystema 31 (4), pp. 759-789 : 773

Coralliophila sp. C

( Fig. 6C, D )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — N of Raivavae, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1943, 23°48.7’S, 147°39.1’W, 950 m.

DESCRIPTION

Shell of small size for the genus, 9.9 mm high, 5 mm wide. Protoconch of 2.8 whorls and a sinusigera lip. Sculpture (partly abraded) of two spiral keels with series of axial threads. Teleoconch of 3.3 whorls, spire low, conical, with concave sides. Shoulder sharply angulated and base constricted. Aperture subquadrangular with a relatively long and widely open siphonal canal; twisted fasciole, umbilical chink closed. Teleoconch spiral sculpture on the last whorl of 39 smooth cords, 6 on the subsutural ramp, one major cord at the shoulder and 32 on the base. Axial sculpture of prosocline incremental growth lines. Colour withish.

REMARKS

I have been unable to identify this shell. Although it is probably not fully grown, it does not seems a juvenile. Th e spiral sculpture of very closely set, flat, broad spiral cords with no evident scaly spines, resembles that of Coralliophila mallicki (Ladd, 1976) . Yet, the shell outline is different, more spherical and with a gently curved shoulder in C. mallicki . In the lack of additional material I refrain from describing a new taxon. Th e present shell is quite old, and its habitat (shallow or deep waters) cannot be defined.

Figures

FIG. 6. — A, B, Coralliophila sp. B, Marotiri Is., BENTHAUS,stn DW 1881, 27°54.6’S,143°28.5’W,112-121 m. C, D, Coralliophila sp. C, BENTHAUS, stn DW 1943, N of Raivavae, 23°48.7’S, 147°39.1’W, 950 m. Scale bars: A, B, 2 mm; C, D, 5 mm.