Triforis lilaceocinctus E.A. Smith, 1903

Albano, Paolo G., Bakker, Piet A. J. & Sabelli, Bruno, 2019, Annotated catalogue of the types of Triphoridae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the Natural History Museum of the United Kingdom, London, Zoosystematics and Evolution 95 (1), pp. 161-308 : 161

Triforis lilaceocinctus E.A. Smith, 1903

Figure 89

Triforis lilaceocinctus E.A. Smith 1903: 613, pl. 35, fig. 15.

Type locality.

Miladumadulu Atoll, 3-28 fathoms, Maldives.

Type material.

Syntypes: NHMUK 1903.9.17.13: 1 specimen, Maldive Islands .

Original description.

Testa elongato-pupoidea, supra acuminata, granulis flavescentibus et albis, lirata, inter granula rufo punctata; anfractus circiter 15, superiores liris duabus granosis aequalibus instructi, pauci anteriores lira graciliore mediana, dilute lilacea, vix granulata ornata, sutura lineari sejuncti, microscopice spiraliter striati, ultimus circa basim lilaceus, liris aliis tribus nodulosis, rufo punctatis, instructus; apertura obliqua, piriformis; canalis parvus, dextrorsus, semiclausus.

Longit. 10½., diam. 3½.

A general glance at this pretty species gives the impression that the whorls have each two adjacent rows of large granules. Such however is not the case. It is the lower row in one whorl being adjacent to the upper one in another (the linear suture being between) that gives this appearance, the unspotted and more slender median lirae also lending to the effect. This lira gradually dies out as it ascends the spire, so that the upper whorls have only two rows of equal sized granules. This species also occurs at the Mauritius (Brit. Mus.).

Translation of the Latin text.

Shell pupoid-elongate, pointed at the top, yellowish and white tuberculated cords, spotted with red among tubercles; about 15 whorls: the upper ones with two equal tuberculated cords; a few lower ones with a median thin cord, lightly lilac and barely granose, separated by a linear suture, microscopically spirally striated; the last lilac near the base, which has three additional nodose cords, spotted by red; oblique aperture, pyriform; small anterior siphon, dextral, semiclosed.

Length 10½, diameter 3½.

Diagnosis.

Syntype 7.8 mm high. Shell cyrtoconoid, apex missing in the syntype. Teleoconch with 11 flat whorls with two main spiral cords bearing tubercles at the intersection with orthocline axial ribs. Another spiral cord develops at mid shell height in the wide interspace between the main two, but remains much thinner than the others. An additional fourth narrow smooth cord is visible suprasuturally. The interspaces are filled by numerous thin spiral and axial threads giving a cancellate microsculpture until the penultimate whorl, where the axial sculpture fades away. Peristome with one additional spiral cord and a deep posterior sinus. Siphonal canal long. Base showing a fifth and sixth weakly sculptured spiral cords. Protoconch missing. Teleoconch white to pink with the main spiral cordswith orange blocks with interspaces between tubercles usually darker.

Figures

Figure 89. Triforis lilaceocinctus E. A. Smith, 1903, Miladumadulu Atoll, Maldives. A-F, H Syntype NHMUK 1903.9.17.13: front (A, B), side (C, D), back (E), aperture (F), peristome (H). G Original figure. I, J Original labels. Scale bars: A-E: 1 mm; F, H: 0.5 mm.