Pellifronia Terryn & Holford, 2008

Fedosov, Alexander E, Malcolm, Gavin, Terryn, Yves, Gorson, Juliette, Modica, Maria Vittoria, Holford, Mandë & Puillandre, Nicolas, 2019, Phylogenetic classification of the family Terebridae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea), Journal of Molluscan Studies The Malacological Society of London 85 (4), pp. 359-388 : 5-6

Genus Pellifronia Terryn & Holford, 2008

( Fig. 2 A–D)

Type species: Terebra jungi Lai, 2001 ; OD.

Definition: Includes species with combination of conchological, anatomical and distributional characteristics closely comparable with Pellifronia jungi , including all species in clade A1 of Modica etal. (2019) and any species proven to be a member of this clade.

Diagnosis: Diagnostic nucleotide combinations in Table 1 .

Shell: Medium-sized (25–50 mm), elongate, light brown. Protoconch brown, paucispiral, cyrtoconoid, 1.5–2.5 whorls. Coarse sculpture of pronounced ribs, orthocline or prosocline, sometimes arcuate on late teleoconch whorls. Axial ribs often thickened in their adapical and/or abapical part(s), giving slightly concave outline to spire whorls. Last adult whorl with flattened adapical portion and short, somewhat angulate transition to shell base. Siphonal canal moderately long, recurved at tip, shallowly notched; siphonal fasciole weak or indistinct. Aperture elongate, curved.

Anatomy: Rhynchodeal introvert small; proboscis, radular sac, odontophore, salivary and venom glands well developed. Acessory proboscis structure absent. Radula with well-developed membrane, bearing 2 rows of wide marginal teeth of duplex type.

Distribution: Indo-Pacific, bathyal depths.

Remarks: This genus differs from the closely related Bathyterebra in having stronger axial sculpture, a more flattened whorl outline and the last adult whorl constricted to the siphonal canal with visible angulation. Species of Pellifronia can be distinguished by their coarse sculpture and swollen rib ends with slightly raised subsutural area. Similar species in other genera, e.g. Neoterebra puncturosa , N. crenifera and Granuliterebra bathyrhaphe , normally have a sharper nodular structure on the subsutural band or rib endings, or can be separated by the lack of radula ( Neoterebra ).

Included species:

Pellifronia brianhayesi (Terryn & Sprague, 2008) 2;

P. jungi (Lai, 2001) 1.

Figures

Figure 2. Subfamily Pellifroniinae. A–C. Pellifronia jungi. A. MNHN-IM-2013-52275, NANHAI 2014 Stn DW4102, 15◦03'N, 116◦31'E, 339–533 m, 25.5 mm. B. MNHN-IM-2013-52249, EXBODI Stn CP3831, 22◦02'S, 167◦09'E, 523–560 m, 24 mm. C. MNHN-IM-2007-30591, SALOMON 2 Stn CP2195, 08◦26'S, 159◦26'E, 543–593 m, 29 mm (broken), D. Pellifronia brianhayesi holotype, MNHN-IM-2000-20800, S Mozambique, 22.6 mm. E–G. Bathyterebra benthalis. E. MNHN-IM-2013-60185, KARUBENTHOS 2015 Stn CP4524, 16◦29'N, 61◦42'W, 500–550 m, 35.5 mm. F, G. MNHN-IM- 2013-61124, KARUBENTHOS 2015 Stn DW4608, 9.3 mm. H. Bathyterebra zhongshaensis n. sp. holotype, MNHN-IM-2013-61800, ZhongSha 2015 Stn DW4138, 19◦13'N, 113◦56'E, 470–494 m, 17 mm. I. Bathyterebra coriolisi, MNHN-IM-2013-52331, CONCALIS Stn DW3001 18◦32'S, 163◦09'E, 390–400 m, 12.4 mm.