Typhlosyrinx neocaledoniensis, Bouchet & Sysoev, 2001

Bouchet, P. & Sysoev, A., 2001, Typhlosyrinx - like tropical deep-water turriform gastropods (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Conoidea), Journal of Natural History 35 (11), pp. 1693-1715 : 1702-1704

Typhlosyrinx neocaledoniensis n. sp.

(gures 23–26)

Type material. Holotype and two paratypes in MNH N.

Type locality. N orth of N ew Caledonia, 18ss47¾S, 163ss17¾E, 610–613 m [Bathus 4, sta. CP921].

Material examined. North of New Caledonia. Bathus 4: Sta. CP 912, 18ss56¾S, 163ss08¾E, 690–702 m, one dd (paratype). Sta. CP 921, 18ss47¾S, 163ss17¾E, 610–613 m, two dd (holotype, gures 23, 24 and paratype, gures 25, 26) .

Distribution. North of New Caledonia, known only from empty shells in 613– 690 m.

Description. H olotype (gures 23, 24). Shell slender, solid, polished, spire occupying 38% of total shell height. Protoconch partly broken and eroded, remaining two whorls brown, with diagonally cancellated sculpture. Teleoconch whorls nine, suture shallow. F irst six whorls with axial ribs, angulated in middle, and concave subsutural ramp bearing thickened growth lines adapically forming short arcuate folds. Ribs opisthocline, commencing just above angulation, nodulose at periphery and rapidly fading abapically. Subsequent whorls smooth, weakly convex, with poorly de ned and very slightly concave subsutural ramp. Spiral sculpture obsolete except on shell base, which is sculptured by narrow incised grooves that become stronger and more crowded on canal. Base weakly convex, evenly curved to canal. Aperture oval, inner lip rather evenly curved, columella almost straight. Anal sinus moderately deep, with strongly projecting outer lip. Canal short, broad. Colour oOE- white, with pale brownish band on periphery.

Dimensions: shell height 36.9 mm, last whorl height 22.8 mm, aperture height 17.3 mm, diameter 12.6 mm.

Paratypes (35.9 Ö13.0 mm and 27.0 Ö9.7 mm) are similar to the holotype in all essential characters. The larger paratype is orange-brown but this may result from post mortem diagenetic processes.

Remarks. Typhlosyrinx neocaledoniensis is most similar to T. praecipua , but diOEers in having a more slender shell with high spire, obsolete spiral sculpture even on early whorls, and early loss of axial sculpture (ribs are absent on last three whorls). The ribs are more numerous in T. neocaledoniensis than in any other congener: 13–16 on the last ribbed whorl vs 10–11 in T. praecipua and 10–12 in T. supracostata .

Etymology. Named after the region of collection.