Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000

Elm, Laura-Marie Von & Hoffman, Leon, 2024, Revision of deep-water species in Granulina (Gastropoda: Granulinidae) from Mauritania and Western Sahara, European Journal of Taxonomy 925, pp. 268-291 : 276-277

Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000

Figs 1 , 2F–G

Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000: 58 , figs 4, 17–20; type locality off Mauritania, 80– 100 m.

Smriglio et al. (2000) reported 24 shells from off Mauritania (80–100 m) and from Western Sahara (50 m) without further details. The holotype was deposited in the Bologna Zoology Museum (MZB14032). Twenty-three paratypes were retained in private collections.

Material examined (23 shells)

MAURITANIA – Banc d’Arguin • 20 shells; outer shelf off Banc d’Arguin ; 20.0438° N, 17.457° W; depth 52 m; 25 Oct. 2010; MSM16–3 stn GeoB14714; SaM • 1 shell; central outer Banc d’Arguin ; 20.2832° N, 17.3335° W; depth 30 m; 2 Nov. 2010; MSM16–3 stn GeoB14788; box core in muddy silt; SaM. – off Nouakchott • 2 shells; 17.0967° N, 16.73° W; depth 127 m; 17 Feb. 1977; M44 stn 193– KG626; box core; SMF .

Remarks

Smriglio et al. (2000) indicated a holotype height of 2.4 mm; our set indicates a maximum height of 2.5 mm. The species has an elliptical or weak coffin-shaped outline; it has strong labial denticles, and it lacks rostration.

A similar species is Granulina choffati La Perna, Landau & da Silva, 2003 from the Atlantic Pliocene in Portugal. It is differentiated from G. nofronii by a finer labial denticulation.

The species is known from empty shells in the latitudinal range 17.0– 20.3° N. It was found at depths of 30–1252 m in silty sand or mud. We could not confirm the species occurring off Western Sahara.

Figures

Fig. 1. Location map of the known species of Granulina Jousseaume, 1888 found off Mauritania and Western Sahara. All investigated stations are shown by white circles; specimens of Granulina were only found at locations indicated by colour symbols. Granulina cerea Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000 is presented as yellow squares, G. crassa Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000 as red diamonds, G. crystallina Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000 as blue triangles and G. nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000 as green circles. Bathymetric data from GEBCO, contours at 500 m intervals.

Fig. 2. Granulina Jousseaume, 1888 from Mauritania. A–D. Granulina cerea Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000, off Banc d’Arguin, CANCAP/3.120. A–B. Shell. A. Ventral view, height 2.8 mm, width 1.7 mm. B. Micro-sculpture above second columellar fold, see arrow in A. C–D. Shell, ventral view and side view, height 2.6 mm, width 1.6 mm, tumidity 1.3 mm. E. Granulina crystallina Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000, off Nouakchott, M44/193–KG626, ventral view, height 3.1 mm, width 2.0 mm. F–G. Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000, MSM16–3/GeoB14714. F. Ventral view, height 2.3 mm, width 1.4 mm. G. Ventral view, height 2.5 mm, width 1.6 mm