Kermia drupelloides, Kilburn, 2009

Kilburn, Richard Neil, 2009, Genus Kermia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea: Conidae: Raphitominae) in South African waters, with observations on the identities of related extralimital species, African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 217-217 : 223-226

Kermia drupelloides sp. n.

Figs 10–12

Etymology: From the genus name Drupella Thiele, 1925 .

Description: Shell fusiform with high, orthoconoid spire and truncated base; b/l 0.38– 0.43, a/l 0.33–0.39; whorls convex, not shouldered, subsutural region concave and sloping, suture not undulating, base of last whorl constricted above rostrum into a deeply concave “waist”; rostrum forming a strongly convex fasciole; aperture narrowly elliptical; siphonal canal strongly contracted but expanded terminally, end truncate, in dorsal view concave, with a slight projection medially. Outer lip almost flat in side view, with 4 slight, rounded serrations at terminations of spiral ridges; inner edge with 3 equalsized, rounded teeth and sometimes a weak 4 th; inner lip sigmoid, with a flattened callus deposit with slightly free edge, sometimes with a few feeble plicae, posterior end of aperture with a parietal pad.Anal sinus shallowly linguiform, directed slightly posteriorly, situated on subsutural ridge.

Sculptured by spiral cords that are narrower than the axial ridges, but expand to form angular nodules where they cross them. Axial ribs straight, slightly prosocline, moderately weak below suture, evanescing below “waist”, fasciole with strong nodules; ribs in t/s more or less angularly rounded, with sloping sides, ribs wider than their intervals, 8 per whorl; bases of ribs narrowing where they cross basal ”waist”, where they are separated by foveolate interstices. First teleoconch whorl cancellate, with 2 spiral ridges, increasing to 4 from 2 nd whorl, that below suture remaining weak, that above suture sometimes as strong as the median two (i.e. with three main rows of nodules); last whorl with 5 rows of nodules, of which subsutural one is weak, fasciole bearing 3–5 rows of strongly rounded tubercles, progressively weakening towards base. Interstices with extremely fine and close collabral striae.

Protoconch bluntly conical, of about 2.7 whorls, 1 st whorl depressed and tilted, 2 nd whorl with cancellate sculpture (about 9 spiral threads, crossed by orthocline axial threads); last whorls with arcuate axial riblets, crossed by short, opisthocline axial threads, interrupted in the intervals; breadth 0.43 mm.

Light brown, nodules, rostrum and early teleoconch whorls paler, aperture and its margin white; protoconch light brown.

Dimensions: 4.4× 1.9 mm (holotype), 6.3× 2.4 mm (paratype).

Comparison and remarks:This distinctive species shows some resemblance to the widely distributed Indo-Pacific K. punctifera (Garrett, 1873) . The new species differs from K. punctifera in lacking characteristic brown marks on its tubercles, which are also markedly stronger and more angular, and its proportions are broader. Based on their types in the MMUE, BMNH and ANSP collections respectively ( Figs 13–16 ), it is probable that Mangelia chrysolitha Melvill & Standen, 1896 , and Clathurella birtsi Preston, 1908 , are synonyms of K. punctifera , although they have fewer spiral cords and lip denticles. K. drupelloides also appears to show some resemblance to the figure of Pleurotoma microcerata type (Folin 1879: 248, pl. 8, fig. 2), described from the Andaman Islands, but that shows sharper nodules, which are spinose on the base, interstices that appear foveolate, an internally smooth outer lip, and its colour is white. Unfortunately, the holotype of P. microcerata is absent from the Folin turrid types preserved in the BMNH, and must be considered lost.

Sometimes the name Pleurotoma pustulosa Folin, 1867 , has been used for specimens of Kermia punctifera , particularly in the Japanese and Chinese literature. However the figure of the P. pustulosa type ( Folin 1867, pl. 5, fig. 14) illustrates finer, more numerous nodules, particularly so on the base; furthermore, the type material, which is evidently lost, might have originated from either the Philippines or the Bay of Panama. For the present I regard P. pustulosa as a nomen dubium.

Several species of Pseudodaphnella Boettger, 1895 , and Paramontana Laseron, 1954 , are essentially similar to K. drupelloides , but have a different protoconch. In the genus Pseudodaphnella this is generally paucispiral and papilliform with more or less orthocline axial riblets and weak spiral threads.A superficially comparable species of Pseudodaphnella is P. pullula (Hervier, 1897) from New Caledonia, which has a narrower indentation (waist) on the base and a narrower aperture than K. drupelloides . A synonym of Clathurella blanfordi var. pullula is Pseudodaphnella punicea Hedley, 1922 ( Figs 17, 18 ). Another somewhat similar species is Clathurella martensi G. & H. Nevill, 1875 ( Fig. 19 ), distributed from Sri Lanka to New Caledonia and southern Japan, which appears to have a Pseudodaphnella - type protoconch, similar to that of P. pullula .

Confusingly, Clathurella blanfordi G. & H. Nevill, 1875, of the Red Sea, has similar teleoconch sculpture to P. pullula and P. martensi comb. n. ( Figs 20, 21 ), but the protoconch (in fresh condition) appears smooth, indicating a position in the genus Paramontana . This genus has been referred to the Mangeliinae ( Sysoev 1993: 167), presumably on account of the smooth protoconch, but teleoconch characters are perhaps suggestive of the Clathurellinae or even Raphitominae . The teleoconch in Paramontana blanfordi comb. n. differs from that of K. drupelloides and P. martensi in its flattened lip profile, with a distinctive angle anteriorly.

Apart from its raphitomine protoconch and small adult size, K. drupelloides shows superficial resemblance to some members of genus Drupella (Muricidae) .

Holotype: NMSA W6532 /T2358. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: off Scottburgh (30°17'S: 30°45'E), ca - 35 m, in shell grit, 1995. Donated by G. Smith.

Paratype 1: same data, to be lodged in BMNH . Paratype 2: KwaZulu-Natal: Park Rynie , - 35–45 m, dived ( NMSA S9826 /T2350) .

Other material in G. Smith collection.

Distribution: KZN, in Park Rynie – Scottburgh area, inner continental shelf.

Figures

Figs 10–16. New and earlier described species of Kermia: (10–12) K. drupelloides sp. n., holotype NMSA W6532/T2358, 4.4×1.9 mm, apertural (10) and side (11) views, and ESEM of protoconch (12); (13, 14) K. punctifera, syntype of Clathurella punctifera, ANSP15687, Viti Is [Fiji], 4.9×2.0 mm, apertural and side views; (15, 16) K. chrysolitha [? = C. punctifera]: (15) holotype of Mangilia (Glyphostoma) chrysolitha, MMUE EE 3718, Loyalty Is, apertural view, 5.1×2.3 mm, (16) syntype of Clathurella birtsi Preston, 1908, BMNH 1912.8.7.1, “Ceylon?”, apertural view, 6.3×2.3 mm.

Figs 17–21. Pseudodaphnella pullula (Hervier, 1897), P. martensi (G. & H. Nevill, 1875) and Paramontana blanfordi (G. & H. Nevill, 1875): (17, 18) P. pullula, apertural views: (17) probable syntype of Clathurella blanfordi var. pullula, MNHN, Lifou; (18) holotype of Pseudodaphnella punicea Hedley, 1922, AMSA C.9520, Palm Is, Queensland, 5.5×2.5 mm, photo courtesy of Des Beechey; (19) P. martensi, syntype of Clathurella martensi, BMNH 1904.9.26.10–11, Balapiti, Sri Lanka, apertural view, 4.8×2.1 mm; (20, 21) P. blanfordi, probable holotype of Clathurella blanfordi, ZSIC, Annesley Bay [Zula Bahir Selate], Eritrea, apertural and side views, 5.5×2.4 mm.