RETUSIDAE, Thiele, 1925

Valdés, Ángel, 2008, Deep-sea “ cephalaspidean ” heterobranchs (Gastropoda) from the tropical southwest Pacific, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 587-792 : 767-769

publication ID

978-2-85653-614-8

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D087B2-FF50-BE98-FF01-77B5F265FAEC

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Felipe (2021-09-01 00:27:07, last updated by Plazi 2023-11-06 13:30:32)

scientific name

RETUSIDAE
status

 

Family RETUSIDAE View in CoL incertae sedis

REMARKS. — In this section I have included two deep-water species, only known from their shells, for which I was unable to determine a generic placement. The shell morphology of these species resembles that of Retusidae so they have been placed tentatively in this family.

Retusidae sp. 1 Figs 91A, B, 92

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Loyalty Ridge. BIOGEOCAL: stn KG 294, 20°39’S, 167°12’E, 1420 m, 1 dd.

DISTRIBUTION. — Single specimen collected from New Caledonia (Fig. 92), in 1420 m .

DESCRIPTION. — Shell morphology. Length 4.5 mm, width 2.5 mm (single specimen examined). Shell fragile, oval to elongate, with convex sides (Fig. 91A). Only 1 whorl visible, forming the entire shell. Apex rounded, not umbilicate (Fig. 91B), with the aperture lip rising from the right side and forming a short wing that is connected to the columellar margin. Anterior end of the shell rounded. Aperture as long as the shell, wider anteriorly and narrowing abruptly at about 1/4 of its length. Columellar margin thickened. Columella smooth, with no folds. Umbilicus narrow, partially covered by an extension of the columella. Sculpture of a number of faint growth lines. Colour uniformly dirty white with a number of brown-reddish spots, more densely arranged near the posterior end of the shell.

Anatomy. Unknown. The single shell collected lacked soft parts.

REMARKS. — The shell of this species is different from other deep-water taxa examined in this study and I have been unable to find species with a similar morphology in the literature.

A generic placement for this species is not possible until complete specimens become available for study.

Retusidae sp. 2 Figs 91C, D, 92

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Philippines. ESTASE 2: stn CP 6, 04°38’N, 119°49’E, 2570 m, 15 dd GoogleMaps .

DISTRIBUTION. — Material examined collected from the Philippines (Fig. 92), in 2570 m .

DESCRIPTION. — Shell morphology. Length 4 mm, width 3 mm (largest specimen examined). Shell solid, oval, with convex sides (Fig. 91C). Only 1 whorl visible, forming nearly the entire shell, except for a visible portion of the top of the spire. Apex rounded, deeply umbilicate (Fig. 91D), with the aperture lip rising from the right side and forming a short wing that is connected to the columellar margin. Anterior end of the shell rounded. Aperture as long as the shell, wider anteriorly and narrowing abruptly at about 1/3 of its length. Columellar margin conspicuously

FIG. 91. Shell morphology of species of Retusidae incertae sedis. A, Retusidae sp. 1, (4.5 mm), ventral view, New Caledonia, BIOGEOCAL stn KG 294; B, same shell, posterior view. C, Retusidae sp. 2, (4 mm), ventral view, Philippines, ESTASE 2 stn CP 6; D, same shell, posterior view.

thickened. Columella smooth, with no folds. Umbilicus closed. Sculpture of a number of faint growth lines. Colour uniformly dirty white.

Anatomy. Unknown. All shells collected lacked soft parts.

REMARKS. — The shells of Retusidae sp. 2 resemble that of Retusidae sp. 1, but the former are shorter, wider and have an apical umbilicus.

A generic placement for this species is not possible until complete specimens become available for study.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Mollusca

Class

Gastropoda

Order

Cephalaspidea

Family

Retusidae