Verconia, Pruvot-Fol, 1931

Tibiriçá, Yara, Pola, Marta & Cervera, Juan Lucas, 2017, Astonishing diversity revealed: an annotated and illustrated inventory of Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from Mozambique, Zootaxa 4359 (1), pp. 1-133 : 42-43

Verconia sp.

( Figures 13 F , 14 A–D )

Material examined. Seven specimens. MB28-004412, ZRP, 18 Jul. 2011, 1m, 7mm; MB28-004436, ZRP, 10 Dec. 2011, 2m, 6mm; MB28-004504, ZRP, 21 Feb. 2012, 1m, 4mm; MB28-00 4956, 0 7 Jan. 2015, 0.5m, 10mm; MHN- YT1493, ZRP, 21 Mar. 2015, 0.5m, 12mm; MB28-005012, ZRP, 0.5m, 14mm; ZMBN119 701, ZRP, 0 4 Aug. 2015, 1m, 12mm.

Habitats. Subtropical tidal reefs.

Occurrences. Zavora.

Geographic distribution. Western Indian Ocean. Madagascar (Gosliner et al. 2008) and Mozambique.

Remarks. The generic placement of this species was verified through internal examination. The radula is small and typical of the genus: with no central tooth, very long outer and triangular innermost teeth ( Rudman 1984). The radula formula of a 14mm specimen (MB28-005012) is 30x 21.0.21 ( Fig. 14 A ). The lateral teeth have 2 to 6 denticles ( Fig. 14 B ), the innermost teeth 2 to 4 denticles on the outer side and one denticle on the inner side, which may be bifid ( Fig. 14 C–D ). This species appears to be undescribed (Gosliner et al. 2008, 2015).

Figures

FIGURE 13. A, Thorunna australis (MB28-004823). B, Thorunna horologia (MB28-005006). C, Thorunna punicea (MB28- 004404).D, Verconia norba (MB28-004715). E. Verconia simplex (MB28-005013). F, Verconia sp. (MB28-005012). G, Aldisa cf. pikokai (MHN-YT1554). H, Aldisa fragaria (MB28-004395). I, Aldisa zavorensis (MB28-004398). J–K, Asteronotus cespitosus (ZMBN105161), dorsal and ventral view. L, Asteronotus sp.(MB28-004911).

FIGURE 14. A–D Radula Verconia sp. (MB28-005012), SEMs of radula. A, General view of the radula. B, Anterior lateral view.C, Outermost teeth. D, Innermost and lateral teeth.