Columbarium veridicum Dell, 1963

Harasewych, M. G., 2011, The Living Columbariinae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda: Turbinellidae) of New Zealand, Zootaxa 2744 (1), pp. 1-33 : 4-7

Columbarium veridicum Dell, 1963

( Figures 1–18 )

Synonymy:

Columbarium veridicum Dell, 1963: 211–212 , fig. 1; Darragh, 1969: 85–86, pl. 4, figs. 62–63; Powell, 1979: 169, pl. 37, fig. 1.

Diagnosis. Shell very large, thin, with relatively short, stepped spire, convex shoulder with long, open spines along periphery angled ~45° to coiling axis, sharply demarcated anterior carina, very long, smooth siphonal canal. Protoconch of 1⅓ whorls, with first whorl nearly spherical, decreasing slightly in diameter prior to transition to teleoconch. Teleoconch with up to 6 whorls. Sculpture limited to row of spines along shell periphery and cord along anterior carina. Siphonal canal smooth.

Description. Shell ( Figures 1–8 ) very large (to 91.4 mm), moderately thin, with obtusely stepped, conical spire (spire angle 48–52˚), small, angular, irregularly pentagonal aperture, extremely long, axial siphonal canal. Protoconch ( Figures 9–11 ) paucispiral, with nearly spherical first whorl deflected from coiling axis by ~53˚. Protoconch diameter increases from ~ 1.1 mm to 2.6 mm in first whorl, decreases to 2.5 mm after 1⅓ whorls. Transition to teleoconch marked by onset of strong shoulder followed within ¼ whorl by appearance of fine axial growth striae and short, triangular, open spines along shell periphery. Teleoconch of up to 6 inflated, angular whorls. Suture ( Figure 1 , s) adpressed just above anterior carina of previous whorl. Spiral sculpture limited to open spines ( Figure 1 , ps) along shell periphery and strong, angular anterior carina ( Figure 1 , ac) demarcated by strong cord. Axial sculpture of spines along shell periphery increasing in length, prominence, and number from 10 on early whorls to 12 on last whorl, where they form an angle of 45–50˚ to coiling axis. Growth lines weak, sinuous, slightly to moderately opisthocyrt, especially between peripheral keel and anterior carina. Aperture irregularly pentagonal, tapering anteriorly, deflected from shell axis by 27–30˚. Outer lip angular, lined with thin porcelaneous glaze, furrowed beneath peripheral keel and anterior carina, both projecting slightly. Inner lip smooth, with thin glaze along parietal region, flaring slightly at base of columella, along proximal portion of siphonal canal. Siphonal canal very long (61–63% shell length), narrow, axial, proximal half straight, distal half weakly spirally coiled. Shell color light tan to caramel, aperture slightly darker. Periostracum thin, straw colored, very finely lamellose. Operculum ( Figures 12, 13 ) weakly corrugated, broadly ovate, rounded posteriorly, tapered anteriorly, with anterior ⅓ and abaxial edge thickened, free.

Single, partially preserved male specimen (NMNZ M.074626, SL = 65.7 mm) examined. Mantle cavity spans ¾ whorl, kidney ¼ whorl, upper whorls not preserved. Foot elongated, rectangular. Tentacles short, blunt, lacking eyes. Mantle edge thickened, with broad papilla corresponding to peripheral keel, and smaller papilla corresponding to anterior carina. Columellar muscle broad, extending ¾ whorl beyond mantle edge. Osphradium bipectinate, long, narrow (L/W ~ 4.2). Ctenidium slightly wider, ~1¼ times as long as osphradium. Hypobranchial gland broad, transversely pleated. Rectum, long, narrow, with small rectal gland. Proboscis extremely long, narrow, coiled within non-evertable proboscis sheath. Radular ribbon ( Figures 14–16 ) 1.64 mm long, with 68 rows of teeth. Rachidian teeth 48 µm wide, with U-shaped basal plate lacking broadly expanded lateral edges. Three long, cylindrical cusps, central cusp longest (25 µm), confined to central 23 µm of rachidian tooth. Lateral teeth with single, long (50µm), scythe-shaped cusp, attaching to radular ribbon along basal plate (20 µm wide). Salivary glands large, right gland slightly larger, valve of Leiblein small, gland of Leiblein large, ventral, to left of proboscis sheath. Male pallial gonoduct forming open, muscular groove running along floor of mantle cavity, inner edge of broad, flattened penis to its rounded, distal end, terminating in very short papilla surrounded by collar.

Type locality. ( Figure 17 ,) E of Poor Knights Islands , North Island [35°26.0’S, 175°18.0’E], 558–622 m, 11 Nov. 1962, RV IKATERE .

Type material. Holotype, NMNZ M.016274.

Material examined. 1 NMNZ M.060168, c. 17 km NE of Mayor Island, North Island [37°09.1’S,

176°24.4’E], 753–826 m, mud, 23 Jan. 1979, RV TANGAROA; 1 NMNZ M.074626, W of White Island , North Island [37°10.9’S, 178°38.7’E], 685–705 m, mud, 23 Jan. 1981, RV TANGAROA .

Additional material at NMNZ: 1 NMNZ M.059560, c. 17 km NW of Cape Runaway, North Island [37°29.0’S, 177°32.0’E], 818–898 m, 24 Jan. 1979, RV TANGAROA .

Distribution ( Figures 17–18 ): Columbarium veridicum is only known from four records, all from off the northern coast of North Island, at depths ranging between 558 and 898 m. The confirmed bathymetric range is 622– 818 m, with a mean station depth of 733.1 m.

Remarks. Columbarium veridicum is the only living member of the genus Columbarium presently known from New Zealand waters. It more closely resembles Columbarium pagoda pagoda ( Lesson, 1831) , from the central Sea of Japan and the South China Sea than any congeners from intervening waters. It may be distinguished from C. pagoda pagoda by its slightly larger size, broader, more inflated spire, proportionally longer siphonal canal, and by the absence of spiral cords along the proximal portion of the siphonal canal. The form C. pagoda stellatum Habe, 1953 , from Tosa Bay, Japan, is similar in having reduced anterior spiral cords, but has fewer, longer, more laterally directed spines along the shoulder. The five species of Columbarium [ C. spinicinctum ( Martens, 1881) ; C. suzukii Habe & Kosuge, 1972 ; C. pagoda nakayasui Habe, 1979 ; C. sinensis Zhang, 2003 ; C. corollaceous Zhang, 2003 ] and one species of Fulgurofusus [ F. nanshaensis Zhang, 2003 ] reported from the South China Sea by Zhang (2003) as well as the five species of Columbarium [ C. spinicinctum ( Martens, 1881) ; C. pagodoides ( Watson, 1882) ; C. hedleyi Iredale, 1936 ; C. harrisae Harasewych, 1983a ; C. hystriculum Darragh, 1987 ] reported from off eastern Australia by Wilson (1994) all differ from C. veridicum in having thicker, heavier shells with prominent spiral cords, often with open scales, below the shell periphery and especially along the proximal portion of the siphonal canal.

Figures

FIGURES 1–16. Columbarium veridicum Dell, 1963. 1, Apertural, 2, lateral, 3, dorsal, and 4, apical views of the holotype, NMNZ M.016274, 28 miles E of Poor Knights Islands, North Island [35°26.0’S, 175°18.0’E], in 558–622 m. 5, Apertural, 6, lateral, 7, dorsal, and 8, apical views of specimen from NMNZ M.060168, c. 17 km NE of Mayor Island, North Island [37°09.1’S, 176°24.4’E] in 753–826 m, on mud. 2 cm scale bar applies to figures 1–8. 9, Apical and 10–11, lateral views of protoconch of specimen in figures 5–8. 12, Inner and 13, outer surfaces of operculum of specimen from NMNZ M.074626, W of White Island, North Island [37°10.9’S, 178°38.7’E], in 685–705 m, on mud. 14–16. Radular ribbon of specimen from NMNZ M.074626. 14, 45° oblique view of radula, 15, dorsal view with lateral teeth expanded, 16, dorsal view with lateral teeth folded. ac, anterior carina; ps, peripheral spine; s, suture.

FIGURES 17–18. Distribution of Columbarium veridicum Dell, 1963. 17, Geographic distribution. = type locality. = station records. 18, Bathymetric distribution.