Hyperaulax ramagei (Smith, 1890)

Salvador, Rodrigo B. & Cavallari, Daniel C., 2019, Taxonomic revision of the genus Hyperaulax Pilsbry, 1897 (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Odontostomidae), Zoosystematics and Evolution 95 (2), pp. 453-463 : 457-459

Hyperaulax ramagei (Smith, 1890) Figs 3 , 4

" Turbine, in cui la prima voluta è ( …)” Buonanni 1681: 185, fig. Turbine #44.

Bulimus (Tomigerus) Ramagei E.A. Smith 1890: 500, pl. 30, fig. 8.

Bulimus ( Tomigerus ?) Ramagei : Dall 1896: 415.

Bonnanius bouvieri Jousseaume 1900: 39, pl. 1, fig. 19.

Bonnanius bonnanius Jousseaume 1900: 41.

Hyperaulax (Bonnanius) ramagei : Pilsbry 1901: 103, pl. 11, figs 60-62; Thiele 1931: 611; Morretes 1949: 153; Lopes and Alvarenga 1955: 181; Zilch 1960: 505, fig. 1772; Breure 1974: 52; Breure 1975: 1158; Oliveira et al. 1981: 350; Parkinson et al. 1987: 29; Abbott 1989: 106, text fig.

Tomigerus (Bonnanius) ramagei : Parodiz 1962: 453.

Bulimus (Tomigerus) ramagei : Oliveira and Oliveira 1984: 19.

Bonnanius ramagei : Schileyko 1999: 339, fig. 419; Breure and Ablett 2012: 34, figs 20A, B, 20i.

Hyperaulax ramagei : Salgado and Coelho 2003: 165; Salvador 2019: 87.

Bonnarius [sic] ramagei : Simone 2006: 178, fig. 638.

Type locality.

Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Fernando de Noronha Island, Ponta do Tabaco. Original ( Smith 1890: 500): "imbedded in sandy mud on a raised reef at Tobacco Point (G.A. Ramage leg.)".

Distribution.

Known only from Fernando de Noronha Archipelago.

Type material.

Lectotype NHMUK 1888.6.27.163 (designation by Breure and Ablett 2012). Paralectotypes: NHMUK 1888.6.27.164-170, 7 shells.

Material examined.

Types. BRAZIL: Fernando de Noronha: ANSP 100531, 4 shells, H.v. Ihering leg., 1910; MNZ 205835, 4 shells, ex Suter coll. 5637; MNHN-IM-2000-28020 syntype of Bonnanius bouvieri , Jousseaume coll.; MNZ 205822, 5 shells, ex Suter coll. 5639; MZSP 7738, 14 shells; MZSP 97933, 3 shells, ex J. Vaz coll., A. Nüssenbaum leg., viii/1973; NHMUK 1902.10.16.4, 1 shell; MZSP 131996, 3 shells, Ponta das Caracas, 3°52'28"S, 32°25'24"W, F. Schunck leg., 27/ix/2013; NHMUK 20170271, 13 shells, from sand on north end of island, 16/vi/1887; USNM 518215,>30 shells, W. Williamson leg.; USNM 709805,>30 shells, dunes in Porto Santo Antônio, L. Storrs et al. leg., vii–viii /1973; USNM 709806,>30 shells, Porto Santo Antônio, L. Storrs et al. leg.; ZSM 7861, 1 shell, 1940; ZSM no nr., 3 shells.

Diagnosis.

The shell is larger overall and has a broader profile. The riblets on the second part of the protoconch are more defined. The peristome is strongly thickened and displays marked apertural teeth.

Description.

Shell medium-sized, bulimoid, rounded; W ~ 4½. Shell color chestnut brown; spire apex light brown to cream-colored; up to four equidistant white spiral bands might be present on lateral portion of whorls (but entirely brown morphs also occur); periumbilical region usually discolored, whitish; peristome and apertural teeth white. Protoconch (w ~ 1¾) rounded; first ½ whorl presenting undefined anastomosing sculpture; remainder sculptured by fine sinuous axial usually well-defined riblets (but sometimes anastomosed in some areas) that become less pronounced towards teleoconch; transition to teleoconch unclear (but sometimes with thickening of the last riblet). Teleoconch smooth (except for growth lines, which become more marked towards aperture). Suture well-marked, but not deep. Aperture roughly ovoid, but angulate. Peristome reflected and strongly thickened; some older specimens show continuous thickening of the peristome; parietal callus might be present in older specimens. Apertural teeth present: two knob-like parietal teeth positioned slightly towards the interior of shell (not always present); long palatal tooth in the middle portion of palatal region (its surface goes from smooth to serrated, with up to three distinct points); columellar tooth elongated, with smooth surface. Both columellar and palatal tooth produce a marked depression on outer wall of shell. Umbilicus slit-like.

Dimensions.

Lectotype: H = 17.3 mm, D = 12.3 mm, h = 8.8 mm, d = 6.6, W = 4, w = 2. Paralectotype #1: H = 22.3, D = 15.6 mm, h = 10.9 mm, d = 7.7 mm, W = 4¾. Paralectotype #2: H = 23.5 mm, D = 16.0 mm, h = 11.2 mm, d = 8.7 mm, W = 5. Paralectotype #3: H = 19.5 mm, D = 14.6 mm, h = 10 mm, d = 7.2 mm, W = 4½, w = 1¾. Paralectotype #4: H = 19.6 mm, D = 13.7 mm, h = 8.8 mm, d = 6.7 mm, W = 4½. Paralectotype #5: H = 20.3 mm, D = 13.2 mm, h = 9.8 mm, d = 7.4 mm, W = 4¾, w = 1¾. Syntype of Bonnanius bouvieri : H = 22.5 mm, D = 15.4 mm (Breure, 1975). Average (n = 34, except for w, where n = 10): H = 17.9 ± 1.56 mm (min = 16.1 mm, max = 22.0 mm), D = 12.9 ± 0.96 mm, h = 9.7 ± 0.71 mm, d = 7.6 ± 0.63 mm, W = 4½ (min = 4¼, max = 5), w = 1¾ (occasionally 2).

Remarks.

The names H. bouvieri and H. bonnanius were synonymized with H. ramagei by Pilsbry (1901); this decision is followed here. The syntype of H. bouvieri ( Fig. 4 A–C ) is indistinguishable from H. ramagei , but the discussion regarding H. bonnanius is slightly more colorful and it is worthwhile to recapitulate it here. Its original description ( Jousseaume 1900) was based upon the work of the Jesuit scholar Filippo Buonanni (1638-1723), who compiled the first conchology manual ( Buonanni 1681) and is thus considered the Father of Conchology ( Leonhard 2007). As Pilsbry (1901) argued, Buonanni’s (1681) description of his Turbine #44 and its illustration (allowing for some distortion in the drawing) are vastly consistent with H. ramagei . Despite later authors such as Linnaeus having relied on Buonanni’s work, this particular species was overlooked until Jousseaume (1900) published it as Bonnanius Bonnanius , misspelling the Jesuit’s name and likely without knowing the work of Smith (1890).

The shell features of H. ramagei display some morphological variation: (1) shell size, from some rather small specimens to very large ones (Hmin = 16 mm and Hmax = 22 mm); (2) shell color can go from entirely brown to marked with four white spiral bands; (3) aperture size, relative to remainder of the shell; (4) shell shape, with some specimens having a much shorter spire ( Fig. 3 A–C , lectotype); (5) two parietal teeth might be absent ( Fig. 3I ); (6) the surface of the palatal tooth goes from nearly smooth ( Fig. 3I, J ) to serrated ( Fig. 3F, G ), with up to three distinct points ( Fig. 3A ), reminiscent of the carnassial tooth of Carnivora (apparently this is not related to the age of the individual or to the freshness of the specimen when collected). The syntype of H. bouvieri show a four-pronged palatal tooth, which is also unusually large, and a three-pronged parietal tooth ( Fig. 4 A–C ); this could be seen as morphological variation, but, as this specimen bears a mark of breakage near the aperture and further growth ( Fig. 4C ), it could be simply post-trauma anomalous growth. For a comparison with its single congener, H. ridleyi , see the Discussion section of that species.

Some of the specimens available (including some paralectotypes) appear to be of a sub-fossil state, as already noted by Smith (1890). These appear to be larger than the fresh specimens, but this could be due to collection bias towards larger specimens; at present, there is not enough sub-fossil material for a statistically meaningful assessment.

Figures

Figure 3. Hyperaulax ramagei. A-E. Lectotype, NHMUK 1988.6.24.163. F-J. Paralectotypes 1 to 5 (in order), including large forms in apparent sub-fossil state, NHMUK 1988.6.24.164 - 170. K. Specimen without the white spiral bands, NHMUK 1902.10.16.4.

Figure 4. Hyperaulax ramagei. A-C. Syntype of Bonnanius bouvieri, MNHN-IM- 2000 - 28020 (MNHN). D. Reproduction of " Turbine 44 " of Buonanni (1861), the holotype of Bonnanius bonnanius. E. Protoconch detail, NHMUK 1902.10.16.4.