Coralliophila bathus, Oliverio, 2008

Oliverio, Marco, 2008, Coralliophilinae (Neogastropoda: Muricidae) from the southwest Pacific, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 481-586 : 500-501

Coralliophila bathus n. sp.

Fig. 18

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype (dd) MNHN 20200 and 3 paratypes (1 lv, 2 dd) MNHN 20201-20203 .

TYPE LOCALITY. — North of New Caledonia, Grand Passage, 19°05’S, 163°29’E, 231-240 m [BATHUS 4: stn DW 934] .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — North of New Caledonia. BATHUS 225 m, 1 dd (paratype MNHN 20202 ); stn 1148, Secteur des Be- 4: stn DW 934, Grand Passage, 19°05’S, 163°29’E, 231-240 m, lep, 19°07’S, 163°30’E, 220 m, 1 dd (paratype MNHN 20203 ). 1 dd (holotype MNHN 20200 , Fig. 18), 1 lv (paratype MNHN Vanuatu. MUSORSTOM 8: stn CP 1099, 15°05’S, 167°11’E, 20201) . — LAGON: stn 500, Lagon Nord , 19°04’S, 163°30’E, 275-284 m, 1 lv .

DISTRIBUTION. — From north of New Caledonia and from Vanuatu, live in 240-275 m, empty shells in 220-231 m.

DESCRIPTION. — Shell of medium size for the genus, height 30.5 mm and width 20.5 mm, thick, inflated, pear-shaped.

Protoconch (eroded in the holotype) of 1.8 whorls, covered by pustules over its entire surface. Three series of axial threads appearing after one whorl, tending to fuse into collabral ribs on the last protoconch whorl.

Teleoconch of 6+ whorls (tip missing in the holotype). Spire moderately high, conical, with flat sides, suture not incised. Last whorl nearly half the total height, roundly inflated, with gently concave basal outlines, base not constricted. Aperture large, wide posteriorly, gently narrowing anteriorly. Outer lip finely crenulated, simple. Inner lip very gently arcuate posteriorly, columellar plate straight, callous. Siphonal canal broadly open; umbilical area moderately wide with imbricate fasciole, umbilical furrow narrrowly open. Teleoconch sculpture of closely set spiral cords with minute, densely packed imbricate scaly spines. Two cords on the first whorl, the adapical one slightly more elevated, giving a keeled appearance especially to the first whorls. Additional cords appearing as intermediate cordlets on successive whorls, gradually increasing in size. A total of 33 cords on the last whorl with 12 above the aperture. Axial sculpture of 9 broad prosocline ribs, vanishing toward the base.

Ground colour ivory white, inside of the aperture bright white. Operculum chestnut brown, oval in shape with latero-terminal nucleus.

REMARKS. — The new species is rather similar to C. inflata (Dunker, 1847) , which has coarser sculpture and a higher spire. Coralliophila nivea (A. Adams, 1853) has coarser axial and spiral sculpture, with more spaced out cords alternating regularly in size, and has clear axial sculpture, a proportionally smaller aperture and a higher spire. Coralliophila ovoidea (Kosuge, 1985) is more globose, has a larger, more oval aperture, coarser sculpture and a higher spire. Coralliophila vertigo (Kosuge, 1986) is more slender, has a slightly coarser sculpture, axial prosocline ribs not vanishing at the base and a proportionally smaller aperture. Coralliophila hotei Kosuge, 1985 and C. miyukiae Kosuge, 1985 have a more globose body whorl, a higher spire, coarser sculpture, a more nodulose appearance resulting from their stronger axial ribs and a more constricted base.

ETYMOLOGY. — The epithet bathus refers to the expedition (BATHUS 4) during which the holotype was collected and which itself derives from the Greek adjective meaning “deep”. Used as a noun in apposition.