Compressidens, Pilsbry & Sharp, 1897

Scarabino, Victor, 2008, New species and new records of scaphopods from New Caledonia, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 215-268 : 266

publication ID	978-2-85653-614-8
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/723F87BF-FFC4-FFDC-FE84-B230FC3DF8E7
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Compressidens
status	n. sp.

Treatment

Compressidens View in CoL (?) caecum n. sp.

Figs 3q, 4p

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype (dd) MNHN 20152 View Materials and 6 paratypes (dd) MNHN 20153-20154 View Materials .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia proper. BIOCAL: 360-419 m, 1 dd; stn DW 1106, 15°05’S, 167°12’E, 305-314 m, stn DW 44, 22°47’S, 167°14’E, 440 m, 6 dd (holotype MNHN 1 View Materials dd (paratype MNHN 20154 View Materials ). GoogleMaps

20152 and 5 paratypes MNHN 20153). Wallis Island. MUSORSTOM 7: stn DW 523, 13°12’S, Vanuatu. MUSORSTOM 8: stn DW 1065, 16°16’S, 167°21’E, 176°16’W, 455-515 m, 1 dd.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Southern New Caledonia, 22°47’S, 167°14’E, 440 m [BIOCAL: stn DW 44] GoogleMaps .

DISTRIBUTION. — Southern New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Wallis Island, shells in 314-455 m.

DESCRIPTION. — Shell up to 3.9 mm long, strongly curved, translucent grey. Section dorso-ventrally compressed throughout. Apical callus conspicuous, lumen circular with short pipe extending from apex. Sculptured with 16 primary ribs slightly protruding, giving coronate aspect to apex. Secondary ribs between primary ribs appear a short distance from apex, and all ribs reach similar thickness at the thin-walled mouth.

Measurements of holotype: L 3.9, W 0.6, w 0.35-0.40.

REMARKS. — As no specimen was taken alive, the taxonomic position will remain uncertain until the radula is known. The general shape and dorso-ventral compression throughout the shell length suggest a position in Compressidens , but the apical callus and the overall structure match those of some longitudinally sculptured Dentaliidae . However, as the primary ribs protrude slightly, obscuring the apical position of the callus, I regard this character of the shell as more important than the presence of ribs (“riblets” in the genus description) in terms of assigning this species to the correct genus.

ETYMOLOGY. — From its resemblance to the gastropod genus Caecum.