Paradentalium kabati, Scarabino, 2008

Scarabino, Victor, 2008, New species and new records of scaphopods from New Caledonia, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 215-268 : 222-223

Paradentalium kabati n. sp.

Figs 1g, 2e

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype (lv) MNHN 20072 and 3 paratypes (1 lv, 2 dd) MNHN 20073-20075 .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Vanuatu, 16°40’S, 168°04’E, 450-489 m [MUSORSTOM 8: stn DW 1048] .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — North of New Caledonia. BATHUS 124-130 m, 1 lv (paratype MNHN 20074 ); stn DW 1048, 4: stn DW 941, Grand Passage, 19°02’S, 163°27’E, 270 m, 1 dd 16°40’S, 168°04’E, 450-489 m, 2 lv (holotype MNHN 20072 (paratype MNHN 20075 ). and 1 paratype MNHN 20073 ) .

Vanuatu. MUSORSTOM 8: stn DW 1021, 17°43’S, 168°37’E,

DISTRIBUTION. — North of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, live in 130-450 m.

DESCRIPTION. — Shell up to 50 mm long, solid, polished, posterior 1/2 yellow-cream, anterior 1/2 translucent. Strongly curved. Six primary angle-edged ribs, the 3 distributed on the dorsal side being larger and further apart than those on the ventral side, giving a characteristic section shape to the posterior 3/4 of the shell; ribs less prominent near the aperture in mature specimens, aperture becoming subcircular. Secondary ribs present on the posterior 1/3 of the shell, disapearing earlier on the ventral side, giving a smooth, shiny surface to the aperture. Intercostal spaces smooth. Apex with short notch, section slightly irregularly compressed dorsoventrally.

Measurements of holotype: L 50, W 3, w 0.7, arc 5 at 20 mm from apex.

REMARKS. — Compared with P. rudoi Scarabino, 1995 , from the western Indian Ocean, P. kabati is more strongly curved (5 mm arc, vs. 2.8 mm in P. rudoi ), its colour is only obvious on the posterior 1/2, and it is less solid, more tapering and strongly sculptured. Both have a similar transverse section and their ribs weaken in the same manner.

ETYMOLOGY. — Named after Alan Kabat, bibliographer extraordinaire and author with Gerhard Steiner of the reference list of scaphopod names ( Steiner & Kabat 2004).