Florivasum, Vermeij, 2024

Vermeij, Geerat J., 2024, Shell-based genus-level reclassification of the Family Vasidae (Mollusca: Neogastropoda), Zootaxa 5405 (4), pp. 526-544 : 530

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5405.4.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BAA61041-2F4E-48BB-8E19-BD67CB5532E6
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10603795
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EE383C17-FFA8-FF8D-FF48-FE35FEEBFF72
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Florivasum
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Genus Florivasum gen. nov.

Type species. Turbinella tubifera Anton, 1838 View in CoL ; Recent , Philippines ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ).

Diagnosis. Shell thick-walled, solid, spiny, large, up to 120 mm in length; spire high; axial sculpture consisting of long, adaperturally oriented ribs, forming high row of spines at shoulder angulation; all primary cords bearing spines or nodes, including two rows of higher spines toward base of last whorl; umbilicus present; aperture relatively broad; outer lip glazed at edge and on abapertural side; pouter lip posteriorly forming broad polished extension of aperture; outer lip smooth within; columella with three or four folds; inner lip forming narrow callus ventrally; protoconch large, cylindrical; siphonal canal dorsally directed.

Included species. Florivasum lactisfloris ( Ferrario, 1983) (see also Ferrario & Bozzetti 1991); F. stephanti ( Emerson & Sage 1988) ; F. tubiferum ( Anton, 1838) .

Etymology. Latin flora, flower; and Vasum .

Material examined. Florovasum stephanti : USNM 880233, Somalia. F. tubiferum : BMNH: Cuyo Island, Philippines; Vermeij collection: Palawan, Philippines; Olango Island, Philippines.

Remarks. Species of Florivasum are characterized by a high spire, large protoconch, a broadly open umbilicus, a fully glazed adult outer lip whose inner side is smooth, and a posteriorly flared area forming a polished extension of the aperture. All species have very long spines at the shoulder angulation. Florivasum shares with Vasum the presence of nodes on all primary spiral cords, but differs by being umbilicate, having adaperturally oriented axial ribs, and having a posteriorly glazed sector where the outer and inner lips meet. All species are subtidal, and two ( F. lactifloris and F. stephanti , both from Somalia) are deep-water species. Nothing is known of the biology of any of the species.