Splendrillia stellae, Fallon, Phillip J., 2016

Fallon, Phillip J., 2016, Taxonomic review of tropical western Atlantic shallow water Drilliidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea) including descriptions of 100 new species, Zootaxa 4090 (1), pp. 1-363 : 309-310

Splendrillia stellae , new species

( Plate 159 )

Type material. Holotype 7.6 x 2.5 mm, Frere Verberne! (ANSP 465011); 2 paratypes: 1 spec., 7.4 x 2.5 mm, Malmok beach, A.N. de Mann! 1960 (USNM 1291364); 1 spec., 7.2 x 2.5 mm, from harbor dredgings, Oranjestad, Aruba, F. Fredericus! (ANSP 349129).

Type locality. Aruba.

Range and habitat. Known only from Aruba.

Description. Shell small (to 7.6 mm in total length), narrowly fusiform (W/L approximately 0.33); highspired, body whorl approximately 57% of total length; with 7½ semi-translucent glossy convex whorls. Protoconch slightly more than 2 whorls, smooth, round but not bulbous. Axial sculpture of broad oblique ribs that terminate at the sulcus and evanesce on the shell base; present from sulcus to suture on spire whorls; 7–8 on penultimate and 5–6 on body whorl to varix. Spiral sculpture limited to ridges on anterior fasciole. Sulcus concave, forming a girdle at the suture about ¼ the height of the spire whorls; sculpture absent except for occasional rib traces and microscopic growth striae. Vari x hump-like about ⅓-turn from the edge of the outer lip. Outer lip thin, somewhat flattened from the varix, strengthened by 2 narrow axial folds; lip edge forming a low flattened arc from the anal sinus to the anterior canal; stromboid notch absent. Anal sinus on shoulder, deep, round, adjoins suture at its apex, behind a parietal lobe; sinus is offset laterally. Inner lip recumbent, thin, pinched, erect along the anterior canal anteriorly, with a parietal lobe posteriorly. Anterior canal short, open, deeply notched. Anterior fasciole not swollen; spiral ridges present. Color white.

Remarks. Taxonomy. Splendrillia stellae , new species has all the distinguishing characteristics of Splendrillia : ribs that terminate at the sulcus, anal sinus adjoining the suture, with outer lip joining the suture behind the parietal lobe (parietal lobe is relatively large in this species), and varix ⅓ the distance from the outer lip edge. Identification. Splendrillia stellae is easily distinguished from its congeners by its small size and narrow shell. Lissodrillia cabofrioensis , new species is similarly sized but a golden brown color, not white, and has a different shell form. Splendrillia stellae may be confused with Cerodrillia arubensis , new species which is similar in size and color but differs in having spiral grooves over the entire shell, and a longer anterior canal. From the members of the genus Leptadrillia it differs in having ribs that terminate at the sulcus, a varical hump, and shorter anterior canal. Similar distinctions separate S. stellae from members of the genus Syntomodrillia .

Etymology. Stella’s Splendrillia . Named after Stella Elizabeth Fallon, my granddaughter.

Figures

PLATE 159. Splendrillia stellae, new species. Figs. 1 – 3: holotype, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles (ANSP 465011). Fig. 1: ventral, lateral & dorsal views; Fig. 2: enlarged view of protoconch (not to scale); Fig. 3: apical view, V = varix, L = edge of outer lip. Figs. 4 – 5: paratypes. Fig. 4: Malmok, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles (USNM 1291364): ventral view; Fig. 5: Oranjestad, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles (ANSP 349129): ventral view.