Herpetopoma, : Pilsbry, 1890

Herbert, D. G., 2012, A revision of the Chilodontidae (Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda: Seguenzioidea) of southern Africa and the south-western Indian Ocean, African Invertebrates 53 (2), pp. 381-381 : 443-444

Herpetopoma (s.l.)? naokoae Poppe, Tagaro & Dekker, 2006

Figs 35 , 36

Herpetopoma naokoae: Poppe et al. 2006: 37 , pl. 10, figs 1, 3. Type loc.: Punta Engaño, Mactan Is., Philippines.

Material examined: RÉUNION: off Ste-Marie (20.85°S 55.60°E), - 280–340 m, Marion-Dufresne 32, st’n

DC128, dredged, 1982; ditto (20.85°S 55.62°E), - 345–375 m, Marion-Dufresne 32, st’n DS131, dredged,

1982 ( MNHN). SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: off Neill Peak [Cunge Hill, 28.7400°S 32.5367°E] ,

- 320–340 m, sandy mud, dredged NMDP, RV Meiring Naude, st’n ZP5, 12.vi.1988 ( NMSA E6967).

Remarks: A small number of specimens closely resembling the Philippine H. naokoae have been dredged in the south-western Indian Ocean, off Réunion ( MNHN) and Zululand ( NMDP). Although extremely similar to H. naokoae , they have a less rounded apex and I am uncertain whether they are genuinely conspecific with that species. In the absence of more material, I can only identify them as H.? naokoae . No specimens have been taken alive in the south-western Indian Ocean, but one is fresh and shows the characteristic dirty buff and grey intritacalx deposit typical of many chilodontids. All others are uniform off-white. The protoconch is translucent white, globose and exsert, with a diameter of ca 285 μm; in the material available the surface is worn and sculptural detail not evident. The apical whorls of the teleoconch have a microsculpture of vermiform spiral threads that become more oblique and fragmented with growth, the adult microsculpture comprising a fine, irregular granulation.

Herpetopoma pruinosum ( Marshall, 1979) , from the Kermadec Ridge, is also similar but has a lower spire and a finer, more obviously cancellate sculpture.Additional similar, but more elongate specimens have been sorted from some of the same dredge samples collected off Réunion and are discussed below (see H. xeniolum ).

Figures

Fig. 35. Herpetopoma?naokoae (Poppe, Tagaro & Dekker, 2006): (A) off Neill Peak [Cunge Hill], KZN, length 4.2 mm (NMSA E6967); (B–F) off Ste-Marie, Réunion, -280–340 m, Marion-Dufresne 32, st’n DC128 (MNHN): (B) whole shell, length 4.05 mm; (C) aperture, bar = 0.5 mm (MNHN); (D) oblique view of shell apex, bar = 0.5 mm; (E) adult microsculpture, bar = 250 μm; (F) protoconch, bar = 200 μm.

Fig.36.Distribution of Herpetopoma?naokoae (triangles) and H.xeniolum(squares).Each symbol represents one or more records.