Talassia laevapex, Hoffman & Freiwald, 2022

Hoffman, Leon & Freiwald, André, 2022, A review of Atlantic deep-water species in the genus Talassia (Caenogastropoda, Vanikoridae), European Journal of Taxonomy 819, pp. 140-157 : 149-151

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2022.819.1785

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1BED4F4B-ED7A-43CB-ABC5-0173D7F93C41

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6567429

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/DBCBECED-6660-4330-8074-1D5D4F524D1F

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:DBCBECED-6660-4330-8074-1D5D4F524D1F

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Talassia laevapex
status

sp. nov.

Talassia laevapex View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DBCBECED-6660-4330-8074-1D5D4F524D1F

Figs 31–43 View Figs 31–43

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the smooth protoconch.

Type material

Holotype MAURITANIA – Tamxat Mounds • 1 shell ( Figs 36–39 View Figs 31–43 ); 17.5410° N, 16.6666° W; depth 486 m; 15 Nov. 2010; box core in coral rubble with silty mud; MSM16/3-GeoB14905 ; SMF358967 About SMF . GoogleMaps

Paratypes MAURITANIA – Tamxat Mounds • 2 shells ( Figs 34–35, 40–43 View Figs 31–43 ); same collection data as for holotype; SMF358968 About SMF GoogleMaps 13 shells; same collection data as for holotype; SMF358969 About SMF GoogleMaps 4 shells; 17.5427° N, 16.6634° W; depth 510 m; 15 Nov. 2010; box core in coral rubble with silty mud; MSM16/3-GeoB14904 ; SaM79757 . GoogleMaps

Other material examined

MAURITANIA • 1 shell; Arguin South 3 Canyon; 19.7378° N, 17.1459° W; depth 493 m; 7 Nov. 2010; bottom grab in silty mud; MSM16/3-GeoB14860 ; SaM79747 GoogleMaps 3 shells ( Figs 31–33 View Figs 31–43 ); Banda Mounds ; 17.6794° N, 16.6684° W; depth 450 m; 8 Jan. 2007; box core in coral rubble with mud; POS346- GeoB11579 ; SaM79753 GoogleMaps .

Description

Elevated shell with rounded whorls, fine irregular axial sculpture, flexuous lip and smooth, glossy translucent protoconch, cream white. Holotype dimensions: height 2.2 mm, width 1.1 mm, apical angle 34°.

PROTOCONCH. Elevated paucispiral shell with globular nucleus and 1¼ whorls ( Figs 33, 35, 37 View Figs 31–43 ); smooth, numerous shallow micro pits visible under high magnification; faint spiral lines below upper suture in last part whorl; lip straight yet oblique at 17° with spire axis ( Fig. 35 View Figs 31–43 ); width 0.35 mm.

TELEOCONCH. Elevated spire with 3 rounded whorls and deep suture ( Figs 31–32, 34, 36, 40–41 View Figs 31–43 ). Axial sculpture coarse with numerous irregularly spaced flexuous growth lines; opisthocline below upper suture. Many spiral lines composed of aligned raised dots and dashes ( Figs 38–39, 42–43 View Figs 31–43 ); fine on the first whorl, coarser and more irregular on subsequent whorls. Narrow, deep, elongated umbilicus at base body whorl partly covered by parietal lip ( Figs 31–32, 36, 40–41 View Figs 31–43 ).

APERTURE. Oval outline, flattened on parietal side; smooth inside ( Figs 31–32, 36, 40 View Figs 31–43 ). Parietal and columellar lip sharp; external lip not thickened, blunt, flexuous with notches above the periphery and at base ( Fig. 41 View Figs 31–43 ). Aperture height 0.9 mm.

VARIABILITY. The growth lines on teleoconch vary in roughness. Occasionally, umbilical slit is nearly closed. The observed range for apical angle is 34°–36°. No variability observed in adult height (2.2 mm).

Distribution

NE Atlantic Ocean, Mauritania, latitude 17.5°– 19.8° N, known depth range 450– 510 m.

Remarks

The radula and the soft parts of the new species are unknown. Only empty shells were found in or near coral debris with silty or muddy sand.

Differential diagnosis

All hitherto known NE Atlantic species have a protoconch sculpture with spiral lines composed of raised dots and dashes. Talassia dagueneti shows an axial sculpture of regular raised flexuous riblets on the teleoconch and finely aligned spirals of raised beads on the protoconch ( Warén & Bouchet, 1988; Fig. 5 View Figs 1–11 ) whereas T. laevapex sp. nov. has finer irregular growth lines ( Figs 38–39, 42–43 View Figs 31–43 ) and a smooth protoconch ( Figs 33, 35, 37 View Figs 31–43 ). Talassia tenuisculpta has similar fine growth lines and spiral lines as the new species but its protoconch has a clear spiral sculpture of raised dotted lines (de Folin 1873; Warén & Bouchet 1988; Figs 9–10 View Figs 1–11 ). Talassia coriacea is larger and has a large pyriform aperture ( Warén & Bouchet 1988; Fig. 1 View Figs 1–11 ). Talassia philippeswinneni has a protoconch with shallow micro-pits and its teleoconch has spiral cords (Rolán & Swinnen 2016: 120–124, figs 1–4). Talassia coriacea and T. philippeswinneni live on the shelf whereas the new species is found on the upper bathyal slope.

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