Cranopsis hycavis, Simone, Luiz Ricardo L. & Cunha, Carlo M., 2014

Simone, Luiz Ricardo L. & Cunha, Carlo M., 2014, Taxonomical study on the mollusks collected in Marion-Dufresne (MD 55) and other expeditions to SE Brazil: the Fissurellidae (Mollusca, Vetigastropoda), Zootaxa 3835 (4), pp. 437-468 : 443

Cranopsis hycavis new species

Figures 28–30

Types. Holotype MNHN 25292.

Type locality: Brazil. Espírito Santo; off Conceição da Barra, continental slope of Abrolhos, 18°59’S 37°50’W, 637 m (MD55, sta. CB76; Bouchet, Leal & Métivier col. 27/v/1987).

Diagnosis. Apex curved backwards, located in middle line in profile. Height ca. 75% of length; width ca. 80% of length. Sculpture of 36 radial cords, composed of aligned pustules. Foramen flanked by tall, projected edges; located towards dorsal, above ventral half of shell profile.

Description. Shell size 1.9 mm; tall, bluntly conical; height ca. 75% of length. Pure white. Protoconch of 1 convex, rounded whorl (Fig. 29); situated on right in posterior edge of apex; smooth, diameter 150 µm. Foramen cuneiform (pointed anteriorly), width ca. 25% of length; located dorsally, preceding anterior slope; ca. 10% of shell width, approximately 34% of shell length (Figs 28, 30). Groove anterior to foramen very narrow; flanked by pair of cords twice as wide as neighboring cords, forming wide, median thread. Shell profile steep; apex curved ventroposteriorly, located on posterior edge (in dorsal view); teleoconch of ca. 3/4 whorl; apical angle in lateral view ca. 50° (Fig. 29). Sculpture composed of 36 narrow radial cords surrounding beak (Figs 28, 29), composed of aligned small pustules; each cord gradually increasing in width towards aperture, and augmenting in number with shell size by intercalated cords; composed of aligned small pustules, slightly elevated, rounded, separated from neighbor pustules in line by space ca. 1/2 of its width; interspaces between successive radial cords ca. 3 times their width; ca. 40 pustules along cords close to median line. Selenizone well-marked, narrower than fissure; edges as tall as radial cords, continuation from those of fissure, projected dorsally, with sharp edges; lunules regularly distributed, closely spaced (Fig. 28). Aperture planar (Fig. 29), outline elliptical, width ca. 80% of length; edge simple. Inner surface smooth, glossy (Fig. 30). Septum ca. 50% of shell height; as high as wide, ventral edge slightly concave, ca. 40% of aperture width; gradually narrowing to posterior edge of fissure.

Measurements. Holotype: 1.9 by 1.4 mm.

Distribution. Known only from type locality.

Habitat. Sandy bottoms, 637 m (dead specimen).

Material examined. Only the holotype.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Paritintin native language, hykav, meaning few, little ( Betts 1981); an allusion to delicate few radial sculpture of the shell.