Taxon classification Animalia Mesogastropoda Diplommatinidae

Moussonia acuta sp. n. Figs 53-54

Type material.

Holotype MNHN IM-2000-27435, paratypes MNHN/35 IM-2000-27436, NMBE 516853/5. Type locality: Fiji, Lau Islands, Yacata (= Yathata), forest on limestone, 5-10 m, -17.2584 -179.5096, leg. Bouchet, 05.03.1999.

Material.

Lau Islands, Yagasa Levu, south point of island, forest on limestone, 20-50 m, -18.952 -178.4533, leg. Bouchet, 11.03.1999, MNHN/2.

Etymology.

Latin adjective acutus, -a, -um = pointed.

Diagnosis.

Elongate acute shell, very small aperture,> 8 rounded whorls, both parietal lamellae thread-like, palatalis missing.

Description.

Shell dextral, small, elongate turreted, deep reddish brown; protoconch of 2 whorls, smooth; teleoconch of> 8 well rounded whorls, almost smooth, only a few faint, widely spaced riblets; suture deep; last whorl not ascending before aperture; aperture very small, attached to last whorl, obliquely rounded, peristomial rim reinforced by a strong labial callus, columellar side with a strong columellaris; umbilicus slightly open; internal lamellar system with one columellaris, two parietal lamellae and one palatalis; columellaris a thin lamella, without undulation at its end above the aperture; inner parietalis a long thread-like lamella, slightly overlapping with the second low parietalis; palatalis missing.

Operculum unknown.

Measurements.

Holotype (Fig. 53): H = 2.08; D = 0.85; PH = 0.49; PD = 0.51; W = 8.5.

Distribution

(Fig. 171). Two islands in the Lau archipelago.

Remarks.

Moussonia acuta sp. n. is unmistakable because of its very narrow shell form, which is unique among Fiji Diplommatinidae .