Nanaphora verbernei ( Moolenbeek & Faber, 1989 ) Moolenbeek & Faber, 1989

Fernandes, Maurício R. & Pimenta, Alexandre D., 2015, Five new species and two records of Triphorinae (Caenogastropoda, Triphoridae) from Brazil, Zootaxa 4012 (3), pp. 493-513 : 500-505

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4012.3.5

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3AAEBA6B-4914-4524-AD2B-5436AEB05AC7

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5686924

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038987C7-D41F-F855-5982-FAD7E685FD63

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Nanaphora verbernei ( Moolenbeek & Faber, 1989 )
status

comb. nov.

Nanaphora verbernei ( Moolenbeek & Faber, 1989) View in CoL comb. nov.

( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 )

Triphora verbernei Moolenbeek & Faber, 1989: 77 View in CoL , figures 6–8.

Cheirodonta verbernei: Rolán & Fernández-Garcés (1994 View in CoL : 20, figures 17–18, 22, 30 CV; 2007: 18, plate 1, figures 17–18, not the lapsus calami of Cosmotriphora verbernei at page 20).

Type material. Holotype: ZMA 3.89.0 13. Paratypes: ZMA 3.89.0 14 [19].

Type locality. Curaçao.

Material examined. Brazil: Alagoas state: MORG 33734, Jaraguá, Maceió, P.S. Cardoso coll. [4]. Bahia state: MZSP 64881, Salvador [1]; MORG 52591, Abrolhos, Eq. MORG coll., i/1985 [2]. Espírito Santo state: IBUFRJ 12884, REVIZEE C1-VV24 [1]; MNRJ 33982, 20º42’00”S, 40º24’28”W, Ilha Escalvada, Guarapari, 10–15 m, M.R. Fernandes & L.S. Souza coll., 12/x/2014 [1]; MNRJ 34029, 20º42’00”S, 40º24’28”W, Ilha Escalvada, Guarapari, W. Vieira coll., i/2013 [1]. Rio de Janeiro state: MNRJ 18756, 22º42’S, 40º40’W, 2006 [4]; MNRJ 33139, 22º42’S, 40º40’W [1]; IBUFRJ 19686, Praia da Figueira, Angra dos Reis [3]; UERJ 5792, 23º01’55”S, 44º22’44”W, 6 m, Ilha da Gipóia, 28/x/2003 [4]; UERJ 5181, 23º06’07”S, 44º11’27”W, 6 m, Ponta da Enseada, Ilha Grande, 01/xii/2003 [2]; UERJ 3792, 23º11’36”S, 44º38’37”W, 4.5 m, Praia Vermelha, Paraty, 18/xi/2003 [4]. São Paulo state: MZSP 85022, Ilha da Queimada Pequena, Itanhaém, 0-12 m [2].

Description. Shell sinistral, elongated, almost biconical/ovoid, profile slightly or overtly curvilinear, reaching 3.66 mm in length, 1.57 mm in width. Protoconch golden-brown; teleoconch with reddish-brown background, whitened nodules; first two whorls of teleoconch lighter in color than remaining whorls; adapical spiral cord usually somewhat darker than other cords, but it may well be somewhat lighter in other shells, especially on body whorl, or not having differences in coloration among spiral cords. Protoconch conical, 0.45–0.55 mm in length, 0.34–0.39 mm in width, with 4.5 to 5 convex whorls; embryonic shell dome-shaped, with a reticulated pattern of spiral and axial threadlets; larval shell with two spiral cords, adapical one initially weaker and returning to vanish in the last whorl, disappearing just before transition to teleoconch; about 32 almost rectilinear to slightly sigmoid axial ribs. Teleoconch with up to eight whorls; two spiral cords (adapical and abapical) on the first whorl, abapical one continuous with that of protoconch; median spiral cord emerges between end of fifth and seventh whorl, reaching same size as other cords after 0.75 to one whorl; 20 to 23 axial ribs, with undulating arrangement varying from slightly prosocline (nearly orthocline) to slightly opisthocline; large rounded nodules; suture barely distinct, with a small sutural cord; nodulose subperipheral and adapical basal cords, wavy abapical basal cord; two small supranumerical cords may develop near the peristome, one between median and abapical spiral cords, the other between abapical and subperipheral cords; aperture ovate; anterior canal curved backward/downward, being small and open, but crossed on its base by projection of outer lip; posterior canal as a deep sinus, almost detached from aperture in some cases.

Remarks. The original description of N. verbernei indicates that the adapical spiral cord of the larval shell emerges only on its second whorl. Amplified images of the protoconch ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 H; Rolán & Fernández-Garcés 1994: fig. 22) show that the adapical cord, although initially weaker than the abapical one, also emerges on the first larval shell whorl.

Maximum length of shells of N. verbernei from Brazil were very similar to Caribbean ones, reaching 3.66 mm and eight teleoconch whorls in the present study, but 3.50 mm ( Rolán & Fernández-Garcés 2007) or 3.20 mm ( Moolenbeek & Faber 1989) and seven teleoconch whorls in the Caribbean. Such dimensions make N. verbernei one of the smallest species of Triphoridae in the western Atlantic.

The type material of Cerithium exiguum C.B. Adams, 1850 , a species originally described from Jamaica, is lost ( Clench & Turner 1950). Following its original description, many similarities are shared with N. verbernei , like the ovoid shape of the shell, the “wax” coloration, presence of large nodules, a barely distinct suture, the short anterior canal and small shell dimensions (type material of C. exiguum reaches 2.29 mm in length, 0.89 mm in width). De Jong & Coomans (1988) recorded Triphora exigua (C.B. Adams) from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, emphasizing the indistinct suture and the completely or partly white adapical spiral cord on the body whorl (which can also occur with N. verbernei ), in addition to a maximum size of 3.7 mm in length and 1.3 mm in shell width; Díaz Merlano & Puyana Hegedus (1994) recorded T. exigua from Colombia. However, the brief original description of T. exigua also renders it similar to Sagenotriphora osclausum ( Rolán & Fernández-Garcés, 1995) , as mentioned by Lee (2009). To avoid taxonomic problems, Rolán & Fernández-Garcés (2007) considered T. exigua a nomen dubium. Material studied by De Jong & Coomans (1988) and Díaz Merlano & Puyana Hegedus (1994) needs to be taxonomically reevaluated, as they did not illustrate shells identified as T. exigua .

Moolenbeek & Faber (1989) described the embryonic shell of N. verbernei as smooth, but the protoconch of the holotype is polished by erosion ( Rolán & Fernández-Garcés 1994). Rolán & Fernández-Garcés (1994) described this embryonic shell as being covered by hemispheric tubercles, but the illustrated protoconch has a fracture zone that hampers a correct evaluation. In fact, the embryonic shell of N. verbernei is reticulated ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 I), contrary to the description of the genus Cheirodonta Marshall, 1983 , whose type species C. pallescens has an embryonic shell mainly covered by granules ( Marshall 1983, Bouchet 1985).

Besides differences in embryonic shell sculpture, the generic allocation of N. verbernei in Cheirodonta by Rolán & Fernández-Garcés (1994) raises other conflicts with C. pallescens , like differences in radular (especially in relation to the central tooth) and shell morphology ( N. verbernei with ovoid shell shape and nodulose subperipheral and adapical basal cords). In addition, all Caribbean species designated by Rolán & Fernández- Garcés (1994) and Rolán & Luque (1999) as Cheirodonta are smaller than 4.0 mm in shell length, instead of 8.0 mm in C. pallescens ( Bouchet 1985) . As previously mentioned, the Pacific species Cheirodonta labiata was also tentatively allocated in this genus ( Marshall 1983); in fact, it is more similar to the Caribbean species Cheirodonta apexcrassum Rolán & Fernández-Garcés, 1994 and Cheirodonta miskitorum Rolán & Luque, 1999 .

The paucispiral protoconch of the type species of Nanaphora , Nanaphora torquesa Laseron, 1958 , does not provide characters to suggest its affinities ( Marshall 1983), and this is worsened by its unknown radula. However, conchological characters cited for the genus by Laseron (1958) and Marshall (1983), like the ovoid shape, small length and barely distinct suture, point to an allocation of N. verbernei in this genus. The ovoid shape of most shells of N. verbernei ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 A, D) is an intermediate level between that of the type species (less ovoid) and that of Nanaphora albogemmata ( Laseron, 1958) (more ovoid).

Nanaphora View in CoL is possibly a polyphyletic genus, comprising species with different embryonic shell sculpture and larval shell with one or two spiral cords ( Marshall 1983). The affinity among the genera Nanaphora, Opimaphor View in CoL a and Cheirodonta View in CoL makes necessary a taxonomic revision of them to achieve a precise delimitation of each genus. Despite this, the following Caribbean species are herein transferred to Nanaphora View in CoL : N. apexcrassum View in CoL comb. nov., N. miskitorum View in CoL comb. nov. and Nanaphora decollata ( Rolán & Fernández-Garcés, 1994) View in CoL comb. nov.

Geographic distribution. Cuba ( Rolán & Fernández-Garcés 1994); Cayman Islands ( Rosenberg 2009); Puerto Rico ( Moolenbeek & Faber 1989); Grenada ( Rosenberg 2009); Bonaire and Curaçao (type locality); Brazil: Alagoas, Bahia to São Paulo (present study).

Bathymetric distribution. Intertidal to 90 m ( Moolenbeek & Faber 1989).

Nanaphora leei View in CoL sp. nov. ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 )

Type material. Holotype: MNRJ 34086, A. Bodart coll., ix/1993. Paratypes: Brazil: Rio de Janeiro state: MNRJ 29765, 22º42’S, 40º40’W, 2007 [2].

Other material examined. Brazil: Espírito Santo state: MNRJ 32645 [3], MNRJ 32653 [1], MNRJ 32665 [1]: 20º14’S, 40º12’W, vi/2008; MNRJ 31015, 20º47’S, 40º34’W, x/2008 [1]; MNRJ 31009, 20º47’S, 40º34’W, xi/ 2009 [1].

Type locality. Praia de Meaípe, 20–25 m, Guarapari, Espírito Santo state, Brazil.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Dr. Harry G. Lee, owing to his effort in the research of marine mollusks, including triphorids, and to the donation of shells (like the holotype of the present species) from his private collection.

Diagnosis. Shell large for the genus, but with a small-sized protoconch; median spiral cord emerges between eighth and ninth whorl of teleoconch.

Description. Shell sinistral, elongated, conical, profile slightly curvilinear, reaching 5.83 mm in length, 1.80 mm in width. Protoconch golden; teleoconch with brown to light brown background, whitened nodules; first two whorls of teleoconch lighter in color than remaining whorls; adapical spiral cord may be somewhat darker than other cords. Protoconch conical, 0.41–0.45 mm in length, 0.30–0.35 mm in width, with 4.5 convex whorls; embryonic shell dome-shaped, with a reticulated pattern of spiral and axial threadlets; larval shell with two spiral cords, adapical one weakening in last whorl and disappearing just before transition to teleoconch; about 36 slightly sigmoid axial ribs. Teleoconch with up to 11 whorls; two spiral cords (adapical and abapical) on the first whorl, abapical one continuous with that of protoconch; median spiral cord emerges in eighth whorl or between eighth and ninth whorl, as a very fine cord bordering the adapical one, but reaching same size than other cords after 1.5 to 2.5 whorls; 18 to 21 axial ribs, with undulating arrangement varying from slightly prosocline (or nearly orthocline) to slightly opisthocline; large rounded nodules; barely distinct suture, with a small sutural cord; nodulose subperipheral and adapical basal cords, wavy abapical basal cord; two supranumerical cords in the last whorl, one between median and abapical spiral cords, the other between abapical and subperipheral cords; aperture elliptical; anterior canal curved backward/downward, being small and open, but crossed on its base by projection of outer lip; posterior canal as a deep sinus, almost detached from aperture in some cases.

Remarks. Shells of Nanaphora leei sp. nov. can be barely separated in two groups: those shells with slightly larger and close nodules on the teleoconch, in addition to very nodulose subperipheral and adapical basal cords; and those with slightly smaller and separate nodules on the teleoconch in addition to equally or less nodulose subperipheral and adapical basal cords. The first group is represented by the type material ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A–C), and the second usually consists of worn material, listed as additional material examined ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D). Notwithstanding, we believe that they are the same species.

Nanaphora leei shares many features with N. verbernei , like the presence of large nodules, barely distinct suture, short base and anterior canal, nodulose subperipheral and adapical basal cords, undulating axial ribs, and similar coloration. Differences include the length of the adult shell (reaching 5.83 mm in N. leei , 3.66 mm in N. verbernei ), length of the protoconch (0.41–0.45 mm in N. leei , 0.45–0.55 mm in N. verbernei ), shape of the shell ( N. leei is never ovoid as some shells of N. verbernei ), and emergence of the median spiral cord (between eighth and ninth whorl in N. leei , between end of fifth to seventh whorl in N. verbernei ). Nanaphora leei also presents a restricted geographic distribution.

Nanaphora decollata View in CoL is also similar to N. leei View in CoL and is reported only from the Caribbean; N. decollata View in CoL is smaller (up to 3.95 mm in length), having a darker protoconch, granulose embryonic shell (not reticulated as in N. leei View in CoL ), and different coloration. Monophorus ateralbus Rolán & Fernández-Garcés, 1994 View in CoL , also reported only from the Caribbean, has a very heterogeneous teleoconch coloration (brown adapical and median spiral cords, white abapical cord) and earlier emergence of the median cord (between the sixth and seventh whorls). Shells of N. leei View in CoL with broken apices may resemble Coriophora novem ( Nowell-Usticke, 1969) , a western Atlantic species (illustrations in Rolán & Fernández-Garcés 1995 and Fernandes et al. 2013); differences are related to color of nodules (whitened in N. leei View in CoL , violet/greyish in C. novem ), suture (less distinct in N. leei View in CoL ), and shape of axial ribs (undulating in N. leei View in CoL , severely opisthocline in C. novem ).

Laseron (1958) proposed that the genus Nanaphora View in CoL has shells less than 5.0 mm in length. With the exception of Nanaphora truncis Laseron, 1958 View in CoL (reaching up to 6.0 mm), N. leei View in CoL is the largest species of the genus, reaching 5.83 mm in shell length.

Geographic distribution. Brazil: Espírito Santo to Rio de Janeiro.

Bathymetric distribution. 20 to 25 m.

Triphora View in CoL ” Blainville, 1828

Synonymy. Tristoma Menke, 1830 View in CoL

Triphoris Deshayes, 1832 (orthographic variant), non Triforis Deshayes, 1834 View in CoL (based on Marshall 1983).

Type species. Triphora gemmatum Blainville, 1828 ; monotypy. Recent, Mauritius.

Remarks. See Marshall (1983) for considerations about the taxonomic use of “ Triphora ” s. l. as a “catch-all” taxon. The genus has up to now 171 species worldwide (Bouchet 2014), 30 in the western Atlantic ( Rosenberg 2009).

ZMA

Universiteit van Amsterdam, Zoologisch Museum

MZSP

Sao Paulo, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo

MNRJ

Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Mollusca

Class

Gastropoda

Family

Triphoridae

Genus

Nanaphora

Loc

Nanaphora verbernei ( Moolenbeek & Faber, 1989 )

Fernandes, Maurício R. & Pimenta, Alexandre D. 2015
2015
Loc

Cheirodonta verbernei: Rolán & Fernández-Garcés (1994

Rolan 1994: 20
1994
Loc

Triphora verbernei

Moolenbeek 1989: 77
1989
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