Vexillum sp.

Simone, Luiz Ricardo L. & Cunha, Carlo M., 2012, Taxonomic study on the molluscs collected in Marion-Dufresne expedition (MD 55) to SE Brazil: Xenophoridae, Cypraeoidea, mitriforms and Terebridae (Caenogastropoda), Zoosystema 34 (4), pp. 745-781 : 758

Vexillum sp.

( Fig. 5E, F )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Brazil, Espírito Santo, off Itaúnas, continental slope of Abrolhos, 18°59’S, 37°48’W, 607-620 m depth, MNHN, 1 broken shell ( MD 55, stn DC 73, Bouchet, Leal & Métivier coll., 27. V.1987).

MEASUREMENTS (in mm). — 8.4 × 5.0 (broken).

REMARKS

A single broken specimen of a typical Vexillum was collected, which does not correspond to any described species. It has strong axial threads, with practically no spiral sculpture, except for weak spiral furrows in threads, producing series of shallow nodes on the threads ( Fig. 5E, F ). The subsutural region of the threads is somewhat bulged and marked by a cream spot, differentiating it from the uniform dark beige of the remaining shell surface.The body whorl (practically the single region left) is not perfectly rounded, appearing slightly flattened in middle. These patterns are not indicative of any of the known species from the Atlantic, and possibly indicate a new species.However, based on the incompleteness of the single specimen collected, the description of a new taxon was considered premature.

Vexillum pulchellum (Reeve, 1844) has been collected in the Vitória-Trindade seamounts ( Rios 2009), but it is much more colourful and the whorls are much shorter and rounded, with welldeveloped sculpture in the interspaces of the axial threads. The same can be evoked if compared with V. histrio (Reeve, 1844) and V. trophonium (Dall, 1889) , which also occur in NE Brazilian coast.

Figures

FIG. 5. — Costellariids: A, Turricostellaria amphissa n. sp., holotype MNHN 25230, apertural view (L 4.6 mm); B, paratype MNHN 25231 (1), detail of apex, apertural view; C, same, dorsal view; D, paratype MZSP 102691 (1), apertural view (L 3.8 mm); E, Vexillum sp., MNHN (stn DC73), apertural view; F, dorsal view (L 8.4 mm); G, Turricostellaria jukyry n. sp., holotype MNHN 25232, dorsal view (L 12.3 mm); H, same, apertural view; I, same, detail of apical region in profile; J, same, detail of aperture, apertural-slightly right view; K, paratype MZSP 102858,apertural view (L 7.8 mm);L, Turricostellaria apyrahi n.sp.,paratype MNHN 25238,apertural view (L 17.9 mm); M, same, dorsal view; N, same, detail of apex in profile; O, paratype MZSP 102862, apertural view (L 15.9 mm); P, holotype MNHN 25234, detail of inner lip, apertural-slightly right view; Q, same,apertural view (L 23.7 mm); R, same, right view. Scale bar: C, 0.5 mm.