Clypeostoma meteorae ( Neubert, 1998 ) Herbert, 2012

Herbert, D. G., 2012, A revision of the Chilodontidae (Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda: Seguenzioidea) of southern Africa and the south-western Indian Ocean, African Invertebrates 53 (2), pp. 381-381 : 408-409

Clypeostoma meteorae ( Neubert, 1998) comb. n.

Figs 8 , 12A–E

Agathodonta meteorae: Neubert 1998: 465 , figs 4–7. Type loc.: ‘Bab al-Mandab’ [Bab-el-Mandeb] (12°21.4'N 43°26.9'E), - 45 m, Djibouti, Red Sea–Gulf of Aden .

Material examined: MADAGASCAR: South-west of Cap d’Ambre , Antsiranana (12.133°S 48.933°E), - 238–249 m , Campagne Miriky, st’n DW3196, dredged, 28.vi.2009 ( MNHN); off Mahajamba Bay (14.883°S

46.933°E), - 90–257 m, Campagne Miriky, st’n DW3245, dredged, 7.vii.2009 ( MNHN) ; East of Faux-Cap (25.633°S 46.217°E), - 128–133 m, Exped’n ATIMO VATAE, st’n CP3561, dredged Nosy Be 11, 6.v.2010 ( MNHN) ; between Lokaro and Ste Luce (24.865°S 47.467°E), - 80–83 m, Exped’n ATIMO VATAE, st’n DW3519, dredged Nosy Be 11, 30.iv.2010 ( MNHN) .

Remarks: Five shells matching the description of this little-known Red Sea–Gulf of Aden species were obtained during dredging surveys undertaken by the MNHN off Madagascar (Campagne Miriky and Exped’n ATIMO VATAE). In this material the aperture is clearly distinct from that of C. salpinx in having stronger columella teeth and a much less extensive inductural callus shield. There are also in-running ridges extending from the labral denticles into the aperture and the callus shield, though less extensive, bears superficial ridges in the parietal region and additional granules, particularly around the columella base. Like the original material of C. meteorae , these specimens have four spiral cords on the spire whorls, but 1–2 intermediary cords appear during the penultimate whorl such that the last adult whorl has 5–6 spiral cords above and including the peripheral one.

In terms of its apertural features, this Malagasy material is also close to C. cf. nortoni (see below) and C. townsendianum , but it is considerably smaller than both. The specimens all have mature apertural dentition and range in length from 5.3–6.9 mm. In addition, the protoconch is also smaller, diameter 220–240 µm (compared to 310–320µm for C. cf. nortoni ). Specimens at the smaller end of this size range show considerable similarity with Perrinia docili Poppe, Tagaro & Dekker, 2006 from the Philippines, which I strongly suspect may also belong to Clypeostoma .

Figures

Fig. 8. Distribution of Clypeostoma species in the south-western Indian Ocean. C. meteorae (squares), C. cf. nortoni (circles), C. reticulatum (cross) and C. salpinx (triangles). Each symbol represents one or more records.

Fig.12.Clypeostomaspecies:(A, B) C.meteorae (Neubert,1998),SW of Cap d’Ambre,Antsiranana,northern Madagascar, length 6.9 mm (MNHN); (C–E) C. meteorae, small specimen, off Mahajamba Bay, northern Madagascar, length 5.6 mm (MNHN); (F, G) Euchelus townsendianus Melvill & Standen, 1903, figured syntype, length 10.4 mm (NHMUK 1903.12.15.119); (H, I) C. cf. nortoni (McLean, 1984), west of Nosy Be, northern Madagascar, length 9.6 mm (MNHN); (J–L) C. cf. nortoni, large specimen, Sofala Bank, central Mozambique, length 14.6 mm (J. Rosado coll’n).