Belomitra reticulata, Kantor & Puillandre & Rivasseau & Bouchet, 2012

Kantor, Yuri I., Puillandre, Nicolas, Rivasseau, Audrey & Bouchet, Philippe, 2012, 3496, Zootaxa 3496, pp. 1-64 : 58-59

Belomitra reticulata new species

Figures 11, 35

Type material: holotype MNHN 24487 (measurements: SL 41.1 mm, BWL 25.5, AL 19.1, SW 12.5 mm) .

Type locality: Fiji, Lau Group, Yagasa I., 19º01’S, 178º26’W, 395–540 m, 10 March 1999 [BORDAU 1 sta. DW1486] .

Material examined: TONGA. BORDAU 2 , sta . DW1538 , 21º39’S, 175º19’W, 471–508 m, 1 dd; sta . DW1545 , 21º17’S, 175º17’W, 444–447 m, 1 dd; sta . DW1547 , 21º24’S, 175º18’W, 488–491 m, 1 dd; sta . DW1549 , 20º38’S, 175º00’W, 500 m, 5 dd; sta . DW1552 , 20º38’S, 174º58’W, 491–500 m, 1 dd; sta . DW1586 , 18º34’S, 173º55’W, 440–487 m, 1 dd; sta . DW1617 , 2303 ’S, 176º18’W, 627–656 m, 1 dd; sta . DW1618 , 24º13’S, 176º18’W, 627–656 m, 2 dd ;

FIJI. BORDAU 1 , sta . DW1408 , 16º02’S, 179º30’W, 550–561 m, 2 dd; sta . DW1459 , 17º18’S, 179º33’W, 820–863 m, 1 dd subadult; sta . DW1486 , 19º01’S, 178º26’W, 395–540 m, 1 dd (holotype) .

NEW CALEDONIA. SMIB 4 , sta . DW58 , 23º00’S, 167º24’E, 480–560 m, 1 dd; NORFOLK 2, sta . DW2156 , 22º54’S, 167º15’E, 468–500 m, 1 dd .

CORAL SEA. MUSORSTOM 5 , sta. 355, 19º36’S, 158º43’E, 580 m, 1 dd ;

EBISCO, sta. DW2585 , 19º35’S, 158º43’E, 543–544 m, 4 dd; sta. DW2598 , 19º43’S, 158º41’E, 496–505 m, 1 dd; sta. DW2603 , 19º36’S, 158º43’E, 570– 568 m, 1 dd ;

Description (holotype, Fig. 35A–D): Shell large, solid, fusiform, with high, elevated spire, consisting of 1.5 protoconch and 8.5 convex teleoconch whorls. Protoconch globose, sculptured by very thin closely spaced spiral threads, 950 µm in diameter, height 710 µm. Protoconch-teleoconch transition marked by an orthocline rib, after which the definitive sculpture appears. Suture deeply impressed, nearly canaliculate. Last whorl high, 0.62 of SL, strongly and evenly convex. Subsutural ramp present on early teleoconch whorls, narrow and concave, nearly absent on subadult and adult whorls, adapical part of whorls nearly flat. Beside numerous growth lines, axial sculpture consisting of narrow, closely spaced, and very weakly recurved, orthocline ribs. Number of ribs increasing from 14 on first teleoconch, to 31 on penultimate, and 42 on last whorl, extending over total whorl height on spire whorls and to canal on last whorl, more pronounced on adapical teleoconch whorls, and on last whorls resembling rows of rounded beads at intersection with spiral cords. Spiral sculpture of distinct, low, narrow cords, alternating in width and covering entire shell surface except subsutural ramp of adapicalmost three teleoconch whorls (but present on ramp of subsequent whorls). Subsutural cord on adapical teleoconch whorls larger than others, about 20 cords on penultimate and 45 on last whorl, on canal wider and more broadly spaced. Aperture medium high, 0.46 of SL, narrow-elongate, gradually passing into short and broad siphonal canal, slightly recurved to left. Outer lip thin, very slightly concave adapically, and convex and evenly rounded abapically. Columella slightly convex, with five poorly developed plaits, adapical smallest, seen when shell is slightly rotated counter-clockwise ( Fig. 35D). Callus narrow, of thin transparent glaze overlying parietal region. Siphonal notch absent. Shell colour greyish-yellow. Periostracum very thin, peeling and absent on most shell surface, smooth.

Distribution: from Tonga and Fiji to New Caledonia and the Coral Sea, shells only in 395–656 m ( Fig. 11).

Etymology: From the Latin adjective reticulatus meaning netted, with reference to the shell sculpture. Remarks: Specimens from Fiji and Tonga are rather similar in shell outline and sculpture; on some specimens, the subsutural ramp is more pronounced due to concavity of whorl profile. Specimens from New Caledonia and Coral Sea ( Fig. 35E–G) have thicker, more lightly coloured (nearly white) shells, with more robust, reticulated sculpture. In the absence of molecular data, we consider populations from New Caledonia and the Coral Sea to be conspecific with those from Fiji and Tonga. The species is well defined by the large fusiform shell with reticulated sculpture, and weak columellar plaits.