Benthofascis sarcinula ( Hedley, 1905 )

Tucker, J. K., Tenorio, M. J. & Stahlschmidt, P., 2011, The genus Benthofascis (Gastropoda: Conoidea): A revision with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 2796 (1), pp. 1-14 : 5-6

Benthofascis sarcinula ( Hedley, 1905)

Figures 1 , G–N

Type material. Holotype is AMS C.19871, shell length 7 mm, shell width 4 mm.

Type locality. 111 fm, 12.5 miles E of Cape Byron , New South Wales, Australia

Other specimens. AMS C.372578 1 specimen from 73–91 m, off Bittangabee Bay , New South Wales, 37º13'S, 150º2'E ; AMS C.372572 1 specimen from 26 m, N. Collaroy, off Long Reef, Sydney, New South Wales, 33º45'S, 151º19'E ; USNM 902893 , 2 specimens from Victoria, Australia ; USNM 902892 , 1 specimen from Lakes Entrance , Gippsland Lakes, Victoria, Australia .

Range. New South Wales and Victoria, Australia .

Description. Shell small, solid, ovate-fusiform. Color, pale yellow, with a rusty tinge at the suture. Whorls, three and a half, including a protoconch of one flat whorl. Sculpture, on the protoconch fine spiral grooves, continued on the adult as broad, shallow furrows, which are broadest at the suture becoming smaller and closer anteriorly. On the last whorl are twenty-two spiral ribs, on the penultimate six; the latter are latticed by fine radial riblets. The whole shell is crossed by fine arcuate growth lines. Aperture narrow, sinus deep, lip thin, straight, produced medially, edges crenulated by the sculpture. No callus on the inner lip. Columella broad and twisted; canal not produced. Length, 7 mm, breadth, 4 mm. (quoted from Hedley 1905, p. 53–54). The inner whorls are resorbed ( Fig. 1N ). The radula and operculum is not known.

Discussion. The species was described from a juvenile specimen only 7 mm long ( Figs. 1G & H ). Hedley was not certain about its generic identity having moved it from Bathytoma Harris & Burrows, 1891 to Apaturris Iredale, 1917 ( Hedley 1918) and later to Teleocheilus Harris, 1897 ( Hedley 1922). Cotton (1947) placed it in Benthofascis . Laseron (1954) left the species in Benthofascis . We examined three larger specimens identifiable as B. sarcinula (shell length 16.6 mm to 24.7 mm) in the collections of USNM ( Figs. 1I–N ). The morphology of their protoconchs ( Fig. 1K ), the resorbed inner whorls ( Fig. 1N ) and the rounded biconic shell shape ( Figs. 1L & M ) demonstrate that the species is a Benthofascis .

The species is closest to Benthofascis conorbioides ( Figs. 3A–D ) in shell shape but most similar to B. pseudobiconica ( Figs. 2E–K ) in morphology of the early teleoconch whorls. Both B. conorbioides and B. sarcinula have distinctly convex sides. The sutural ramps of early teleoconch whorls of all three species have axials and spirals equal in size. However, B. sarcinula has more numerous spirals (6+) than do B. conorbioides and B. pseudobiconica (3–4 spirals) on the sutural ramps of the first few teleoconch whorls. We conclude that B. sarcinula is a valid species of Benthofascis not conspecific with any of the other species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–C. Holotype of Benthofascis biconica (AMS C.016448, 35–37 m deep, Shoalhaven Bight, New South Wales, Australia), height 18 mm, width 8 mm, ventral (A) and side (B) views with enlargement of spire (C). D–E. Benthofascis biconica (AMS C.468235, 5.7 km E of Mistral Point, Sydney, New South Wales, 33º56.470'S, 151º19.630'E, 71–77 m deep), heigth 29.8 mm, width 10.7 mm, ventral view (D) and x-ray (E). F. Benthofascis biconica (AMS C.468235, same locality data as above), height 17.9 mm, width 7.7 mm. G–H. Holotype of Benthofascis sarcinula (AMS C.19871, 203 m deep, 20 km miles E of Cape Byron, New South Wales, Australia), height 7 mm, width 4 mm, ventral view (G) and an enlargement of the spire (H). I–K. Benthofascis sarcinula (USNM 902892, SSE of Lakes Entrance, Gippsland Lakes, Victoria, Australia), height 16.6 mm, width 7.4 mm, ventral (I) and lateral views (J) with an enlargement of the spire (K). L–N. Benthofascis sarcinula (USNM 902893, Victoria, Australia), height 24.6 mm, width 10.7 mm, ventral (L) and lateral (M) views and an x-ray (N). Scale bars represent 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. A–D. Holotype of Benthofascis angularis new species (MNHN 23067, 30 m deep, off Cape le Grande, Esperance, southwest Western Australia), height 27 mm, width 11.1 mm, ventral (A) and lateral (B) views with enlargement of spire (C) and an x-ray (D). E, F. Holotype of Benthofascis pseudobiconica new species (MNHN 23069, off Cape Moreton, Queensland, Australia), height 39.8mm, width 12.8 mm, ventral (E) and lateral (F) views. G.Paratype of Benthofascis pseudobiconica new species (ANSP 424978, 183 m deep, off Cape Moreton, S. Queensland, Australia), height 35.3 mm, width 11.8 mm, ventral view. H–K. Paratype of Benthofascis pseudobiconica new species (USNM 902891, South Australia, Australia) height 36.4 mm, width 12.4 mm, ventral (H) and lateral (I) views with an enlargement of the spire (J) and an x-ray (K). Scale bars represent 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. A–C. Holotype of Benthofascis conorbioides new species (MNHN 23068, trawled 80–120 m, off Mooloolaba, S. Queensland, Australia), height 38.7 mm, width 15.4 mm, ventral view (A), with an enlargement of the spire (B) and an x-ray (C). D. Paratype of Benthofascis conorbioides new species (SBMNH 424097, trawled on sand and rubble, 80–120 m, off Mooloolaba, S. Queensland, Australia) height 41.8 mm, width 17.0 mm, ventral view. E. Holotype of Benthofascis atractoides (SAMA T750A, Kent Town Bore, Clayey greensands, Janjukian?, L. Miocene), height 16.5 mm, width 6.5 mm (reproduced from Long, 1981, Pl. 6, Fig. 14, with permission), ventral view. F. Holotype of Benthofascis otwayensis (NMVM P42959, Point Flinders, Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia. Glen Aire Clay, U. Aldingan, L. Oligocene), height 19.75 mm, width 8.75 mm (reproduced from Long, 1981, Pl. 6, Fig. 15, with permission), ventral view. G. Paratype of Benthofascis lozoueti (NMSA L5679/T1867), South New Caledonia, N/O "Alis" campaign, Stn. DW 721, 22º54'S, 167º17'E, height 16.5 mm, width 7.2 mm, ventral view. H. Benthofascis lozoueti (MNHN IM200742331, 496 m deep, Norfolk Ridge, 22º50'S, 167º16'E), length 16.4 mm, width 7.0 mm, x-ray. I–K. Holotype of Benthofascis lozoueti (MNHN 3053, 530 m deep, Norfolk Ridge, 22º58'S, 167º20'E), height 21.5 mm, width 15 mm, ventral (I) and lateral (J) views with an enlargement of the spire (K). L. Paratype of Benthofascis lozoueti (AMS C.415308), 525–574 m deep, New Caledonia, 22º54'S, 167º17'E, height 17.5 mm, width 8.0 mm, ventral view. Scale bars represent 1 mm.