Typhlosyrinx vepallida (Martens, 1902)

Bouchet, P. & Sysoev, A., 2001, Typhlosyrinx - like tropical deep-water turriform gastropods (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Conoidea), Journal of Natural History 35 (11), pp. 1693-1715 : 1696-1697

Typhlosyrinx vepallida (M artens, 1902)

(gures 1, 5–7)

Pleurotoma (Leucosyrinx) vepallida Martens, 1902: 240 .

Leucosyrinx vepallida: Martens, 1904: 89 , pl. 2, gure 6; Thiele, 1904: 174, pl. 4, gure 74. Pleurotoma (Surcula) vepallida: E. A. Smith, 1906: 162 .

Pleurotomella (Typhlosyrinx) vepallida: Thiele, 1925: 184 (218).

Typhlosyrinx vepallida: Powell, 1969: 360 , pl. 272, gure 1 [copied from Martens].

Type material. Holotype in ZMB 60096.

Type locality. G ulf of Aden, 13ss01¾N, 47ss10.9¾E, 1840 m [ Valdivia sta. 270]. Material examined. The holotype.

Distribution. The only certain record of T. vepallida is the type locality. Smith (1906) recorded the species from ‘ Investigator ’ sta. 281, oOE the Coromandel coast in 300 fms [550 m], and stated that the shell agreed ‘in all respects’ with the type. This specimen, which has not been illustrated, could not be located in BMNH (K. Way, personal communication) and may be in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India, in Calcutta; the specimen should be examined before the record is accepted. Powell (1969) also mentioned as T. vepallida a specimen from sta. 184 of the John Murray Deep-Sea Expedition (Gulf of Aden, 1270 m), which he did not illustrate or describe. In his study of the turrids of the John Murray Expedition, Sysoev (1996a) only found T. praecipua at that station; although it did not carry a label with Powell’s identi cation, it is highly probable that this is the specimen referred to by him and that his published identi cation was erroneous.

Description. The holotype measures 43.1 Ö16.4 mm and has eight preserved whorls; the protoconch and the rst teleoconch whorls are dissolved. Spire whorls angulated slightly below the middle. Suture narrowly channelled, especially on early whorls. Axial ribs starting at whorl angulation, present on all whorls except most of the last one, numbering nine and 14 on antepenultimate and penultimate whorls, respectively. Growth lines thickened abapically of suture to form numerous short folds, curved in correspondence with shape of anal sinus. Below periphery, whorls covered by wide, attened cords with narrow interspaces. Adapical part of whorls covered by strongly prosocline, irregular, sometimes branching, wrinkles. A thin, light yellowish beige periostracum is present.

Remarks. Typhlosyrinx vepallida is similar to T. praecipua but diOEers in having relatively strong spiral cords below whorl periphery and strong axial ribs on almost all whorls. In specimens of T. praecipua or T. supracostata of comparable size, the axial ribs do not even extend on to the entire penultimate whorl. A peculiar feature, which occasionally occurs also in T. supracostata , is the presence of subsutural prosoclinely arcuate wrinkles.