Triforis crassula Martens, E. von, 1880

Albano, Paolo G. & Bakker, Piet A. J., 2016, Annotated catalogue of the types of Triphoridae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the Museum fuer Naturkunde, Berlin, with lectotype designations, Zoosystematics and Evolution 92 (1), pp. 33-78 : 50-51

Taxon classification Animalia Caenogastropoda Triphoridae

Triforis crassula Martens, E. von, 1880 Figure 19

Triforis crassula Martens, E. von, 1880: 282, plate XXII, figure 1.

Type specimens.

Lectotype: ZMB/Moll no. 31774a, here designated. Paralectotypes A-D: ZMB/Moll no. 31774b-e.

Type locality.

"Mauritius, im Sand".

Original description.

Testa ventricosa, conico-ovata, granulis supra suturam biseriatis, fusconigricans, apice pallide flavescente; anfr. circa 6, sat celeriter crescents, ultimus angustus, basi liris circa 3 granosis cinctus, apertura parva, simplice.

Long. 2½, diam. 1⅓, apert. ⅔ mm.

Mauritius, im Sand, Prof. Möbius.

Der obere Gürtel ist öfters heller gefärbt, aschgrau. Obgleich nur unvollkommene Exemplare vorliegen, so ist der Gesammthabitus doch so eigenthümlich, dass ich ihnen einen Artnamen nicht versagen wollte. Nächstverwandt sind Triforis pupaeformis Desh. moll. de Reunion pl. 12, fig. 3, 4, welche durch die helle Färbung und die ungekörnte Basis sich unterscheidet, und Triforis atomus Issel malacologia del mar rosso pl. 4, Fig. 4, p. 280 fossil und noch kleiner, 1½ mm lang, ¾ breit.

Translation.

Inflated shell, ovate cone shaped, with two series of tubercles above the suture, deep brown with apex light yellowish; approximately 6 whorls, which grow fast, the last whorl is smaller, the base has 3 tubercled spiral cords, the aperture is small and simple. Length 2½ mm, diameter 1⅓ mm, aperture ⅔ mm. Mauritius, in sand, Prof. Möbius. The first thread is often light ash-grey of colour. Although, only imperfect specimens are present, the overall look of the specimens are so unusual, that I could not leave them without a name. Related species are Triforis pupaeformis Desh. (Moll. de Reunion pl. 12, fig. 3, 4), which is distinguishable by its light colouring and base without tubercles, and Triforis atomus Issel (Malacologia del Mar Rosso pl. 4, fig. 4, p. 280) which is a fossil species and even smaller, 1½ mm in length and ¾ in width.

Diagnosis.

Lectotype height 2.4 mm. Shell oval, with the last whorl of smaller diameter than the penultimate one. Teleoconch of six whorls, which have two tubercled spiral cords; a fine spiral microsculpture is present between the cords (Fig. 19 D). A third tubercled spiral cord present on the last whorl. The base with two further smooth spiral cords. Whorls rather flat. Due to the overall bad conditions of the specimens, it is not easy to observe the peristome, which, however, seems to have additional spiral cords. The apex is missing. The first teleoconch whorls are yellowish; the rest of the shell is brown with grey tubercles.

Remarks.

The lot contains also two triphorid specimens belonging to a distinctly different species, and five cerithiopsids, all quite worn.