Vermeijius, Kantor & Fedosov & Snyder & Bouchet, 2018

Kantor, Yuri I., Fedosov, Alexander E., Snyder, Martin Avery & Bouchet, Philippe, 2018, Pseudolatirus Bellardi, 1884 revisited, with the description of two new genera and five new species (Neogastropoda: Fasciolariidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 433, pp. 1-57 : 45

Vermeijius gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F4D92EAC-3741-4B91-ACF0-61C1A8E2A116

Type species

Pseudolatirus pallidus Kuroda & Habe, 1961 , here designated.

Diagnosis

Shell medium-sized, adult size from 27 mm ( V. wallacei gen. et comb. nov.) to 60 mm ( V. pallidus gen. et comb. nov.), fusiform, strong but light, usually offwhite, with evenly convex to inflated teleoconch whorls, constricted shell base and long, straight or weakly sinuous canal. Protoconch paucispiral or multispiral (1.5–3.25 whorls). Axial sculpture of distinct narrow ribs, nearly coaxial, separated by broader (1–2 times) interspaces. Spiral sculpture of distinct cords, unequal in size, covering entire shell surface, major cords nodulose at intersection with axial ribs. Aperture broad, oval, relatively small, with smooth or weakly plaited columella (plaits correspond to spiral cords covered by columellar callus). Parietal knob present in some specimens.

Operculum spans entire aperture, with terminal nucleus.

Lateral teeth with 5–7 closely spaced, slightly curved cusps and much smaller, but distinct, innermost cusp. Outer anterior corner forms long distinct ‘handle’, tooth outline convex at transition from cusp side to ‘handle’. Central tooth small, rectangular, with three cusps. Narrow but distinct transverse folds of membrane situated serially between rows of lateral teeth.

Differential diagnosis

Vermeijius gen. nov. differs from Granulifusus and Okutanius gen. nov. in its uniformly coloured light shell with smooth or nearly smooth columella, more abruptly constricted shell base, producing a relatively narrow canal. The radula differs in having a proportionally broader central tooth. The molecular phylogenetic analysis clearly demonstrates the isolated position of the new genus as sister taxon to Chryseofusus .

Etymology

The genus is named after Geerat J. Vermeij from University of California at Davis in recognition of his immense contribution to malacology, including the taxonomy and biogeography of the Fasciolariidae . Gender masculine.

Genus composition

We include in the genus Pseudolatirus pallidus , Fusinus virginiae and Fusus ? retiarius ; additionally, Fusinus (Simplicifusus) guidonis Delsaerdt, 1995 from Somalia, Fusinus palmarium Hadorn & Fraussen, 2006 from eastern Australia and Fusinus wallacei Hadorn & Fraussen, 2006 were not sequenced, but are attributed to Vermeijius gen. nov. based on conchological similarities.