Coralliophila cancellarioidea Oliverio 2008, n. sp.

Coralliophila cancellarioidea n. sp.

Figs 26, 27

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype (dd) MNHN 20206 and 4 paratypes (dd) MNHN 20207-20209.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Southern New Caledonia, Ile des Pins, 22°52’S, 167°16’E, 530-541 m [BATHUS 2: stn DW 720].

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia proper. BATHUS 2: CAL: stn DW 43, 22°46’S, 167°15’E, 400 m, 1 dd (paratype stn DW 720, 22°52’S, 167°16’E, 530-541 m, 3 dd (holotype MNHN 20208). — SMIB 4: stn DW 59, 22°58’S, 167°23’E, 620- MNHN 20206, Fig. 26, and paratypes MNHN 20207). — BIO- 650 m, 1 dd (paratype MNHN 20209, Fig. 27).

DISTRIBUTION. — Only known from the type locality (southern New Caledonia), shells only in 400-620 m.

DESCRIPTION. — Shell of 6.3 whorls, of medium size for the genus, height 21.5 mm, width 14 mm, thick, sligthly inflated ovate-conical, stepped below the suture.

Protoconch (eroded in holotype) of 1.7 whorls. Three keels visible on final part of larval shell of a paratype; pustules cover surface of first whorl.

Teleoconch of about 4.6 whorls. Spire conical, turriculate, with flat sides, suture incised. Last whorl with swollen periphery, basal outlines concave, base very slightly constricted. Aperture oval, wide, roundly inflated. Outer lip crenulated on exterior, smooth internally. Inner lip thin, arcuate posteriorly, sinuous anteriorly, callous. Siphonal canal of moderate length, open, slightly twisted; umbilical area wide, with large imbricate fasciole, umbilical furrow widely open.

Teleoconch sculpture of close spiral cords and intermediate cordlets, bearing packed imbricate scaly spines. Three major cords starting as very weak keels on first whorl, gradually increasing in strength. Intermediate cordlets of smaller size appearing irregularly between pre-existing cords and gradually increasing in size. On ramp between adapical cord and suture, first cord appearing on third whorl, a second intermediate one on fourth whorl. A total of 19 primary cords and 7 secondary cords on last whorls, with 6 primary cords visible above aperture.

Axial sculpture of faint prosocline ribs, becoming reduced toward base, producing a clathrate appearance where they cross with the spiral cords. Twelve or more ribs on first 1.6 teleoconch whorls, 19 on next whorl, 16 on penultimate whorl and 12 on last whorl. Microsculpture of irregular scaly growth lines over the shell surface.

Shell ground colour white, inside aperture bright white.

Animal and operculum unknown.

REMARKS. — Paratypes of lengths 17.1, 20.7, 21.8 and 23.2 mm. Coralliophila cancellarioidea is similar to C. xenophila n. sp., but differs in its stepped shoulder and more clathrate sculpture. From C. squamosissima (Smith, 1876) it differs in its stepped shoulder and finer sculpture. Coralliophila cancellarioidea is also similar to Hirtomurex isshikiensis (Shikama, 1971). The latter has a thicker shell, less stepped subsutural ramp, and is more elongate anteriorly. Hirtomurex basileus (Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1896) from the northeast Atlantic has coarser sculpture, a more stepped spire, more regularly alternating spiral cords, a narrower umbilicus and a narrower and less inflated aperture.

ETYMOLOGY. — The epithet cancellarioidea refers to the similarity in shell appearance to a member of the family Cancellariidae.