Pseudolibera elieporoii Sartori, Gargominy & Fontaine, 2014, sp. nov.

Pseudolibera elieporoii sp. nov.

Figures 30 C; 33; 36H; 38D; 39.

Examined material (93 specimens). Holotype: MNHN 25594, Mk04. Paratypes: MNHN 25595, 8 shells, Mk04. Additional material: 65 shells, Mk04; 9 shells, Mk09; 10 shells, Mk10.

Type locality. Moumu cave, Makatea (15.83347°S; 148.24933°W). Deposits inside cave. Limestone, alt. 30 m; station Mk04.

Diagnosis. Shell less than 7 mm in diameter, subdepressed, flammulated; apex and spire elevated; peripheral keel short, blunt; teleoconch sculptured by subequal axial and spiral ribs, not reduced on the shell base; palatal wall devoid of barriers; 1 parietal barrier extending 1⅛ whorl, not bifurcated.

Description. Shell subdepressed, dome-shaped, white, with regularly spaced, amber flammulations, often more conspicuous on shell base than apically. Shell wall thin to moderately robust, subpellucid to opaque; periostracum adherent, shiny. Apex and spire elevated; later whorls descending more rapidly. Apical suture adpressed; umbilical suture impressed at apex, adpressed approximately from the third whorl onwards. Whorls gently concave above and below short, blunt peripheral keel, transitioning into broadly convex toward the apical suture and shell base; junction of basal and columellar walls initially obtusely angled, developing a keel approximately from the fifth whorl onwards. Transition between protoconch and teleoconch indistinct. Protoconch sculptured by primary axial ribs, with interspaces 3–4 times their width, overlaid by a fine secondary sculpture of oblique, axial and spiral elements; oblique elements represented by irregular riblets on the first whorl, gradually transitioning into axial riblets with interspaces approximately equal to their width; spiral sculpture of the protoconch composed of fine lirae, with interspaces c. 2–3 times their width, forming tiny nodules at intersections with oblique and axial riblets. Primary ribs of the protoconch gradually transitioning into taller ribs, which comprise the primary axial sculpture of the teleoconch; secondary axial riblets of the protoconch gradually increasing in number and persisting as the secondary axial sculpture of the teleoconch. Spiral lirae persisting as the secondary spiral sculpture of the teleoconch. Primary spiral sculpture of the teleoconch developing from the third whorl onwards, composed of wavy ribs with interspaces 2–5 times their width, slightly less prominent than the axial ribs; nodular projections present at intersections between spiral and axial elements of sculpture. Sculpture not reduced on shell base. Umbilicus rapidly expanding in diameter for approximately the first 3 whorls, remaining constant in diameter for approximately 1 whorl, subsequently constricted by inward growth of the lower columellar wall and lip. Peristome subquadrate; columellar lip reflected. Palatal wall devoid of barriers. Parietal wall with 1 barrier, positioned slightly closer to the apical than the umbilical suture, descending gradually anteriorly and posteriorly, extending for approximately 1⅛ whorl. Other shell features that can be expressed numerically are shown in Table 3.

Remarks. The comparatively high shell of P. elieporoii, with the apical suture adpressed throughout ontogeny, differentiates this species from all other species of Pseudolibera. Subadults of P. elieporoii approach the shell shape of P. aubertdelaruei (Fig. 33 D) but are easily distinguished from that species by their more prominent sculpture.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Elie Poroi, in recognition of his continuous effort to preserve the fenua (Polynesian word for motherland) and for welcoming us into Polynesian traditional culture.