Meteuthria batialis Pastorino, 2016, new species

Meteuthria batialis new species

Figures 13 A–I, 14A–D

Paraeuthria (sic) ringei (Strebel, 1905). Castellanos et al., 1987:61, pl. 1, fig. 4.

Type material. Holotype (Figs 13 A–C, I), from Station 14, (MACN-In 40522), and 7 paratypes: 2 from Station 10, (MACN-In 40524); 1 from Station 14, (MACN-In 40523); 1 from Station 24, (MACN-In 40526); 1 from Station 41, (MACN-In 40527); 1 from Station 43, (MACN-In 40525); 1 from Station 44, (MACN-In 40528); all from the Talud Continental expedition of RV PUERTO DESEADO.

Type locality. Station 14, Talud Continental expedition, RV “PUERTO DESEADO, 38°0.984´S, 54°30.326´W, 1006 m depth.

Etymology. From batial (bathyal in English), referring to the great depth at which the species was collected.

Description. Shell medium size, thin, up to 17 mm in height, fusiform, of 6 convex whorls; protoconch (Fig. 13 I) of about 2 1/2 convex whorls, translucent with very weak axial threads over the transition to teleoconch; suture impressed; aperture elliptic; siphonal canal rather deep, oblique and long; parietal callus thin; growth lines closely spaced over the entire shell; spiral ornamentation of thin rounded cords, 6 on the first three whorls, about 20 on the last; periostracum translucent, yellowish, forming a scaly appearance particularly among the cords; shell color yellowish.

Operculum (Fig. 14 C) yellowish, ovate in shape, subterminal nucleus, attachment area small, wide rim.

Radula (Fig. 14 A, B) with rachidian teeth absent. Laterals triangular Prosipho- like or fan shaped, with five short, slightly curved, cusps pointing towards inside.

Penis (Fig. 14 D) large, subcylindrical with a long, thin papilla rising from a cavity in the tip.

Material examined. 2 spms., 37º59.706´S, 54º41.854´W, Sta. 10, 852 m depth, collected on 08-Oct-2012, (MACN-In 40524); 38º0.984´S, 54º30.326´W, 2 spms. (holotype (MACN-In 40522) and 1 paratype (MACN-In 40523), Sta. 14, 1006 m depth, collected on 08-Oct-2012; 1 spm., 37º54.206´S, 54º2.616´W, St. 24, 2420 m depth, collected on 14-Oct-2012 (MACN-In 40526); 1 spm., 38º01.631´S, 54º30.275´W, Sta. 41, 997 m depth (MACN-In 40527), collected on 26-May-2013; 1 spm., 37º53.837'S, 54º30.458'W, Sta. 43, 998 m depth, collected on 26-May- 2013 with bottom trawl, (MACN-In 40525); 1 spm., 37º53.557'S, 54º42.941'W, Sta. 44, 780 m depth, collected on 26-May-2013 with bottom trawl (MACN-In 40528); all from the Talud Continental Expedition on board RV PUERTO DESEADO; 2 spms., 55°49'30.00"S, 66°20'31.20"W 115 m depth, RV ELTANIN Cr. 5, Sta. 219, (USNM 898742).

Distribution. Known from South of Tierra del Fuego in 115 m and off Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina in 780 to 2420 m.

Remarks. Powell (1960: 149) listed in the genus Meteuthria (as M. futilis) Fusus (Neptunea) futile Watson, 1882 collected from 150 fms [219.4 m] depth between Kerguelen and Heard Is (Holotype NHMUK 1887.2.9.707). This is a comparable species known from only one broken shell. The presence of “low rounded riblets in the middle of the whorl” is the primary difference. In addition the protoconch illustrated by Watson appears to be lower and smaller. Radula and soft parts are unknown so the inclusion in Meteuthria should be cautious.

Despite the obvious differences in the radula and anatomy, the large size and long spire of M. batialis n. sp. is somewhat similar to young specimens of Fasciolaria insularis Fernández, 1977 (Fasciolariidae), which was collected in the same environment. Nevertheless, the whorls are convex in M. batialis n. sp. and flat in F. insularis. Also, the furrows between the spiral cords are shallower in the new species and the cords are subquadrate and thicker in F. insularis. In addition, the protoconch is larger and more globose in M. batialis n. sp. The specimen illustrated in Castellanos et al. (1987: 61, pl. 1, fig. 4) as Paraeuthria (sic) ringei (Strebel, 1905) appears to be this new species. Unfortunately the material illustrated in that paper, as far as I know, was never deposited in any institution.