Verticosta campanella Huang & Lin 2020, n. sp.

Verticosta campanella n. sp. 鈴鐺毛螺 (Plate 2, figs. 1-4) DESCRIPTION

Shell up to 7.5 mm, small for genus, high-conic and turbiniform, compact and coarse in surface. The whorl edge is gently inflated on the upper 2 whorls and more inflated on the lower whorls. Suture is deep and distinct. Aperture length is 33% of shell length and body whorl length is 60% of shell length. Protoconch of 1.5 to 2 smooth and flat whorls while the lower whorl is wide than the upper whorl. Teleoconch of 4 to 4.5 whorls is ornamented with 12 strongly elevated and evenly spaced axial ribs per whorls and 12 ribs on the body whorl. The ribs on the 1 st teleoconch whorl are prosocline and the ribs on the lower whorls become more and more prosocline than those in the upper whorls. 4 primary cords develop on the 1 st teleoconch whorl. Pl develops its secondary cords on the 2 nd teleoconch whorl and develops 4 tertiary cords on the 3 rd teleoconch whorl. P2 and P3 develop secondary cords on the 3 rd teleoconch whorls. There are 14 spiral cords on the body whorl. These spiral cords are of one third strength of the axial ribs and rounded nodules are noted at the transections of axial and spiral sculptures. The interspaces are horizontally elongated and concave and accommodate numerous microscopic axial threads. Shell base somewhat attenuated in front, smooth and concave; aperture rounded and recessive on inferior margin. Columellar process is smooth and convex. The outer lip is circular, thin and crenulated on cord terminations. The medial lip is well defined and continuous with a short and narrow umbilical chink. Ground color is fawn and ivory over the columellar process and cord surface of axial ribs. Periostracum absent. Operculum unknown.

TYPE MATERIAL

Holotype: shell height 7.44 mm x width 4.35 mm, Taiwan, Keelung, 200 m depth. NMNS-8152 -002.

ADDITIONAL TYPE MATERIAL

Paratype 1: shell height 6.81 mm x width 4.28 mm, Taiwan, Keelung, 120 m depth. Coll. Huang.

Paratype 2: shell height 5.37 mm x width 4.15 mm, China, Zhejiang, 200 to 300 m depth. Coll. Lin. Paratype 3: shell height 5.68 mm x width 4.12 mm, Taiwan, Dali, 100 m depth. Coll. Huang.

TYPE LOCALITY

Taiwan, Keelung, 200 m depth.

RANGE AND HABITAT

East China Sea, Taiwan, Keelung to Dali; China, Zhejiang, 100 to 300 m depth; fine gravel bottom.

COMPARISON AND REMARKS

This new species shares similar size and shell profile with Verticosta lanterna n. sp.. V. campanella n. sp. is distinct by a wide axial rib with more prosocline inclination, a narrow spiral cord and more numerous cords on the lower whorls to the comparable parts in the V. lanterna n. sp..

ETYMOLOGY

The species name, in combination of campana and – ella, is a chain of small bells and comes from the rounded whorls.