Buccinum katharinae Mclean & Clark 2023, n. sp.

Buccinum katharinae n. sp.

Figures 22 J–K

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5A5BB458-A058-4D3E-AE28-42E6FB466638

Type locality: Amutka Pass, SE of Seguam Island, Aleutian Is., Alaska (52°22.5 N, 171°20.26 W) (NMFS 23-2000 - 1-83), 325 m.

Type material: Holotype, LACM 3595, 29.2 mm; Paratype, Pt 1, RNC 5061, 34.8 mm. N of Carlisle Island, Islands of four Mountains (53°04.73 N, 170°08.43 W), 177 m. (NMFS 148-2022 - 1-32).

Description: Shell relatively small (to 35 mm, RNC 5061) whorls rounded, suture moderately impressed; shell brown with lamellar, brown periostracum; protoconch with 1.5 whorl, 4.5 teleconch whorls. Axial sculpture lacking, spiral sculpture of two strongly projecting spiral cords on spire; interspaces of equal width, deeply channeled, surfaces of cords and interspaces with microscopic, raised lirae; base with three additional cords of lesser strength, suture laid on uppermost of these. Lip of holotype thin, immature; lip; paratype specimen with a complete, but lip, which is scarcely if at all thickened. Operculum small, filling about 25 % of aperture.

Rachidian tooth rectangular, with four short, weak cusps; Lateral teeth tri-cuspid, Outer cusp very long, curved; widely spaced from central and inner cusps; central cusp very small, less than half as long and broad as inner cusp; inner cusp about half as long as outer one, slightly curved.

Remarks: For many years this unique species was known only from the holotype, but during the review process a second specimen was recovered. Buccinum katharinae is similar to Buccinum eugrammatum Dall, 1907, but differs in 1) the fewer spiral cords, two on spire, and five total compared with five on spire and eight total in B. eugrammatum, and 2) lack of periostracum in B. eugrammatum.

Etymology: Named for Katharine Pearson Maslenikov, taxonomist, at the University of Washington, who collected the holotype.

Distribution: Central Aleutian Islands, Amutka Pass (171°20 W), to the Islands of four Mountains (170° W), at depths of 177– 325 m.

Habitat: Volcanic sand and mud bottoms.