Aleutijapelion

Genus Aleutijapelion gen nov.

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Diagnosis: Shell tall, moderately broad in profile; protoconch 2.5 whorls (nearly always eroded); whorls, seven or eight, rounded, without shoulder, suture fine, deeply impressed. Axial sculpture absent, spiral sculpture absent or faint, irregular; pillar deeply concave, base with constriction producing short extension of fasciole, lip projecting only slightly beyond pillar; final lip thickened, callus of anal sinus continuous with parietal callus; inner lip broad, not raised; canal short, broad. Radula, typical for this subfamily, rachidian tooth simple, acuspate.

Type species: Beringius aleuticus Dall, 1895 (HD).

Remarks: This genus is similar to Metajapelion Chiba and Kosuge, 1980 (TS Tritonium (Buccinum) pericochlion Schrenck, 1862, SD), but differs in 1) lacking the tabled shoulder, 2) lacking spiral sculpturing on the early whorls, and 3) spiral cords on base of body whorl. Goryachev, 1987: 35 subsequently designated Japelion perichochlion Schrenck, 1863 as the type species of Metajapelion (see Higo, Callomon and Goto 1999: 224).

Two species are recognized, Aleutijapelion aleuticus (Dall, 1895), and Aleutijapelion mirandus n. sp. This genus is genetically close to Metajapelion, but we consider it distinct based on the before mentioned characters.