Beringius kiskensis Mclean & Clark 2023, n. sp.

Beringius kiskensis n. sp.

Figure 10 E–G urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 817D795B-02F7-48ED-A4A3-FC48D8E2A73D

Type locality: E off Sirius Point, Kiska Island, Rat Ids., Aleutian Is., Alaska (52°06.41 N, 177°42.32 E), 97 m; (NMFS 143-2006 - 01-203).

Type material. Holotype, LACM 3574, 85.4 mm. (leg. 28 July, 2006, trawled, R/ V Sea Storm); Paratypes: Pt 1, SBMNH 174792, 116.7 mm. S of Segula Island, Rat Ids. (51º51.46 N, 178º16.06 E), 95 m. (NMFS 143- 200601 - 176); Pt 2, RNC 4910, 112.7 mm. E of Kiska Island, Rat Ids. (52°02.99 N, 177°27.23 E), 96 m. (NMFS 143-201001 - 128).

Description: Shell of moderate size (to 116 mm, SBMNH 174792) nearly fusiform; periostracum thin, adherent, yellowish-brown. Whorls rounded; suture strongly impressed; protoconch with 2.5 whorls; 4.5 teleconch whorls. Axial ribs prosocline, prominently raised, slender, 15–16 on the penultimate whorl, interspaces about as wide as ribs. Spiral sculpture of seven to nine faint, spiral cords, obvious only on axial ribs, interspaces about as broad as cords, giving a faintly knobbed appearance, cords overlaid by three to five fine threads; base of whorl with about 20 usually bifurcated spiral cords. Aperture less than half of shell height, canal short, broad.

Radula (Fig. 10 G). Rachidian tooth roundly chevron shaped, corners rounded. Lateral teeth large, tricuspid, outer cusp thick, strongly curved, tapering, constricted near the base forming a rounded notch; central cusp short, broad; inner cusp about as long, and 1.5 times as broad as central cusp, anterior edge tapered towards the central cusp.

Remarks: This strongly ribbed species might be mistaken for a local, extreme form of Beringius kennicottii (Dall, 1871) (Figs. 8A–H), but is quite different from the many forms of B. kennicottii from the central Aleutians, the unique corrugated ribs set it apart. The middle and inner cusps of the lateral teeth of the radula are short and blunt, opposed to the longer, strongly curved cusps of B. kennicottii.

Etymology: Named after the Island of Kiska, near which the type specimens were found.

Distribution: Known only from vicinity of Kiska, and Segula Islands (177°E to 178°E), at depths of 90– 100 m. A short-range endemic.

Habitat: Sand and cobbles, with a bottom temperature of 4.5–4.7°C.