Beringius stanchfieldi Mclean & Clark 2023, n. sp.

Beringius stanchfieldi n. sp.

Figures 11 A–D urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 32D90635-5818-4FCB-877F-04B1D0B4F9BE

Type locality: W of Carlisle Island, Islands of the Four Mountains, Aleutian Is., Alaska (52°55.2 N, 170°23.76 W), 222 m (NMFS 148-201001 - 33).

Type material. Holotype LACM 3575, 104.8 mm.(leg. 17 June, 2010, trawled, R/ V Ocean Explorer); Paratypes: Pt 1, SBMNH 464994, 88. 5 mm. Near type locality, W of Carlisle Island (52°55.2 N, 170°23.82 W), 222 m (NMFS 176-201401 - 58); Pt 2, RNC 4921, 113.7 mm. Islands of Four Mountains (53°N, 170°W) approx. 200 m (ex: David Stanchfield).

Description: Shell of moderate size (to 114 mm, RNC 4921), pyriform, white; periostracum thin, adherent, golden tan to light brown. Whorls rounded, suture moderately impressed; apical whorls eroded, four teleconch whorls. Axial sculpture lacking; spiral sculpture of numerous fine, undulating threads, interspaces about as wide as threads. Aperture less than half of shell height outer lip scarcely flared, slightly thickened; canal very short, broad.

Radula (Fig. 11 D): Rachidian tooth broader than long, lateral edges rounded. Lateral teeth large, tricuspid, outer cusp long, curved, tapering, constricted at the base forming a broad notch; central cusp very small, about 1/6 the length of outer cusp, relatively slender, separated from inner cusp by a relatively broad notch; inner cusp broad, about four times as large as central cusp.

Remarks: Similar to Beringius aurulentus n. sp., but distinguished by 1) the fine spiral threads, as opposed to prominent growth lines in the former, and 2) the thin, adherent periostracum, in contrast to the lamellar periostracum in the former species. It also resembles Beringius incisus Dall, 1907, but differs in 1) the much finer and more numerous spiral threads, about 70–80 on the penultimate whorl compared to 45–55, and 2), lacks axial sculpture.

Etymology: The name honors David Stanchfield former owner/captain of the F/V Morning Star, who collected the first specimen.

Distribution: Central Aleutian Islands (170°W to 172°W) from near Carlisle Island, Islands of Four Mountains, W to Seguam Pass, at depths of 180– 222 m.

Habitat: Black sand and gravel, with a bottom temperature of 3.7–4.2°C.