Jujubinus ruscurianus (Weinkauff, 1868)

SSH XV – Fig. 7V–X

Trochus ruscurianus Weinkauff, 1868: 367.

Jujubinus guanchus Curini-Galletti, 1985: 139, figs 5–11.

Diagnosis

Shell of medium size for the genus, rather solid, 4–5 spaced spiral cords, elevated, broad interspaces with thick prosocline lamellae and growth lines, peripheral cord evident, high height/width ratio, colour red.

Type material

Syntypes of Trochus ruscurianus Weinkauff, 1868 ALGERIA • 3 dd; Algier (type locality); MCZR-M-11780/S, ex Weinkauff.

Holotype of Jujubinus guanchus Curini-Galletti, 1985 CANARY ISLANDS • dd; Lanzarote Is., harbour of Arrecife (type locality); 28°57′ N, 13°32′ W; USNM 784714.

Paratypes of Jujubinus guanchus Curini-Galletti, 1985 CANARY ISLANDS • 1 dd; same data as for holotype; USNM 784715 (paratype D) • 2 dd; same data as for holotype; RBINS 388-26439 (paratypes A, C).

Other paratypes in the collections G.T. Poppe (Mactan) and M. Curini-Galletti (Sassari).

Other material examined

ALGERIA • 3 dd; Oran; labelled “ Calliostoma ruscurianus Weinkauff. Oran, récoltes Paul Pallary”; MCZR-M-11780 • 2 dd; Oran; ex Pallary collection; MCZR-M-11779 • 14 dd; Alger; labelled “ Porto di Algeri (Lhotellier)” ex Pallary collection; MCZR-M-11780 • 4 dd; Alger; labelled “ Troruscurianus Weink-Algieri”; MCZR-M-11780 • 1 dd; Alger; labelled “ T. ruscurianus, Alger! Weink.”; MCZR-M-11780.

CANARY ISLANDS • 1 lv; Lanzarote I., Puerto del Carmen, Playa de Matagorda; 28°55′55.59″ N, 13°36′46.62″ W; used for DNA sequencing, corresponding to J. guanchus; BAU 3771 – 3773 • 4 dd; Lanzarote Is., Arrecife; 2 m depth; MO.

MOROCCO • 100 dd; Al Hoceima; beached; young and adult shells; CS-PM • 1 dd; Ceuta; beached; CS-PM • 4 lv; Torres de Alcalá, Cala Iris; 1–4 m depth; on brown algae; LT.

SPAIN • 3 dd; Getares, Punta Carnero; beached; CS-PM • 51 dd; Algeciras, Getares; 20 m depth; washing of algae; LT • 6 lv; Getares, 4 km S of Algeciras; 20 m depth; washing of algae; LT • dd; Málaga; 25 m depth; CS-PM • 1 dd; Málaga; 2 m depth; CS-PM • 3 dd; Murcia, Águilas; MO • 3 dd; Málaga; 3 m depth; CS-PM • 2 dd; Cadiz; 2 m depth; CS-PM • 1 lv; Málaga; used for DNA sequencing; BAU 2076 • 5 lv; Málaga, Benalmádena; 36°35.3′ N, 4°31.7′ W; used for DNA sequencing; BAU 2664.1 to 2664.5 • 1 lv; Playazo de Rodalquilar; 36°51′ 28″ N, 2°00′ 06″ W; used for DNA sequencing; BAU 2858.1.

Description

SHELL. Shell of medium size for the genus, height 4.3–5.7 mm, width 3.7–4.7 mm, height/width ratio 1.16–1.30, conical, shiny in type material. Protoconch seemingly smooth, of ca 1 whorl 0.26–0.27 mm in width. Teleoconch of 5.5–6.0 slightly convex whorls. Sculpture of 5–6 spaced abapical spiral cords, smooth, of about the same strength, including the 2–3 peripheral ones forming the peripheral cord, and 7–8 regularly spaced, basal spiral flat cords. Suture incised. Teleoconch surface covered by thick, yet barely visible prosocline growth lamellae, irregular set. Base convex and rounded, umbilicus closed also in juveniles, covered with a white callus. Aperture quadrangular, with the columellar callus thickened in the lower portion. Interior of the aperture greenish whitish, nacreous.

COLOURATION. Colour of protoconch and initial teleoconch whorls whitish reddish or pinkish, remaining whorls and base bright reddish whitish or creamy white; spiral cords with alternating flammules, cream or reddish or yellowish, with yellow stripes in the interspaces. Sutural and peripheral cord articulated in red and cream or white.

SOFT PARTS. Observed in alcohol preserved specimens, no dark terminal strip is present on the creamy band of the snout.

Distribution

Western Mediterranean, Alboran Sea until Almería, southern Spain and Algeria (Weinkauff 1867; Curini- Galleti & Palazzi 1980; Curini-Galletti 1982b; Sánchez-Moyano et al. 2000); living specimens at depths of 1– 20 m. In the neighbouring Atlantic from the Berlenga Islands and South Portugal to Morocco. Canary Islands (Pallary 1920; Cretella 1993; Gofas et al. 2011; Alf et al. 2020) probably referring to the morphotype described as J. guanchus.

Remarks

This is a morphologically very characteristic and common species in the western Mediterranean and neighbouring Atlantic. Morphologically, it can be diagnosed from J. exasperatus, J. pseudogravinae, J. gravinae, J. errinae and J. vexationis by the lack of tubercles or undulations on sutural cords and basal cords and for the strong spiral cords regularly spaced by deep interspaces. It differs from J. striatus, J. depictus, J. fraterculus, J. superum sp. nov., J. inopinatus sp. nov., J. kyrnos sp. nov., J. sartorii, J. smaragdinus, J. angustibasis sp. nov., J. gofasi sp. nov., and J. superum in the less marked sculpture with apparently smooth interspaces due to the very weak prosocline growth lines. The specimens in the Monterosato collection, with the label autograph by Weinkauff, are likely syntypes, and were the only available source to confirm the actual identity of this taxon (the original Weinkauff collection having largely been dispersed: Curini-Galletti & Palazzi 1980). Curini-Galletti (1985) described J. guanchus from the Canary Islands, based on a particular morphotype with ca six teleoconch whorls separated by incised sutures, and a sculpture of four smooth spiral cords crossed by numerous very fine markedly prosocline growth lines; the background colour is shiny olive-green, with white blotches arranged in irregular longitudinal band across the whorls and the peripheral cord, the basal ridges with regularly white dotted. We have assayed three specimens from Lanzarote, morphologically corresponding to typical J. guanchus, which proved to be genetically indistinguishable from Western Mediterranean typical J. ruscurianus. Jujubinus poppei, has been described on syntopic samples from Lanzarote, differing from J. guanchus in the different number of spiral cords (6–7 in J. poppei vs 4 in J. guanchus).

See under J. gravinae, and J. superum sp. nov. for detailed comparative remarks.