Pseudosetia amydralox Bouchet & Waren 1993

Pseudosetia amydralox Bouchet & Warén, 1993

(Fig. 16)

Material examined. (61 empty shells and 51with soft parts in 22 samples): Smooth form: SPAIN • 2 sh; 43° 47.188′N, 008° 53.053′W to 43° 55.312′N, 008° 53.101′W; 770–842 m; 08–15 SeP. 2002; DIVA-Artabria I AT-800 • 3 spc + 1 sh; 43° 57.030′N, 008° 54.795′W to 43° 57.248′N, 008° 54.133′W; 1191– 1132 m; 08–15 SeP. 2002; DIVA-Artabria I AT-1000 • 1 spc; 43° 48.514′N, 008° 51.439′W to 43° 49.163′N, 008° 51.157′W; 616– 616 m; 10–20 SeP. 2003; DIVA-Artabria I AT-600 • 1 spc; 43° 41.590′N, 008° 45.328′W to 43° 42.396′N, 008° 44.286′W; 301– 301 m; 10–20 Sep. 2003; DIVA-Artabria I EBS-300 • 4 sPc + 2 sh; 43° 48.587′N, 008° 51.402′W to 43° 49.545′N, 008° 51.197′W; 610– 598 m; 10–20 Sep. 2003; DIVA-Artabria I EBS-600 • 1 sPc; 43° 38.812′N, 009° 07.949′W to 43° 39.841′N, 009° 07.405′W; 999–1001 m; 17–28 SeP. 2004; VERTIDOS GA-DRN-1000 • 2 sh; polygon delimited by points 44° 10.000′ N, 009° 00.000′ W /44° 10.000′ N, 008° 35.000′ W/44° 00.000′ N; 009° 00.000′ W/44° 07.000′ N; 008° 35.000′ W; 480–600 m; SARRIDAL (2006–2007) SARRI-2 • 1 sh; Polygon delimited by Points 44° 10.000′ N, 009° 00.000′ W/44° 10.000′ N, 008° 35.000′ W/44° 00.000′ N; 009° 00.000′ W/44° 07.000′ N; 008° 35.000′ W; 417–668 m; SARRIDAL (2006–07) SARRI-3 • 16 sh; 44° 11.652′N, 008° 58.152′W to 44° 11.539′N, 008° 57.574′W; 908–1106 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA DRN-7 • 9 sh; 44° 08.65′N, 008° 55.305′W to 44° 08.771′N, 008° 55.104′W; 581– 566 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA DRN-7 C • 2 sPc; 44° 09.896′N, 008° 39.581′W to 44° 10.129′N, 008° 39.494′W; 438–459 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA DRN-11 • 1 sPc; 43° 56.478′N, 008° 54.199′W to 43° 55.934′N, 008° 54.849′W; 620–933 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA DRN-15-2 • 2 sPc; 43° 48.252′N, 008° 51.427′W to 43° 49.707′N, 008° 51.164′W; 575–584 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA EBS-30-1 • 1 sh; 43° 34.86′N, 009° 21.95′W to 43° 36.44′N, 009° 20.71′W; 1010–1112 m; 15–30 SeP. 2008; DIVA-Artabria II EBS-04 • 1 sh; 43° 32.5′N, 009° 25.37′W to 43° 33.6′N, 009° 24.5′W; 848–1027 m; 15–30 SeP. 2008; DIVA-Artabria II EBS-05 • 1 sh; 42° 55.76′N, 009° 44.04′W to 42° 55.79′N, 009° 44.57′W; 709–728 m; 15–30 SeP. 2008; DIVA-Artabria II EBS-25.

Sculptured form: SPAIN • 25 sPc + 10 sh; 43° 48.587′N, 008° 51.402′W to 43° 49.545′N, 008° 51.197′W; 610– 598 m; 10–20 Sep. 2003; DIVA-Artabria I EBS-600 • 2 sPc; Polygon delimited by Points 44° 10.000′ N, 009° 00.000′ W /44° 10.000′ N, 008° 35.000′ W/44° 00.000′ N; 009° 00.000′ W/44° 07.000′ N; 008° 35.000′ W; 480–600 m; SARRIDAL (2006–2007) SARRI-2 • 3 sPc; Polygon delimited by Points 44° 10.000′ N, 009° 00.000′ W /44° 10.000′ N, 008° 35.000′ W/44° 00.000′ N; 009° 00.000′ W/44° 07.000′ N; 008° 35.000′ W; 417–668 m; SARRIDAL (2006–2007) SARRI-4 • 12 sh; 44° 08.65′N, 008° 55.305′W to 44° 08.771′N, 008° 55.104′W; 581– 566 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA DRN-7 C • 2 sh; 44° 14.929′N, 008° 30.255′W to 44° 15.367′N, 008° 30.438′W; 2121–2516 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA AT-12 • 6 sPc; 44° 08.516′N, 008° 40.788′W to 44° 09.688′N, 008° 39.721′W; 436– 428 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA EBS-11 • 1 sh; 43° 48.252′N, 008° 51.427′W to 43° 49.707′N, 008° 51.164′W; 575–584 m; 15–24 Jul. 2008; A SELVA EBS-30-1.

Remarks. Bouchet & Warén (1993) studied many shells of this species widespread from off northern Spain south to the Canary Islands in 155–1650 m depth range. Gofas (2007) pointed out that Pseudosetia amydralox is quite common on the uppermost part of the Lusitanian seamounts (the type locality is located at Gorringe Seamount, 305–320 m). We found several shells of this species with soft parts in samples from the deep range 300–1100 m mainly in sandy bottoms with phosphorites.

The shells here studied show a remarkable variability, that ranges from practically smooth surface, with regularly convex whorls, lacking suture edges and a peripheral cord on the last whorl (Figs. 16a, c, e), to shells with a conspicuous spiral sculpture, with suture edges and a peripheral cord, and plano-convex whorls (Figs. 16 k, o, n, r, s). The sculpture of the protoconchs also showed a certain degree of variability (Figs. 16b, d–j, l, m, p, q). Not ruling out the possibility of cryptic species, we prefer for now to consider variability of a single species, that due to its geographic location it situated within the range of distribution of P. amydralox instead of that of the smooth Pseudosetia turgida (Jeffreys, 1870) or the more sculptured Pseudosetia azorica Bouchet & Warén, 1993.