Lophiotoma kina, Puillandre & Fedosov & Zaharias & Aznar-Cormano & Kantor, 2017

LOPHIOTOMA KINA View in CoL SP. NOV.

( FIG. 12)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BB330B09-7334-4F5D-B7FF-30F43737680A

Type material: Holotype MNHN IM-2013-16307, paratype MNHN IM-2013-13278.

Type locality: Papua New Guinea, Madang Lagoon, W Tab Island , inner slope, 05°10.1′S, 145°50.2′E, 3–6 m (Expedition PAPUA NIUGINI, st. PR237) GoogleMaps .

Etymology: kina – the shell in Pidgin English, one of the official languages of Papua New Guinea. Used as a noun in apposition.

Description (holotype): Shell medium thick, fusiform, with high spire and long narrow siphonal canal very slightly inclined to left ( Fig. 12A–C). Protoconch (intact in the specimen MNHN IM-2013-12950) conical, eroded of about 2.75 evenly convex whorls, posteriormost half whorl before transition to teleoconch with nine axial riblets ( Fig. 12H). Protoconch diameter 0.88 mm, height 0.93 mm. Teleoconch whorls weakly angulated at shoulder, 9.5 in total. Suture shallow, subsutural region wide, distinctly concave, subsutural cord low, on upper five whorls narrow, rounded on top. On sixth whorl, additional angular ridge appearing in upper cord part, which becomes progressively stronger and on last whorl cord consists of two distinct ridges, adapical one being twice lower than abapical ridge. Subsutural region smooth on upper teleoconch whorls, with one spiral ridge appearing on fourth, three on fifth, four on sixth and eight on last whorl. Paired sinus cords strongest, separated by interspace three times wider than cords, obtuse triangular in profile and nearly of same strength on last whorl. On early whorls both cords similar in size, with upper one being more pronounced on last and penultimate whorls. Base of spire whorls smooth on upper three whorls, with one spiral cord on fourth whorl, two on fifth, three on the sixth and seven on penultimate. Base of last whorl with three major spiral cords and two smaller ones between them, canal with 22 subequal cords, becoming gradually lower anteriorly. Shell base sharply narrowing towards narrow and long nearly straight siphonal canal. Aperture pear shaped, strongly constricted posteriorly with parietal callus producing distinct tooth, outer lip concave in upper part and weakly convex below shoul- der, gradually passing into canal. Anal sinus deep, V-shaped, posterior margin nearly straight, parallel to shell axis; outer lip in side view rounded and opisthocline, stromboid notch well-defined. Growth lines indistinct, closely spaced. Shell light creamy, protoconch and three first teleoconch whorls slightly darker. Subsutural cord(s) with light brown irregularly shaped spots. Sinus cords with very weak light brown regularly spaced flecks, as well as minor spiral cords; spots occupying whole width of cord. Aperture light creamy, lirated deep inside. Measurements (holotype largest specimen): SL 31.0 mm, AL (with canal) 15.7 mm, SW 9.3 mm. Radula ( Fig. 5I) is similar to other congeners, with duplex marginal teeth. Anterior (inner) half solid, narrowly lanceolate, dorso-ventrally compressed with sharp lateral cutting edges. In posterior half, major and accessory limbs bifurcate at about 45° angle, rather thin. Central formation was not examined due to radula preparation.

Remarks: The species is most similar to L. jickelii and can be distinguished by the more pronounced sinus cords and correspondingly more angulated whorls, generally less intensively coloured shell, with only very weak brown flecks on the sinus cords and other spiral elements. It also has a smaller protoconch (although the protoconch was available only in three specimens), consisting of 2.75–3 whorls in L. kina sp. nov. vs. 3.5–4.0 in L. jickelii (3.75 in most specimens) ( Fig. 8).

Distribution: Confirmed distribution of the species (based on sequenced specimens) is Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.