Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000

Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000 View in CoL

Figs 1 View Fig , 2F–G View Fig

Granulina nofronii Smriglio, Gubbioli & Mariottini, 2000: 58 View in CoL , figs 4, 17–20; type locality off Mauritania, 80– 100 m.

Smriglio et al. (2000) reported 24 shells from off Mauritania ( 80–100 m) and from Western Sahara ( 50 m) without further details. The holotype was deposited in the Bologna Zoology Museum (MZB14032). Twenty-three paratypes were retained in private collections.

Material examined (23 shells)

MAURITANIA – Banc d’Arguin • 20 shells; outer shelf off Banc d’Arguin ; 20.0438° N, 17.457° W; depth 52 m; 25 Oct. 2010; MSM16–3 stn GeoB14714; SaM GoogleMaps • 1 shell; central outer Banc d’Arguin ; 20.2832° N, 17.3335° W; depth 30 m; 2 Nov. 2010; MSM16–3 stn GeoB14788; box core in muddy silt; SaM. GoogleMaps – off Nouakchott • 2 shells; 17.0967° N, 16.73° W; depth 127 m; 17 Feb. 1977; M44 stn 193– KG626; box core; SMF GoogleMaps .

Remarks

Smriglio et al. (2000) indicated a holotype height of 2.4 mm; our set indicates a maximum height of 2.5 mm. The species has an elliptical or weak coffin-shaped outline; it has strong labial denticles, and it lacks rostration.

A similar species is Granulina choffati La Perna, Landau & da Silva, 2003 from the Atlantic Pliocene in Portugal. It is differentiated from G. nofronii by a finer labial denticulation.

The species is known from empty shells in the latitudinal range 17.0– 20.3° N. It was found at depths of 30–1252 m in silty sand or mud. We could not confirm the species occurring off Western Sahara.