Benthofascis lozoueti Sysoev &amp; Bouchet 2001
Creators: name: Tucker, J. K.
name: Tenorio, M. J.
name: Stahlschmidt, P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Neogastropoda
Conorbidae
Benthofascis
Benthofascis lozoueti

description: <i>Benthofascis lozoueti</i> Sysoev &amp; Bouchet, 2001 Figures 3, G–L; 4, G <b>Type material.</b> Holotype and 2 paratypes in MNHN, 1 paratype each in NMNZ, AMS, NMSA. <b>Type locality.</b> 530 m, Norfolk Ridge, 22º58'S, 167º20'E <b>Range.</b> Known only from the type locality. <b>Description.</b> Shell biconic, rather thick, with moderately high spire, comprising 30% of shell height. Protoconch very large, diameter <i>ca.</i> 2500 µm, dome-shaped, consisting of about 2 rapidly expanding whorls, transition to teleoconch indistinct; initial whorl strongly flattened; sculpture of very fine spiral and axial lines. Teleoconch whorls 4, weakly convex, subsutural ramp unclearly defined, especially on early whorls. Suture weakly channeled. No axial sculpture. Spiral cords weak, low, with wide interspaces, much stronger on subsutural ramp and canal, very weak on whorl periphery. Base almost flat. Canal short, broad, strongly turned abaxially, slightly notched. Aperture rather narrow, pyriform. Inner lip evenly curved, with concave columellar part, covered by narrow but thick callus. Anal sinus is broad and shallow, occupying entire subsutural ramp, outer lip greatly projecting below sinus, most strongly projecting below its middle. Color white, periostracum very thin, yellowish. Dimensions: shell length 21.5 mm, last whorl height 15.0 mm, aperture length 11.5 mm, shell width 9.1 mm. The radular tooth is relatively large with a long, narrow, straight blade and a small rounded basal part (Fig. 4G). The operculum is narrow with a large terminal nucleus. (description is adapted from Sysoev &amp; Bouchet 2001, p. 292). <b>Discussion.</b> This species differs from all other <i>Benthofascis</i> in having the sculpture of the protoconch reduced to numerous exceedingly thin and minute spirals and by not having the inner shell walls greatly resorbed (Fig. 3H). Axials are also minute. The appearance is that of a smooth protoconch. Other <i>Benthofascis</i> species have much better developed spirals on the protoconch. The species is only provisionally considered a <i>Benthofascis</i> in light of the above differences. Small specimens of <i>Benthofascis lozoueti</i> resemble the holotype of <i>B. sarcinula</i> in shell shape. Both have the whorls rounded and convex. However, the spirals and axials of the protoconch of <i>B. sarcinula</i> are more obvious than those of <i>B. lozoueti</i>. Larger specimens of <i>B. lozoueti</i> tend to be more angular and have an obvious shoulder. In this respect they resemble <i>B. angularis</i>. However, the latter species has a distinctly ornamented protoconch.
description: Published as part of <i>Tucker, J. K., Tenorio, M. J. &amp; Stahlschmidt, P., 2011, The genus Benthofascis (Gastropoda: Conoidea): A revision with descriptions of new species, pp. 1-14 in Zootaxa 2796 (1)</i> on pages 10-13, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2796.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5290155
description: {"references": ["Sysoev, A. V. &amp; Bouchet, P. (2001) New and uncommon turriform gastropods (Gastropoda: Conoidea) from the South-West Pacific. Memoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, serie A, Zoologie, 185, 271 - 320.", "Long, D. C. (1981) Late Eocene and early Oligocene Turridae (Gastropoda: Prosobranchiata) of the Brown's Creek and Glen Aire Clays, Victoria, Australia. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, 42, 15 - 55, pls. 4 - 7."]}