Granulifusus kurodai (Okutani & Sakurai, 1964) comb. nov.

Fig. 8 A–B

Pseudolatirus kurodai Okutani & Sakurai, 1964: 58, pl. 2, fig. 4.

Pseudolatirus kurodai – Hasegawa & Saito 1995: pl. 4, fig. 8 (paratype illustrated). Fusolatirus kurodai – Okutani 1975: 193, pl. 10, fig. 22; 2000: 507, pl. 252, fig. 12. — Higo, Callomon & Gotō 2001: 87, fig. G3001 (holotype illustrated).

Type material

Holotype

JAPAN: off Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture, Western Kyūshū (NSMT Mo 38547), type locality corrected (Okutani & Sakurai 1966) [not seen].

Paratypes

JAPAN: paratype 1, Hyotanse Bank (NSMT-Mo58524) (examined); paratype 2, off Gotō Islands (whereabouts unknown) (not seen); paratype 3, Kashiwajima (NSMT-Mo70270) (examined).

Description

Shell medium-sized, fusiform, with long, slightly sinuous siphonal canal. Protoconch paucispiral, domeshaped (Fig. 8B), of 1.75 whorls, with strongly convex first whorl and much flatter last ¾ of whorl, with two closely spaced and rather indistinct axial riblets at transition to teleoconch, protoconch/teleoconch discontinuity distinct. Protoconch diameter 900 µm, exposed height 750 µm. Teleoconch with regularly convex whorls, aperture with two very weak columellar plicae, and indistinct parietal tooth; spiral sculpture of unevenly spaced narrow cords of similar strength; axial ribs not aligned along the spire. Background colour cream to yellowish, primary spiral cords light tan.

Distribution

Known from Japan, in 100–200 m, records from other localities may refer to G. annae sp. nov. and G. guidoi sp. nov.

Remarks

We were able to study two paratypes NSMT-Mo58524 (paratype 1) and NSMT-Mo70270 (paratype 3). They are clearly not conspecific, paratype 3 differing in its much larger protoconch and general shell shape and sculpture; it represents a juvenile Fusolatirus, resembling F. luteus Snyder & Bouchet, 2006 (see Snyder & Bouchet 2006: fig. 2 D–E). Conchologically, paratype 1 is very similar to the holotype and is the largest known specimen (SL 35.1 mm).

Conchologically Granulifusus kurodai comb. nov. is similar to G. annae sp. nov.; for differences see the description of the latter. In the absence of data on radula and molecular phylogeny, the assignment of this species to Granulifusus is tentative, based on its shell resemblance to sequenced species such as G. annae sp. nov.