Leiosyrinx immedicata, Bouchet & Sysoev, 2001

Bouchet, P. & Sysoev, A., 2001, Typhlosyrinx - like tropical deep-water turriform gastropods (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Conoidea), Journal of Natural History 35 (11), pp. 1693-1715 : 1704-1706

Leiosyrinx immedicata n. sp.

(figures 3, 30–34)

Type material. Holotype and three paratypes in MNHN.

Type locality. South of New Caledonia, Norfolk Ridge , 22°17'S, 167°13'E, 400 m [‘ Vauban ’ 1978–79, sta. 4].

Material examined. North of New Caledonia. Musorstom 4: Sta. CC175 , 18°59'S, 163°17'E, 355 m, one dd. Sta. D W181 , 18°57'S, 163°22'E, 350 m, one dd (paratype, figure 31). SMIB 6: Sta. D W126 , 18°59'S, 163°23'E, 320–330 m, two lv, one dd. Bathus 4: Sta. D W902 , 19°01'S, 163°15'E, 341–351 m, one lv (paratype, figure 34), 19 dd. Sta. CP906 , 19°01'S, 163°15'E, 339–350 m, one lv, four dd (one paratype, figure 33). Sta. CP907 , 19°01'S, 163°13'E, 370–394 m, three dd. Sta. CP909 , 18°58'S, 163°10'E, 516–558 m, one dd. Sta. D W926 , 18°57'S, 163°25'E, 325–330 m, one dd. Norfolk Ridge. ‘ Vauban ’ 1978–79: Sta. 3, 22°17'S, 167°12'E, 390 m, one dd. Sta. 4 , 22°17'S, 167°13'E, 400 m, one lv, one dd (holotype, figure 30). Biocal: Sta. D W44 , 22°47'S, 167°14'E, 440–450 m, one dd. Musorstom 4: Sta. D W226 , 22°47'S, 167°22'E, 390 m, four lv, 29 dd. SMIB 2: Sta. D W23 , 22°31'S, 167°37'E, 410–420 m, one lv, one dd. SMIB 3: Sta. DW29 , 22°47'S, 167°12'E, 405 m, one dd. Bathus 2: Sta. D W719 , 22°48'S, 167°16'E, 444–445 m, two dd. Sta. D W724 , 22°48'S, 167°26'E, 344–358 m, six dd. Sta. D W730 , 23°03'S, 166°58'E, 397–400 m, one lv, four dd. Loyalty Ridge. Musorstom 6: Sta. D W459 , 21°01'S, 167°31'E, 425 m, five dd. Sta. CP464 , 21°02'S, 167°32'E, 430 m, one dd.

Distribution. New Caledonia, living at 330–410 m, shells to 516 m. It is sympatric with Typhlosyrinx neocaledoniensis north of New Caledonia, but they probably occupy different bathymetric zones, T. neocaledoniensis being known only from empty shells in 613– 690 m.

Description. HOLOTYPE (figure 30). Shell slender, solid, glossy, spire occupying 40% of total shell height. Protoconch partly broken, remaining one whorl light tan, with traces of diagonally cancellated sculpture. Teleoconch whorls nine, weakly convex, suture shallow, impressed, with poorly de fi ned subsutural ramp, except on fi rst two to three whorls where it occupies about half of exposed whorl height and is sculptured by strong axial wrinkles. No other axial sculpture but incremental lines. Spiral cords on initial three whorls rounded and well demarcated, on rest of shell broad, low and separated by narrow grooves, evenly developed on entire surface of whorl. Base fl attened, smoothly passing to canal. Aperture oval, inner lip evenly concave, with weak continuations of spiral cords under rather thin white callus. Based on growth lines, anal sinus deepest at one-third of subsutural ramp below suture, rather deep, outer lip chipped. Canal short, broadly open. Background colour white, with wavy brownish orange axial streaks incompletely interrupted by narrow white spiral band on upper shell base, colour more intense and darker on subsu tural ramp.

Dimensions: shell height 43.8 mm, last whorl height 26.2 mm, aperture height 20.2 mm, diameter 12.8 mm.

Paratypes vary in details of colour within the same basic pattern. The largest specimen is 45.8 ✕13.2 mm. Protoconch light-brown, small, protoconch I with wavy spiral striae, diameter ca 300 m m, protoconch II diameter 550 m m, consisting of 1.7 whorls, with opisthocyrt riblets in adapical half and diagonally cancellated sculpture in abapical half (figure 32). R adular teeth small, mean length 87 m m in a 37 mm high paratype, with short pointed blade and rounded basal part (figure 3).

Remarks. Leiosyrinx immedicata super fi cially ressembles L. liphaima , and differs from it in its multispiral protoconch with diagonally cancellated sculpture and much more pronounced colour pattern. From L. matsukumai and L. apheles it differs in its colourful shell and distinct spiral incisions.

Etymology. Latin immedicatus (adj.), painted; this epithet emphasizes that this is the most colourful species of the genus.