Cerithium salebrosum G. B. Sowerby II 1855

Cerithium salebrosum Sowerby, 1855

Cerithium salebrosum Sowerby. 1855:862, pl. 181: figs. 114, 115 [lectotype, herein selected: BMNH 19861781, 25 mm × 7.5 mm; 10 paralectotypes: BMNH 19861782–11; type locality: Lord Hood's Island, Queensland, Australia]; 1865, pl. 10: fig. 65.—Watson, 1886:532.—Tryon, 1887:131.pl. 23: figs. 100–101.—Kobrelt, 1895:194–195, pl. 35: fig. 10.—Cemohorsky, 1972:65, pl. 14: fig. 9.—Salvat and Rives, 1975:269, fig. 65.—Abbott and Dance, 1982:65.

DESCRIPTION.—Shell (Figure 122A,C–F): Shell slender, fusiform, elongate, comprising 11–15 straight-sided whorls, reaching 31.4 mm length and 9.5 mm width. Protoconch unknown. Early teleoconch whorls moderately inflated, having broad, sloping, subsutural ramp and sculpture of 2 peripheral, spiral threads, 1 or 2 weak spiral lirae, and weak axial riblets. Adult teleoconch sculptured with 4 or 5 spiral cords crossed by 10–14 axial ribs, and becoming nodulose or spinose upon the spiral cords, presenting overall raspy, cancellate pattern. First 3 subsutural spiral cords largest, separated from weaker fourth cord by broad interspace. Interspaces between spiral cords with many microscopic incised lines producing silky, smooth appearance. Whorls flat-sided to slightly angulate with strong but narrow subsutural ramp. Large varices common, randomly distributed. Suture impressed. Body whorl elongate, sculptured with 6 major spiral cords, several weaker spiral striae, and weak, subsutural axial ribs, not extending whorl length. Shell base strongly excavated, demarcated by strong, nodose spiral cord, and with tightly constricted, short, dorsally reflected, anterior siphonal canal. Aperture narrowly ovate, a little less than one-third the shell length. Columella concave with strong columellar callus and distinct columellar lip. Anal canal deep, well defined by parietal columellar tooth. Outer lip convex, strongly crenulate, and with interior, incised, spiral lines. Shell color white, sometimes with light tan spiral bands between white spiral cords and white varices. Protoconch pink to dark purple. Aperture white. Measurements (Table 39). Periostracum not evident. Operculum (Figure 122B) thin, ovate, light tan and paucispiral, with eccentric nucleus, and covered with microscopic granules (Figure 123F).

Radula (Figure 123A–E): Type-2 radular ribbon (Figure 3B) very small, about one-fifteenth the shell length. Rachidian tooth (Figure 123E) with triangular base having long, median, posterior extension and pair of basal ridges; anterior front with concave depression and cutting edge with large, central, pointed, main cusp flanked on each side by 2 denticles. Lateral tooth (Figure 123B,C,E) with long, lateral, posterior extension of basal plate, broad central buttress with weak pustule, and long posterior extension; cutting edge of lateral tooth with broad, pointed main cusp; small, pointed, inner denticles; and three medium-sized, pointed, outer denticles. Marginal teeth (Figure 123C) long, slender, with sharply curved foliated tips, narrow shafts, and tapering bases. Inner marginal tooth with 4 or 5 long, pointed, inner denticles, long main cusp, and 2 or 3 long, pointed, outer denticles. Outer marginal tooth same, but lacking outer denticles.

Anatomy: Head-foot cream-yellow, flecked with brown. Snout with one narrow and two wide brown bands comprised of finer brown lines. Eyes black, surrounded by orange. Mantle edge with moderately long papillae. Single brown spot between each pair of mantle edge papillae on inhalant siphon; mantle edge papillae orange, adjacent to inhalant siphon. Large orange spot on interior inhalant siphon.

SYNONYMIC

Cerithium salebrosum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cerithiidae.