Cypraeovula iutsuina, perdentata

and other deep water oddballs

Fig. 1:  Cypraeovula iutsuina Raybaudi 1995 "Holotype", Port Alfred area, deep water

The sides are callous, the shell is inflated. The ridges are not so produced but extend partly across the base. Fossula rather strong. Faint marginal spots. The name was not introduced in an appropriate way according to the ICZN.

 

 Fig. 2: Cypraeovula perdentata Raybaudi 1995 Holotype, Port Alfred area, deep water

Note the strong teeth, callous sides and smooth dorsum. Fossula reduced. The name was not introduced in an appropriate way according to the ICZN.

 Fig. 3: Cypraeovula immelmani Liltved 2001 Holotype, Port Grosvenor, S. Africa, off 100m: A specimen with more inflated shell, reduced ribs and very slight fossula.

 Fig. 4: Specimen corresponding to the holotype of immelmani, Port Grosvenor, S. Africa, off 100m

 Fig. 5: Specimen with stronger riblets Port Grosvenor, S. Africa, off 100m, fossula slightly produced

 Fig. 6: Cypraeovula colligata Lorenz 2002, Paratype, from Mbotyi, Pondoland off 100 m

 Fig. 7: A typical specimen of C. colligata, northern Transkei, off 120 m, note the faintly ribbed base and the ribbed peristome, a unique feature in Cypraeovula.

 Fig. 8: Cypraeovula kesslerorum Lorenz 2006, East London area, off 120 m, note the distinctly ribbed base and the ribbed peristome. This species from the East London area has stronger basal riblets, but the ribbed peristome and general pattern reveal that it is related to C. colligata. The more globular shape suggest a relationship tp connelli, whereas the riblets remind of capensis and the mysterious iutsuina.

Apparently, two separable taxa seem to occur in deeper water along the South African coast, which have been named iustuina and perdentata Raybaudi 1995. These names were introduced in the belief that they are hybrid forms, which is one reason why the names are not valid according to the ICZN. They differ from each other by the formation of the teeth, especially of the fossula region, but both resemble capensis because of the posession of basal riblets. Only one each specimens are known from the Port Alfred area. Their populations are probably small and isolate. As hybridism cannot be proven, the taxa are of uncertain status for the time being.

The extensive dredging offshore the northern Transkei has produced several specimens of formerly unknown shells, somehow similar to Raybaudis taxa, yet both different because of the following features: more slender shells, smooth base and margins, spotted margins. These new shells from the northern locality can be put in two separate groups: The slender, ribbed immelmani, and colligata, which is more inflated and heavy, with a ribbed columellar peristome. Northern populations are rather smooth basally, southern shells from the East London area always seem to have a ribbed base and a more inflated shell. They have been separated as kesslerorum.

 Fig. 11: Cypraeovula - gallery 1: left: iutsuina, holotype. middle: colligata, subadult. 3 shells on right: immelmani

 Fig. 12: Cypraeovula - gallery 2: left: perdentata, holotype. middle left: kesslerorum, East London. 2 shells on right: colligata, typical from N. Transkei.

 

by Felix Lorenz Sept. 2006