Cerithium gloriosum Houbrick 1992

Cerithium gloriosum

DESCRIPTION.—Shell (Figure 61): Shell tall, elongate, comprising 13–16 weakly inflated teleoconch whorls and reaching 28.4 mm length and 8.3 mm width. Protoconch (Figure 61B) 3.5 whorls with sinusigeral notch. Protoconch 1 smooth; protoconch 2 sculptured with row of subsutural spiral pustules, two spiral cords and tiny, microscopic dots. Early teleoconch sculptured with 2 spiral cords, pointed beads, and axial riblets presenting spinose-reticulated appearance. Adult teleoconch whorls smooth, shiny, with slight pre- and postsutural ramps and sculptured with three beaded spiral cords and weak, presutural, spiral thread. Beads pointing towards apex and aligned colabrally forming 13–16 weak, opisthocline, axial ribs. Varices occasionally present. Suture moderately impressed, well defined. Body whorl with large varix opposite outer lip of aperture; sculptured with 5 or 6 main, spiral cords, and several weak, minor spiral striae; first three adapical cords sometimes beaded. Base of body whorl weakly constricted. Aperture ovate, about one-fourth the shell length. Columella weakly concave with slight callus and weak, anterior lip. Anal canal a very weak parietal indentation. Anterior siphonal canal wide, very short, and slightly turned to left of shell axis. Outer lip of aperture thin, smooth, and convex, slightly pendant anteriorly. Shell color porcelaneous white with occasional faint traces of brown bands or splotches. Aperture white. Measurements (Table 22). Periostracum not seen. Operculum thin, corneous, and paucispiral with nearly central nucleus.

Radula (Figure 62): Type-3 radular ribbon short, about one-ninth the shell length. Rachidian tooth (Figure 62C,D) square, with posterior ridge and short, median, posterior extension on basal plate; cutting edge with short main cusp flanked by 1 or 2 denticles on each side. Lateral tooth (Figure 62B–D) with basal plate having short lateral-posterior extension and wide central buttress with short, median, transverse fold on ridge. Marginal teeth (Figure 62A,B) with broad bases and stems and narrow, curved, serrated tips. Inner marginal tooth with pointed tip, 2 or 3 inner flanking denticles, and 2 outer flanking denticles; outer marginal tooth same, but lacking outer flanking denticles.

Anatomy (preserved animal): Animal white, having narrow foot with deep, well-developed, anterior pedal, mucus gland. Snout broad, short; cephalic tentacles stout, short with large black eye on each cephalic peduncle. Deep longitudinal groove separating sole from rest of foot. Mantle edge with small papillae. Osphradium straight, narrow, brown, and with irregularly shaped leaflets. Palliai oviduct long, narrow, with large bursa in medial lamina. Stomach large, nearly 2.5 whorls in length.

HOLOTYPE.—MNHNP, not numbered, Figure 61A,D (26.4 mm × 7.0 mm).

PARATYPES.—MNHNP, over 200 specimens, not numbered; USNM 862327, Figure 61C,E,F (both lots same locality as holotype).

TYPE LOCALITY.—Îles des Glorieuses (11°28'5″S, 47°12'E, 500–600 m; BENTHEDI Sta DR-06).

ETYMOLOGY.—Named for the Îles Glorieuses, where large numbers of this species have been dredged.

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