^? THE NAUTILUS 101(3):101-110, 1987 Page 101 Anatomy and Systematic Position of Fastigiella carinata Reeve (Cerithiidae: Prosobranchia) Richard S. Houbrick Robert Robertson R. Tucker Abbott National Museum of Natural History The Academy of Natural Sciences American Malacologists, Inc. Smithsonian Institution 19th and the Parkway PO Box 2255 Washington. DC 20560, USA Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA Melbourne, FL 32902, USA ABSTRACT broad. Opinions on the relationships of Fastigiella within the superfamily Cerithiacea and related superfamilies Fastigiella carinata is placed in the family Cerithiidae, close (as presently conceived) have also been varied. For ex- to the genus Pseiidooertagus Vignal on the basis of conchologi- cal, radular, and anatomical characters. Fastigiella has a shell ample, Mörch (1877:209), although placing Fastigiella sculptured with three strong spiral cords, an aperture with a near Cerithium {sensu lato), stated that Fastigiella is distinct anterior canal, a pseudumbilicus, missing in juveniles, closest to a Recent "Triphoris" (= Triphora Blainville; and a siphonal fasciole. The operculum is ovate, corneous, and Triphoridae) and to a Pliocene "Cerithium" (assigned paucispiral with an eccentric nucleus, and the radula is tae- by Wenz, 1940, to the Potamididae). More orthodox dis- nioglossate. The animal has an unusual hypobranchial gland cussions and placements of Fastigiella are those of Fisch- comprised of many transverse leaflets, a ridge dividing the er (1884:679), Tryon (1887:115,149), Thiele (1929:214), anterior oviductal groove, and an open pallia! oviduct with the Pérez Farfante (1940:71), Wenz (1943:770), and Sarasúa seminal receptacle in the medial lamina of the posterior ovi- and Espinosa (1977:2). Ford (1944:8) considered Ceri- duct. thidea Swainson, 1840 (Potamididae) a subgenus of Fas- tigiella, which is incorrect nomenclaturally {Cerithidea having priority over Fastigiella). Moore (1971:1-2), on the basis of its rarity and the presence of a siphonal fasciole and prominent varices on the shell, suggested INTRODUCTION that Fastigiella is a neogastropod, probably belonging to The systematic relationship of Fastigiella carinata Reeve, the Fasciolariidae. Abbott (1974:105), while assigning 1848 to other prosobranchs has been uncertain and spec- Fastigiella to the Cerithiidae, wrote that "it may prove ulative since its description nearly 140 years ago. The to be in a totally different family, possibly the Pyrami- genus has been thought to include only one living species dellidae." and until now was known only from empty shells from Approximately 100 specimens are now found in mu- the central Bahamas and northwestern Cuba. Even its seums and private collections. Hugh Cuming possessed faimilial relationships have been in doubt. the first known specimen as early as 1847, but recorded Fastigiella Reeve has been a puzzle to many workers. no locality data. Dr. C. M. Poulsen obtained an immature Reeve (1848) remarked in the original description that specimen from Eleuthera prior to 1877 (F. poulseni the shell iíiíitermediate between Turritella Lamarck Mörch, 1877; herein regarded as a synonym). The Amer- and Cerithium Bruguière, but he hinted that Fastigiella ican Museum of Natural History has a dataless specimen might be a Buccinum-like carnivore {i.e., what would from a collection catalogued prior to 1900. The Rev. P. now be called a neogastropod). Reeve placed Fastigiella D. Ford collected several specimens in 1943 along the in the catch-all "family Canalífera" because of its char- north coast of New Providence Island. From 1953 through acteristic anterior canal. Woodward (185L129) placed it 1986 several dozen specimens have been reported in the with a query after "Nerinaea" in the family "Cerithi- literature or have been collected by amateur concholo- adae" (= Cerithiidae sensu lato). H. Adams and A. Adams gists. All collectors have found dead specimens from first placed Fastigiella in the Fasciolariidae (1853:155) beach drift or in water less than 3 m in depth. but later in the Cerithiidae (1858:655). Chenu (1859:182) Recently, a living Fastigiella was collected by Joseph also assigned Fastigiella to the Fasciolariidae. Lleida at New Providence Island, Bahamas, and pre- VIost later malacologists have followed Woodward and served in alcohol. This specimen (USNM 859097), al- H. Adams and A. Adams in placing Fastigiella near though not preserved well enough for histológica! study, Cerithium in the Cerithiidae, albeit in some cases with was a mature female that provided an operculum, radula doubts indicated. Concepts of the genus Cerithium and and preserved soft parts suitable for general anatomical of the family Cerithiidae have been various and generally study. Page 102 THE NAUTILUS, Vol. 101, No. 3 MATERIALS AND METHODS kindly given to one of us, R. Tucker Abbott, and sent to the senior author for anatomical studies. The soft parts The senior author studied the anatomy, radula, and oper- were extracted by breaking the shell in a small vise. The culum of a live-collected snail and also assembled some animal was dissected under a binocular dissecting mi- distribution records. Conchological studies, nomencla- croscope. Shell pieces, apex, operculum, and radula were tural history, and geographic data are by the junior au- examined using a Zeiss Novascan-30 scanning electron thors, Robert Robertson and R. Tucker Abbott. microscope. This specimen and its parts (USNM 859097) The following abbreviations are used throughout the are deposited in the National Museum of Natural His- text: AMNH, American Museum of Natural History; tory, Smithsonian Institution. ANSP, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia; DMNH, Delaware Museum of Natural History; BM(NH), British Museum (Natural History); LACM, Los Angeles RESULTS County Museum of Natural History; USNVI, National Museum of Natural History, U.S. National Museum, SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION Washington, DC. Family Cerithiidae Fleming, 1822 Material examined: BAHAMAS; Nassau, New Providence Subfamily Cerithiinae Fleming, 1822 Id. (LACM S1855); Brown's Point, Nassau, New Provi- Genus Fastigiella Reeve, 1848 dence Id. (DMNH 65992, 65993; USNM 707161, 859097); Silver Cay and Hog Id., off Nassau, New Providence Id. Genus Fa.sligiella Reeve, 1848:14-15. Type-species: Fastigiella {fide G. Fehling); Delaports Point, Clifton Pier, east end carinata Reeve, 1848, by monotypy. of Goulding Cay, New Providence Id. (D. Cosman, leg.); Diagnosis: Shell large, turreted, high spired, sculptured South West Reef, 7 mi south of New Providence Id. (D. with 3 major, strong, raised spiral cords per whorl, ex- Cosman, leg.); Cable Beach, New Providence Id.; Holms clusive of body whorl. Aperture ovate, about Vi the shell Cay, Berry Ids. (J. Cordy collection); mouth of Stafford length, and with short, recurved anterior canal. Pseud- Creek, east Andros Id. (DMNH 49248); off Small Hope umbilicus and siphonal fasciole present on mature adults. Bay, east Andros Id. (DMNH 29236, 40987, Sue Abbott, Taenioglossate radula with lateral teeth having large bas- leg.); Cowrie Reef, Andros Id. (DMNH 51344); Cave al plate and long lateral extension; marginal teeth long, Cay, Exumas (D. Cosman, leg.); Guana Cay, Exumas (D. hook-like. Paired saffvary glands in front of nerve ring. Cosman, leg.); Highburn Cay (J. Cordy, leg.); Sail Cay Hypobranchial gland comprised of many transverse leaf- (G. Duffy, leg.); Wemys Bight, Eleuthera (AMNH); Mil- lets. Strong longitudinal ridge bisects distal oviductal lars, Eleuthera (M. McNeilus, leg.); Berry Islands, groove of palliai oviduct. Eleuthera (fide R. Houbrick); Windemere Id., Eleuthera (AMNH); Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera (AMNH); Bot- Remarks: Various fossil species have been referred to tle Cay, Schooner Cays, Eleuthera (ANSP 189519); Pow- Fastigiella [e.g., by Cossmann, 1906:93-95). The only ell's Point, Eleuthera (DMNH 51837); west coast of Cat one appearing to us as possibly belonging in the genus Island (W. G. Lyons, in litt.). CUBA: Cardenas (USNM is "Cerithium" rugosum Lamarck, 1804, of the Middle 434792); off Havana (Jaume collection); Santa Fe, 8 km Eocene of France. Mellevillia Cossmann, 1889, named west of Marianao, Havana (I. Pérez Farfante, leg.); Co- as a Lower Eocene "section" of Fastigiella from France, macho Beach, 4 mi west of Varadero, Matanzas (J. Fin- has none of the characteristics of the genus. The Eocene lay, leg.); (DMNH 105578); Varadero Beach, Matanzas fossil, Zefallacia australis (Suter, 1919) somewhat resem- (J. Finlay collection; Museo Poey, fide Jaume & Sarasúa, bles Fastigiella. 1943; ANSP 316919); Camarioca Reef area. Matanzas (J. Fastigiella is a monotypic genus restricted to a small Finlay, leg.); Bahía de Matanzas (R. Burquete, leg.). area of the western Atlantic, i.e., the central Bahamas A live-collected, mature, female snail was collected and northwestern Cuba. Its closest relatives appear to be May, 1986 by Joseph Lleida at Brown's Point, New Prov- in the cerithiid genus Pseudovertagus Vignal, which is idence, Bahamas, where it was found living in shallow now confined to the Indo-Pacific. "Fastigiella" squamu- water. The specimen, which had a shell 32.1 mm long losa Pease, 1868, from the Tuamotus (Polynesia), is a and 11 mm wide, was preserved in 70% EtOH. It was high-spired Recent Coralliophila species. Figures 1-5. Fastigiella carinata Reeve from Holms Cay, Berry Islands, Bahamas. Note light tan spiral band adjacent to suture. Length 44.4 mm (J. Cordy collection). L Apertural view showing anal fasciole and pseudumbilicus.