C. VlLVENS, F. SWINNEN & F. DENIZ GUERRA 
Novapex 12(1-2): 49-55, 10 mars 2011 
A new species of Clelandella 
(Gastropoda: Trochoidea: Trochidae: Cantharidinae) 
from Western Sahara 
Claude VlLVENS 
Rue de Hermalle, 113 - B-4680 Oupeye, Belgium 
Scientific Collaborator, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris 
vilvens.claude@skynet.be 
Frank SWINNEN 
Lutlommel, 10 - B-3920 Lommel, Belgium 
Scientific Collaborator, Museu Municipal do Funchal, Madeira 
f.swinnen@skynet.be 
Francisco DENIZ GUERRA 
Avda de la Democracia 47 - CP 35018 Las Palmas de Gran Canada, Spain 
fdeniz@telefonica.net 
KEYWORDS. Gastropoda, Trochoidea, Trochidae, Cantharidinae, Western Sahara, Clelandella, 
new species. 
ABSTRACT. Clelandella artilesi n. sp., a new species from Western Sahara is described and 
compared with similar species from the north-eastem Atlantic, especially off West Africa. 
RESUME. Une nouvelle espèce de Clelandella provenant du Sahara Occidental, Clelandella 
artilesi n. sp., est décrite et comparée avec d'autres espèces similaires de l'Atlantique Nord-est, 
plus particulièrement au large de l'Afrique Occidentale. 
INTRODUCTION 
Until the next last years, there was only a few 
literature about the malacofauna from off former 
French West Africa and the species from this area 
were still rather poorly known (see Vilvens & 
Swinnen, 2007 for an abbreviated historical account of 
the main expéditions in this area). By now, some 
valuable Works hâve highlighted the malacofauna not 
only from West Africa but also from adjacent Atlantic 
islands such as Canary Is., Madeira Is. and Cape 
Verde Is. (e.g. Curini-Galletti, 1985; Segers, 2002; 
Ardovini & Cossignani, 2004; Gofas, 2005; Rolan. 
2005; Rolan & Swinnen. 2009; Segers, Swinnen & De 
Prins, 2009). 
Arnong the species reported or newly described in 
ail these papers and books, the Cantharidinae 
(accepted subfamily of the Trochidae family) species 
are rather numerous. This paper describes a new 
species that belongs to this subfamily. 
Material and methods 
The material studied was found by some dredging 
performed by dragging boats working in the Canary - 
Saharan fishing bank. Ail the shells where collected 
between 1993 and 2001, in an area off Western Sahara 
that goes from Cap Boujdour (Cabo Bojador: 22°18'N, 
16°40'W) to Cap Barbas (Cabo Barbas: 26°07N, 
14°29'W), at between 50-70 m deep on sandy bottoms 
(see text figure 2 below). 
Regarding the description methodology, the main 
conchological features used are (see text figure 1 
below) : 
♦ general shape of the shell; 
♦ shape of the whorls; 
♦ spiral cords and axial threads of the whorls; 
♦ spiral cords on the base; 
♦ shape of the aperture, the outer and the inner lip; 
♦ colour pattern. 
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