E. F. Garcia 
A new species of Mitra 
Type locality. Louisiana, off Isles Demieres, 
28“05.95'N, 91°01,34'W, 69-68 m 
Distribution. Offshore Louisiana pinnacles, 57- 99 m. 
Description. Shell up to 32.2 mm in length, elongate- 
ovate, average with/ length ratio 0.37. Protoconch 
damaged, slightly tilted from axis (Fig. 14), of at least 
3 smooth, conical, tan whorls. Teleoconch of 8 
whorls; whorls very narrowly shouldered, straight- 
sided. Suture channeled. Axial sculpture of numerous 
narrow, strong cords on first 5 or 6 whorls; cords 
narrower than interspaces, diminishing in strength on 
later whorls, obsolète on last whorl. Spiral sculpture of 
4 strong, wide cords on early whorls, 5 on later 
whorls; interspaces pitted; cords becoming strongly 
nodulous as they cross over axial éléments, creating a 
strong clathrate pattern of nodes and pits on first 5 
whorls (Figs. 3, 6, 11), diminishing in strength on later 
whorls, obsolète on last whorl of mature specimens 
except for two cords next to suture and at base of 
whorl, where numerous weak, slightly nodulous spiral 
cords still show. Apeiture approximately half the 
length of shell, narrowly pointed posteriorly, with 
relatively wide siphonal canal anteriorly; outer lip 
simple, only slightly thickened; pariétal wall of adult 
specimens with well-delineated, thin callus 
posteriorly, thickened and slightly raised anteriorly, 
producing 4 columellar folds; posterior fold largest, 
prominent; next two folds proportionately smaller; last 
fold almost obsolète. Shell rusty-brown in fresh 
specimens, with white amorphous white blotches at 
suture; blotches tending to form small to large axial 
flammules that may cross entire whorl; a well- 
delineated to nebulous white band appearing at mid- 
section of last whorl; aperture in fresh specimens 
mauve. Animal translucent-white, with opaque, white 
to pale- yellow blotches; foot and siphon pale 
yellowish-cream (Fig. 15). 
Remarks. Cernohorsky (1976: 383) differentiates 
Fusimitra Conrad, 1855 from other subgenera in 
Mitridae by its early whorls showing a clathrate 
sculpture similar to Concilia but adult whorls 
becoming smoother, not unlike those of Mitra s.s. As 
these characters apply to Mitra ulala , I hâve placed 
this new species in Fusimitra. 
The type sériés of Mitra (Fusimitra) ulala is 
consistent in most characters. The two variables are 
the basic color, which ranges from rusty-brown in live 
collected specimens to orange and yellow in older 
specimens, and the quantity and shape of the white 
blotching. Only one, a live-collected specimen, had an 
almost intact protoconch, which is tilted (Fig. 14); the 
second live-collected specimen has a partial 
protoconch that also seems to be tilted. However, at 
this point one cannot be sure if this is a true character 
of the species. 
Mitra (Fusimitra) ulala n. sp. is very different 
from most other western Atlantic Mitra s.s. such as 
Mitra barbadensis (Gmelin, 1791), Mitra 
damasomonteiroi Cossignani & Cossignani, 2007, 
Mitra espinosai Sarasüa, 1978, Mitra lenhilli Petuch, 
1988, Mitra leonardi Petuch, 1990, Mitra nodulosa 
(Gmelin, 1791), Mitra pallida Usticke, 1959, and 
Mitra semiferruginea Reeve, 1845. It can only be 
confused with its congener, Mitra (F.) antillensis Dali, 
1889. 
Mitra antillensis (Figs. 16-20) is a widespread 
species, ranging from North Carolina to Brazil. It is 
very rare in the Gulf of Mexico, most of the 
specimens having been found in the southeastern 
quadrant of the Gulf. To the author’s knowledge, only 
three specimens hâve been collected in the 
northwestern Gulf of Mexico, one off Texas, at 
Alaminos Station 72-A4 (Fig. 19) and two off 
Louisiana: at Diaphus Bank, 28°5’N, 90“42’W, in 92 
m (length 52,5 mm, width 15.6 mm); and at one of the 
pinnacles, 27° 49 N 92° 53.5 W, 75-85 m (Figs. 17- 
18). These three specimens are consistent with USNM 
62103 (Fig. 16), the specimen designated by 
Cernohorsky (1976: 387- 388; pi. 326, fïg. 4) as the 
"selected holotype" (lectotype) for this taxon and 
preclude the possibility that Mitra ulala is an 
ecomorph of M. antillensis. Mitra antillensis differs 
from the new species in the following characters: 
1. It grows to a larger size. The lectotype has 8 
teleoconch whorls and measures 81 mm. The holotype 
as well as paratypes 7 and 8 of M. ulala also hâve 8 
teleoconch whorls and measure respectively 30.5mm, 
32.2 mm and 23.2 mm; moreover, ail other paratypes, 
which measure 18.8 mm to 27.1 mm, hâve at least 7 
whorls. 
Figures 1-11. Mitra ulala n. sp. 
1-3. Holotype USNM 1155049, 28°05.95’N, 91°01.34'W, 69-68 m, length 30.5mm. width 10.3 mm. 4. Paratype 
1, USNM 1155050, 28°06.217N, 91°070'W, 75-65 m, length 21.9 mm, width, 8.75 mm. 5-6. Paratype 6 SBMNH 
149759, 28°38.16TM89°33.19'W, 60-70 m, length 18.8 mm, width 7.6 mm 7. Paratype 4 USNM 1155052, 
27°58.01'N 92° 35.67'W, 75-85 m, length 27.1 mm, width 8.4 mm. 8. Paratype 5, BMSM 17952, 28° 6.2l’N, 91° 
2.23’W, 99.3 m, length 21.9 mm, width 8.0 mm. 9. Paratype 7, EFG 24308, 28°5.85’N, 91°1.28’W, 68.3 m, 
length 32.2 mm, width 10.8 mm. 10-11. Paratype 8, EFG 23177, 27° 59.14l’N; 91°38.832'W, 91-65 m, length 
23.2 mm, width 7.8 mm. 
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