Y.Terryn 
NOVAPEX 12(3-4): 63-72, 10 octobre 201 
A new species, a lost type and its forgotten name and more terebrid 
discoveries in the Caribbean (Gastropoda: Terebridae) 
Yves TERRYN 
Scientific Associate MNHN & RB1NS 
Kapiteinstraat 27, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
yves@naturalart.be 
KEY WORDS. Terebridae, Caribbean, Western Atlantic, Guadeloupe, Terebra (s. 1.) lamyi sp. 
nov., Terebra limatula, shell morphology, biodiversity. 
ABSTRACT. A small collection of terebrid specimens from Guadeloupe is discussed, with the 
description of a new species Terebra (s. I.) lamyi sp. nov. and the history of the taxon Terebra 
limatula Dali, 1889 is extensively researched. 
INTRODUCTION 
While examining specimens of the new species 
hereafter described, several terebrid experts were 
asked for an opinion as to their identity. 
One responded that the typical reticulated/beaded 
sculpture is a feature typically seen in deeper water 
species from the Caribbean and adjacent areas. 
Although it bore almost no resemblance to any known 
species, he advised the author to study also the 
“forgotten species” Terebra limatula Dali, 1889a as 
the new shell could well match its very short 
description. As mentioned by Bratcher & Cemohorsky 
(1987), the type was thought to be lost and in fact the 
original description offers little discriminative help, so 
this investigative lead was easily rejected. It wasn’t 
until a quick search in the online type database of the 
USNM was performed that specimens were found 
logged as Terebra limatula. This contradicted earlier 
report and prompted further investigation. Not only 
was there more than one syntype but the shells were 
actually présent in the type collection and fitted the 
description and each were identical with one another. 
The présent paper tries to clarify the situation, and its 
effects. 
Material and methods 
Ail specimens from Guadeloupe were collected by Mr 
Dominique Lamy and résidé in his private collection 
unless otherwise mentioned. Ail pictures of these 
specimens were taken by the collecter, with the 
exception of the new species Terebra (s. 1.) lamyi sp. 
nov. which were taken by the author. 
Ail pictures of type material held in the USNM were 
provided by Ellen Strong. 
Ail pictures of type material held in the ANSP were 
provided by Paul Callomon. 
Abbreviations 
ANSP: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 
PA, USA 
1NV: Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Santa 
Maria, Colombia 
MCZ: Muséum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, 
MA, USA 
MNHN: Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 
France 
MZUSP: Museu Zoologia da Universidade de Sao 
Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil 
RBINS: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 
Bmssels, Belgium 
USNM: United States Nation Muséum - The 
Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC, USA 
DL: Private collection Dominique Lamy, Guadeloupe 
YT: Private collection of Yves Terryn, Belgium 
Ancient history 
W. H. Dali (1889a: 66) described the species 
Terebra ( Acus ) limatula in the reports of the 
Albatross-ex pedition to the Caribbean. The type 
locality was not actually given but he enumerated a 
list of localities as ‘habitat’: “ Barbados, 100fins; Gulf 
of Mexico at Station 36, in 84 fins.; Bahamas, west of 
North Bemini (sic!), in 200 fins (Dr. Rush); US Fish 
Commission Station 2402, in the Gulf of Mexico, 
between the delta of the Mississippi and Cedar Keys, 
Fia., in 111 fms., mud; and Station 2610, 24 miles S. 
E. from Cape Lookout on the Carolina coast, in 22 
fms., sand, bottom température 79°.0F 
Dali mentioned no total number of specimens he 
had before him and only lists the size of a specimen as 
being 18.0 mm long, 3.5 mm wide and with 14 
whorls. The actual description of its discriminative 
features is a bit scattered throughout the manuscript: 
in a key and in the actual short description, and can be 
summarized as follows: Shell small, acute, elongate, 
columella not keeled, whorls fiat. Strongly cancellate 
sculpture and nodulose at the interstices, about 18-20 
costae on the body whorl. Subsutural band nodulose 
and 2-4 spiral rows of nodules on the remainder of the 
whorl. Color white to pale buff. 
Dali furthermore mentioned the possible need to 
distinguish the specimens coming from ‘more North’ 
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