K. Fraussen & J. Rosado 
NOVAPEX 12(3-4): 73-79, 10 octobre 2011 
whorl with 5 primary spiral cords, two subsutural ones 
slightly weaker, separated by a narrower interspace; a 
sixth primary spiral cord partly concealed under suture 
of subséquent whorl. Body whorl with about 40 spiral 
cords of different strength, 20 of them primary and 
secondary spiral cords of about sanie strength, 
altemating with about 20 tlner tertiary spiral threads. 
First teleoconch whorl with 13 fine axial ribs; 
abapically, on the suprasutural adpression, becoming 
weaker, resulting in a suture with constricted 
appearance; interspaces of equal size or slightly 
broader. Subséquent whorls with 12 axial ribs. Ribs 
becoming gradually weaker, but slightly broader. 
Body whorl with 8 axial ribs, about 3 additional ribs, 
or traces of them, on prelabral varix. Last 1/4 part of 
body whorl covered with a broad, but weak prelabral 
varix. Whole surface covered with minute, sharp 
incrémental lamellae. 
Aperture oval, adapical part pinched. Columella 
strongly concave; callus thin, white, rather adhèrent to 
preceding whorl, covered with big lirae according to 
sculpture of preceding whorl, with a single adapical 
columellar lira and 3 strong, abapical columellar folds 
near transition to siphonal canal. Outer lip thin; 
omamented with about 16 internai lirae of different 
strength, not according to sculpture of outer surface. 
Siphonal canal short, broad, open. Aperture and 
siphonal canal together slightly more than 1 14 of total 
shell length. 
Animal and operculum unknown. 
Comparision. Pollia imprimelata sp. nov. is 
characterized by the laterally slightly flattened whorls 
which give the spire a more conical appearance and, 
as a conséquence, a more pinched adapical part of the 
aperture. The maximum diameter of each whorl is 
situated below the periphery. This shape is rather 
atypical for the genus. 
The colour ranges front snow-white and off-white 
with sonie pale brownish bands to the presence of 
reddish brown spiral Unes on top of the spiral 
sculpture, especially on the periphery and subsutural 
slope. Snow-white shells and coloured ones were 
found in the sanie haul (MAINBAZA stn. DW3167 
and DW3169). 
AU known Pollia species differ by having a 
convex subsutural area and the slightly more rounded 
adapical part of the outer lip. (See below.) 
Pollia sowerbyana (Melvill & Standen, 1903) 
(type locality: “Gulf of Oman and Mekran Coast, 
especially between Gwadûr and Jask, frorn 25-30 
fathoms”) (Fig. 13) is characterized by the convex, 
slightly shouldered whorls, the big axial ribs, the 
round rather than oval aperture with a weak adapical 
tabulation. The suture is distinct, suprasuturally 
slightly appressed. Specimens with a broad shape, or 
short spire, niay hâve the appressed band partly 
concealed under the next whorl. 
Pollia sowerbyana is similar in spiral sculpture, 
but differs by the convex teleoconch whorls which 
reach their maximum diameter near the shoulder 
(instead of below the suturai line), consequently the 
adapical part of the outer lip is broader and more 
tabulate where connected with the preceding whorl; 
the prelabral varix is stronger but narrower; the 
suprasutural constricted area is usually broader; the 
subsutural spiral cords are straight (rather than waved 
or twisted where Crossing the axial ribs) and finer with 
a broader interspace; the number of axial ribs is 
smaller on the upper teleoconch whorls (about 10) but 
higher on the body whorl (10 including the prelabral 
varix); the columellar callus is broader, especially the 
adapical part which has a gently curved edge; the 
pattern usually consists of 2 broad bands (instead of 
fine fines) and it seerns that the hairs on the 
periostracum are longer. 
It may be possible that the more eastern species 
(Philippines: P. vicdani’, Coral Sea and New 
Caledonia: P. pellita) hâve to be regarded as 
conspecific with P. sowerbyana. Further study may 
throw a light on this question but in the meantime we 
regard these taxa as distinct (see below). 
Pollia vicdani (Kosuge, 1984) (type locality: 
Philippines, Bohol, off Panglao, 120 fms.) is similar, 
but differs front P. imprimelata sp. nov. by the bigger 
number of axial ribs on the body whorl (the number of 
axial ribs on the upper spire whorls is the same) and 
the slightly more convex subsutural area and the 
slightly more rounded adapical part of the outer lip. 
The number of axial ribs on penultimate and body 
whorls seems to vary considerably in many Pollia 
species, but it is quite constant in Philippine 
populations of P. vicdani. We doubt this is a solid 
characteristic to distinguish these species or fonns. 
Pollia pellita Vermeij & Bouchet, 1998 (type 
locality: New Caledonia, Loyalty Ridge, 20°42’S, 
167°00’E, 270 ni) is similar to P. imprimelata sp. nov. 
in shape and pattern, especially the fonn front Coral 
Sea, but differs by the slightly more convex subsutural 
area and the slightly more rounded adapical part of the 
outer lip. 
Pollia delicata (E. A. Smith, 1899) (type locality: 
Investigator “Station 237, lat. 13° 17’ N., long. 93° 7’ 
E., off Andaman Islands, 90 fath.”) is similar, but 
differs front P. imprimelata sp. nov. by the smaller 
number of protoconch whorls (about 1), the clearly 
more convex whorls, the spiral sculpture which is fine 
and running straight near the subsutural slope (instead 
of being twisted when Crossing the axial ribs). 
Etymology. Pollia imprimelata sp. nov. is derived 
from imprimere (Latin, verb) meaning "press upon" in 
combination with latus (Latin) meaning "side", which 
refers to the slightly flattened latéral sides. The last 
letters of imprimere are contracted to avoid deviating 
pronunciation. 
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