Severnsia Geiger 2016, new genus

Severnsia new genus

(Fig. 1)

Type species. Severnsia strombeulima new species.

Etymology. The genus is named for Mike Severns, the collector of the grunge material yielding the specimens, for his contributions to the malacofauna of Hawaii (Severns 2011). Gender feminine.

Diagnosis. Shell small, high-spired, smooth, protoconch indistinct, lip strongly flared, spur of parietal thickening up-turned.

Remarks. The placement of the genus in Eulimidae follows the smooth, feature-less protoconch, and the smooth teleoconch with fine axial marks typical seen in Eulimidae. While Eulimidae show a broad range of shell morphologies, the flared lip with upturned spur of the parietal callus is not known from any genus, Recent or fossil. Severnsia is as distinct from any described and currently accepted genus as those accepted genera differ amongst each other. Forcing the species into any existing genus would make any genus extraordinarily heterogeneous.

Goriella Moolenbeek, 2008 (monotypic: G. sandroi Moolenbeek, 2008) from the Maldive Islands shares the flared lip, but is proportionally smaller (33% vs 58% of shell height), and lacks the upturned parietal spur; additionally it has a strong peripheral carination on the teleoconch not seen in Severnsia.

Goubinia Dautzenberg, 1923 [monotypic: G. insueta (Dautzenberg, 1923)] from French Polynesia shares the flared lip, which is, however, proportionally smaller (34% vs 58% of shell height), lacks the upturned spur of the parietal wall, has spines on the teleoconch in the plane of the lip, and has a curved teleoconch.

Crinophtheiros collinsi (Sykes, 1903) from the Mediterranean Sea has a much less flared lip compared to Severnsia.