Deep-water Triphoridae from the SPANBIOS expedition to New Caledonia, with the description of the genus Pseudomastoniaeforis and two new species (Gastropoda: Triphoroidea)
Authors: Piet A.J. (Hannco) Bakker, J.G.M. (Han) RavenBasteria, 88 (2): 281-288
Abstract
Deep water triphorids are little known, especially when it comes to the understudied fauna of the Indo-Pacific. Specimens collected during the SPANBIOS expedition to New Caledonia come from deep water and show a low diversity in comparison to shallow water triphorids. Here we take a close look at a new extraordinary genus of deep-water triphorids from the SPANBIOS expedition with two new species. We discuss its relationship to the genera Mastoniaeforis Jousseaume, 1884 and Iniforis Jousseaume, 1884 and the Newtoniellidae, the latter a group within the Triphoroidea for which the higher taxonomic classification is still in doubt.