European marine Mollusca: notes on less well-known species. VI. Cerithidium submammillatum (Rayneval & Ponzi, 1854)

In 1856 Jeffreys (1856: 184, pl. 2 fig. 10, 11) published a new species Turritella ? pusilla. Later on Monterosato (1878: 98) considered it identical with the fossil Cerithium submammillata (Rayneval & Ponzi, 1854) and still later made it the type of his new genus Cerithidium (Monterosato, 1884: 123). Although Monterosato as well as Jeffreys himself indicate that the species is by no means rare and mention it from a number of different places (dredgings) from the Mediterranean area, this Bittium-like species is still not well known. As we have not seen any material of the fossil species we accept the identity on the basis of Monterosato’s statement, which is also corroborated by the study of Cerulli-Irelli (1912: 338-340). Being interested in the recent species, we studied the syntypes of Jeffreys [British Museum (Natural History) 56.5.19.224, as mentioned by Warén (1980: 26) and BM 56.2.18.11 (not mentioned by Warén)], as well as some other samples [Porcupine Expedition 1870: Rasel Amoush (off Tunisia); Adventure Bank] in the London museum. All samples proved to be the same species, which is apparently very true to form. As the original description is not readily available, we cite it here: