Comitas latiaxialis

Comitas latiaxialis
	Original image of a shell of Comitas latiaxialis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Clade:	Caenogastropoda
Clade:	Hypsogastropoda
Clade:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Pseudomelatomidae
Genus:	Comitas
Species:	C. latiaxialis
Binomial name
	Comitas latiaxialis; (P. Marshall, 1918)
Synonyms
	† Surcula latiaxialis P. Marshall, 1918

Comitas latiaxialis is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pseudomelatomidae.[1]

Description

The length of the shell attains 34 mm, its diameter 11mm.

(Original description) The shape of the shell is fusiform. It hias a long spire of 5 whorls, which are strongly convex. The aperture is slightly longer than the spire, but oval in shape, though rather prolonged anteriorly. The columella is distinctly bulging at the point where the aperture narrows to the anterior canal.

Ornamentation : 7 prominent axial ribs in each whorl. These extend to the anterior suture, which bends forward slightly at the points where the axials reach it. Posteriorly the axial sutures stop short of the suture. Anteriorly the sutures are margined by a strong ridge, which is itself marked by extremely fine spiral lines. The whorls are marked by numerous fine spiral lines, which traverse the axial ribs as well as the other parts of the whorl. The spiral lines are finer and more numerous in the posterior part of the whorl, and are coarsest where they cross the axials. These are crossed by irregular lines of growth, the form of which indicate that the anal sinus was relatively shallow. The outer lip is not sufficiently well preserved to demonstrate that point.[2]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to New Zealand and fossils were found in Tertiary strata of Pakaurangi Point, Kaipara Harbour.

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References

MolluscaBase (2018). Comitas latiaxialis (P. Marshall, 1918) †. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=831468 on 2018-07-02
Marshall, Patrick. "The Tertiary molluscan fauna of Pakaurangi Point, Kaipara Harbour." ; Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. Vol. 50. 1918 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Maxwell, P.A. (2009). Cenozoic Mollusca. pp 232–254 in Gordon, D.P. (ed.) New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume one. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch.

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[1] MolluscaBase (2018). Comitas latiaxialis (P. Marshall, 1918) †. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=831468 on 2018-07-02

[2] Marshall, Patrick. "The Tertiary molluscan fauna of Pakaurangi Point, Kaipara Harbour." ; Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. Vol. 50. 1918 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.