"Cerion sagraianum peracutum, new species

(Plate 11, fig. 9)

Cerion peracutum Torre, ms. (in sched.)

     Description. - Shell attenuated, reaching 40 mm. (about 1½ inches) in length, rimately perforate, rather solid, nearly smooth to finely costate. Color a flat white to brownish mottled, this last coloration rather rare in the type series. Whorls 11, very slightly convex. Spire extended, the first 8 whorls forming a slightly convex cone, the last three whorls nearly straight-sided and produced at an angle of 60°. Aperture subquadrate. Palatal lip expanded and turned back slightly. Parietal lip straight moderately thickened but not built forward to from a true ridge. Columella straight, short and supporting a small tooth which follows backward for less than ½ whorl. Parietal tooth short and low. Umbilicus shallow but ell defined. Sculpture: the first 1 to 1½ whorls smooth, the following 3 whorls very finely and axially costate, the remaining whorls smoot or possessing rather fine and irregular growth lines. A few specimens are very finely costate throughout. These are rare in the type series.

Length              Width               Whorls                          

39.0                 15.0 mm.          11 ½                Holotype

30.2                 14                    11                    Paratype

40                    16                    11 ½                "

33.5                 15                    11                    "

     Types. - Holotype, Museo Poey no. 17268; paratypes no. 17269 and Museum of Comparative Zoölogy no. 187285 and 188533 from Boca de Jaruco, Habana Province, Cuba. Collected by Aguayo, Barro, Bermúdez, Clench, Jaume, de la Torre, Turner, and Do­mínguez, and many others.

     Remarks. - This subspecies occurs on both sides of the Boca de Jaruco, specimens from the west side being a little larger and not so abundant. On the east side it was found to be very common under and about the base of rocks and under the sea-grape leaves.

     In relationship, this form is very close to typical C. sagraianum d'Orbigny, differing mainly in being a little smaller (average specimens), proportionately a little narrower and in having the aperture a little more oval. It is quite possible that peracutum is only the result of a previous introduction of sagraianum stock which has beensubsequentl y modified by hybridization with C. tri­dentatum, a form still existing on nearby areas of the coast near Boca de Jaruco.

     It is similar to C. infandum Shuttl, but rather smaller and with different sculpture.

     One specimen with smooth apical cone and 38 ribs in the last whorl seems to approximate to C. hyperlissum Pilsbry and Vanatta." (Clench & Aguayo, 1951:75-76)