A New Epitoniid Genus and Species from the Offshore Waters of the Kii Peninsula, Japan

Abstract

Minabescala n. gen. and Minabescala littorinoides n. sp. are described. This new species is parasitic on an undetermined Hormathiidae species, which occurs on the carapace of the crab Leotomithrax edwardsi (de Haan, 1839). The new species resembles to Littorinid species morphologically, however, parasitic and radula studies reveal that the new species is classified in the new genus of the family Epitoniidae.