Marginella colomborum (Bozzetti 1995)

Type of larval development: direct (non-planktotrophic), inferred from paucispiral protoconch.

Shell up to 10 mm high, pyriform, moderately solid with a blunt conical spire. Protoconch smooth and formed by less than one whorl, hardly distinct from teleoconch which comprises less than three whorls with a smooth and glossy surface. Spire whorls very slightly convex; Body whorl making up about 85% of the total height, regularly rounded towards the periphery, then gently tapering towards the abapical end. Aperture elongate, narrower in its adapical half. Outer lip bordered externally by a definite rim, thicker and more strongly bent in the adapical part which forms a broad channel; Columellar edge with four plaits, the adapical one small, the other three increasing in size but not as prominent as usual in the genus. A continued parietal and columellar callus is seen as a very thing lining over the shell surface adjacent to the aperture. Colour, a very light pinkish hue, the outer lip nearly white. This species resembles Marginella hesperia Sykes, 1905 fron the mainland slope of SW Europe and NW Africa, but differs in having one whorl less, a much more inflated and blunt apex, less solid shell, and some faint thickenings on the inner rim of outer lip.

Endemic of Josephine, Seine and Ampère seamounts; common on Josephine, 270-335 m, rare on Seine and Ampère; a very similar species [M. seguenzai] is found in the Italian Pleistocene.