Table 2.
Comparison of Raphitoma sophiae n. sp. characteristcs of mature specimens against those of R. densa, R. atropurpurea and R. echinata f. III
| Species/characteristics | R. sophiae | R. densa | R. atropurpurea | R. echinata f. III |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length/width ratio | 2.4–2.5 | 2.5–2.8 | 2.6–2.8 | 2.2–2.4 |
| Number of axial ribs on body whorl | 18 | 18 | 17–23 | 15–16 |
| Axial ribs form | Very convex | Convex | Convex | Very convex |
| Number of spiral cords on body whorl | 25 | 19–21 | 19–21 | 16–17 |
| Number of spiral cords on the penultimate whorl | 10 | 7–9 | 8–9 | 6 |
| Aperture teeth | 12 | 11 | 11–12 | 9 |
| Tail | Moderately long | Short | Short | Moderately long |
| Teleoconch microsculpture | Smooth | Rough (microgranules) | Smooth | Sandpaper appearance |
| Subsutural ramp | Wide | Moderately wide | Narrow | Very wide |
| Body whorl curvature | Inverted dome shaped | Rounded | Rounded | Inverted dome shaped |
| Teleoconch color-pattern | Randomly placed light brown patches on light beige background | Dense patches of dark grey or cerulean on a dull background | Uniformly dark brown-purple with white cord as an extension of the suture | Randomly placed diffused light brown areas on light beige background |
| Subsutural ramp radial color brush strokes | Present | Absent | Absent | Present |
| Size (mm) | 9.30–15.55 | 9.60–11.80 | 8.00–17.00 | 19.10–21.10 |