Laevisipho kessleri n. sp. Type material: Holotype LACM 3586, 64.6 mm.
Description: Shell of medium size (to 96 mm, RNC 4940), fusiform; light brown, solid; periostracum lacking. Whorls rounded; suture impressed. Protoconch extended, 2.5 whorls, 5.1-5.3 mm in diameter, 4-4.5 teleconch whorls surface usually smooth, axial sculpture lacking, spiral sculpture usually lacking, or rarely with a few, very faint, fine, irregular, spiral cords. Aperture oval, much less than half of shell height, olumella only slightly concave, mature lip thickened, but not flared; canal of moderate length, narrow, nearly straight. Operculum large, but not filling aperture, nucleus terminal. Radula: Typical for subfamily, rachidian tooth broad, excavated anteriorly, bearing four small cusps, the inner two slightly larger than the outer two. Lateral teeth large, tricuspid, cusps well-spaced, outer cusp strongly curved, inner cusp about half as long as outer, only slightly curved; central cusp slightly smaller than inner one, slightly curved. Remarks: Differs from Laevisipho galaxaios in 1) brownish color, 2) smaller size, 3) less inflated whorls, and 4) occasional few, very faint spiral cords. Etymology: The name honors the late Mr. Doyne W. Kessler, Fisheries biologist, NOAA/NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (retired). Mr. Kessler was the first to write a field guide to the fish and invertebrates of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, and was a friend and inspiration to the junior author in the study of Alaskan marine invertebrates. Distribution: Central Aleutian Islands, from Atka Island, Andreanof Ids. (175°16 W) to near Seguam Island (172°17 W), at depths of 99-220 m. Habitat: Black sand and gravel bottoms, with bottom temperatures of 4.1-4.6°C.