Monographic revision of the endemic Helix mazzullii De Cristofori & Jan, 1832 complex from Sicily and re-introduction of the genus Erctella Monterosato, 1894 (Pulmonata, Stylommatophora, Helicidae)
Author
Colomba, Stella
Author
Gregorini, Armando
Author
Liberto, Fabio
Author
Reitano, Agatino
Author
Giglio, Salvatore
Author
Sparacio, Ignazio
text
Zootaxa
2011
3134
1
42
journal article
45768
10.5281/zenodo.279462
a3538458-c8ad-4190-8158-0434fb6a095b
1175-5326
279462
Erctella insolida
(
Monterosato, 1892
)
Figs. 18–20
,
23
Helix
(
Helicogena
)
aspersa
var.
insolida
Monterosato 1892
: 26
(Favignana?; Monte San Giuliano).
Helix
(
Erctella
)
mazzullii
forma
insolida
—
Monterosato 1894
: 168
-169 (Monte San Giuliano or Erice, near Trapani).
Helix mazzulli
—
De
Gregorio 1894
: 7
(fossil, Levanzo island);
Piperno 1997
: 140
(fossil: Uzzo cave).?
Helix
sp. —
Varga 1989
: 77
(
insolida
?).
Helix mazzulli
var.
vitincola
De
Gregorio 1895
: 193
(San Vito)
.
Helix
(
Cryptomphalus
)
aspersa
—
Alzona 1971
: 220
[
partim
].
Cornu
aspersum
—
Bank 2009
[
partim
], (Sicily).
Cantareus mazzullii
—
Fiorentino
et al.
2004
: 89
(fossil: Levanzo island).
Cornu
mazzullii
insolidum
—
Colomba
et al.
2008
: 90
.
Erctella insolida
— Liberto
et al.
2010: 115–116, fig. 156.
Shell
(
Figs. 18–20
). Large for the genus; height
33–40 mm
(mean
34 mm
); maximum diameter
29–35 mm
(mean 31.8 mm); aperture height
22–26 mm
(mean
24 mm
); aperture maximum diameter 23.5–
28 mm
(mean
25 mm
); more globose; brownish or greenish; spire less elevated; external surface with very thin growth lines; peristome thickened, simple or little reflected; aperture rounded.
Animal
. Generally dark.
Genitalia
(
Fig. 23
). Diverticulum of bursa copulatrix approximately as long as duct of bursa copulatrix; two digitiform glands each of which is divided into 23–45 slender and branched digit-like appendices; vagina internally with 7–8 longitudinal pleats; penial flagellum as long as penis and epiphallus together; internal surface of proximal cavity of the distal penis with transversal pleats subdivided in 1–2 longitudinal and raised pleats, a very small true penial papilla and a small papilla on the internal wall.
Remarks.
Erctella insolida
was described by
Monterosato (1892)
as a variety of
Helix (Helicogena) aspersa
, with the locus typicus: “Favignana?” and Monte San Giuliano (Trapani province). The Sicilian naturalist himself later (1894) modified the position of the taxon and slightly re-defined its distribution area, reporting it as a variety of
H. (Erctella) mazzullii
from Monte San Giuliano or Erice (Favignana being definitely ruled out). Afterward he changed his mind again and considered
insolida
a valid species [
H. (Erctella) insolida
] distinct from other related species, particularly from
H. aspersa
(=
Cornu
aspersum
) (
Ryolo & Palazzi 2009
).
Populations described by
De
Gregorio (1895)
under the name
vitincola
(from San Vito Lo Capo, Trapani province) and those reported under
insolida
(from Monte Cofano) show minimal morphological differences and only a slight genetic divergence.