Description of a new freshwater mussel species of Pletholophus, Simpson, 1900 (Bivalvia, Unionidae) from Guangdong, ChinaAuthorDai, Yu-TingSchool of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaAuthorChen, Zhong-Guang0000-0003-2689-3321School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaAuthorHu, Cheng-LinSchool of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaAuthorOuyang, ShanSchool of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaAuthorHuang, Xiao-Chen0000-0002-0242-3571School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaAuthorWu, Xiao-PingSchool of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinatextZoosystematics and Evolution20242024-08-28100411911200journal article30179310.3897/zse.100.1310190629ac32-5124-4217-a0fc-82b27669e630C9F1030C-0564-4960-9378-38D9848ACE05Pletholophus guangzhouensis
Dai, Chen, Huang & Wu
sp. nov.Fig. 2Material examined.HolotypeChina
•
♀
;
Guangdong
,
Guangzhou City
,
Conghua District
,
Liuxi River
;
23 ° 32 ' 02 " N
,
113 ° 35 ' 03 " E
;
9 January 2021
; leg. local people; ex.
Y. T. Dai
&
L. Guo
;
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 01
.
ParatypesChina
•
9 shells
; same collection data as for the holotype; specimen vouchers are shown in Table
4
.
Shell measurements of
Pletholophus guangzhouensissp. nov.
Measurements are in millimeters (mm).
Status of specimen
Specimen voucher
Shell length
Shell width
Shell height
Holotype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 01
50.86
15.51
26.72
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 02
50.56
15.42
33.76
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 03
45.71
11.96
29.87
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 04
49.32
15.41
33.11
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 05
48.85
15.70
32.54
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 06
51.19
16.21
33.22
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 07
48.95
15.19
32.38
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 08
47.46
14.98
31.02
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 09
40.87
11.58
23.98
Paratype
24_NCU_XPWU_PGU 10
34.47
6.55
22.86
Diagnosis.Periostracum greenish-yellow in young individuals, darkish-brown in old individuals; with fine and dense growth lines and two faint ridges on the posterior dorsal; periostracum often painted with a few elegant, feebly rays. Hinge undeveloped. Beak cavities shallow, open. In both valves, only one peudocardinal and lateral tooth. Peudocardinal teeth reduced to mere raised threads, lateral teeth long and narrow. Nacre bluish-white, iridescent. Glochidia hooked, subtriangular in shape, medium size, shell length less than shell height. The surface of glochidia have deep and dense small holes.Shell description.
Shell medium-sized, not inflated, thin but strong. Length
34.47–51.19 mm
, width
6.55–16.21 mm
, height
22.86–33.76 mm
(Table
4
). Shell ovoid, anterior rounded, short, posterior long and wide, slightly obtuse angle, posterior ridge developed. Umbo not prominent, compressed, as high as dorsal margin, located at 1 / 4 of the dorsal margin, and often eroded. Dorsal margin straight, rear end curved down-wards, with a low wing behind; ventral margin weakly curved. Periostracum greenish-yellow in young individuals, darkish-brown in old individuals; with fine and dense growth lines and two faint ridges on the posterior dorsal; periostracum often painted with a few elegant, feebly rays. Lines arranged in irregular concentric circles. Hinge undeveloped. Beak cavities shallow, open. In both valves, only one peudocardinal and lateral tooth. Peudocardinal teeth reduced to mere raised threads, and lateral teeth long and narrow. Mantle attachment scars on the edge of shells obvious. Both anterior adductor muscle scars and posterior adductor muscle scars shallow, irregularly crescent-shaped. Nacre bluish-white, iridescent.
Glochidia morphology description.
Glochidial shells typically anodontin hooked shells and subtriangular in shape, with the ventral angle slightly protruding dorsally. Medium size, length 0.226 ±
0.003 mm
, height 0.247 ± 0.015, shell length less than shell height. The ventral angle of each glochidia valve with an anchor-shaped styliform hook. The hook covered by lanceolate macrospines arranged in 2–3 diagonal rows near the ventral terminus and reduced to a single row distally. Microspines and micropoints cover the entire ventral terminus and less than one-third of the hook lateral lobes. The fossae on the shell surface deep and dense, with distinct small holes.
Etymology.
The name of this species is derived from Guangzhou City, in which its type locality is located. For the common name of
Pletholophus guangzhouensis
, we recommend “ Guangzhou micro tooth mussel ” (English) and “ Guang Zhou Wei Chi Bang ” (广州微齿蚌) (Chinese).
Distribution.
The species is endemic to the Liuxi River, located in Conghua District, Guangzhou City,
Guangdong Province
.