The status of the genus Bostryx Troschel, 1847, with description of a new subfamily (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Bulimulidae)
Author
Breure, Abraham S. H.
text
ZooKeys
2012
216
1
3
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.216.3646
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.216.3646
1313-2970-216-1
Subfamily
Bostrycinae
subfam. n.
Diagnosis.
Shells with a smooth protoconch; genital organs with a relatively long penis sheath (ca. 1/4-1/6 total phallus length) (
Breure 1978
: fig. 176).
Type genus.
Bostryx
Troschel, 1847; type species by monotypy
Bulimus (Bostryx) solutus
Troschel, 1847.
Remarks.
It should be stressed that this genus needs a thorough revision, based both on a re-evaluation of morphological characters and molecular data. In molecular analyses, species of this subfamily are forming a monophyletic group with
Bostryx solutus
(Troschel, 1847) included. Given current understanding (
Breure and Romero 2012
, Breure unpublished data) the following, additional taxa at least belong to
Bostryx
s.str.:
Bostryx (Peronaeus) agueroi
Weyrauch, 1960,
Bostryx (Bostryx) aguilari
Weyrauch, 1967,
Bostryx (Bostryx) agueroi beltrani
Weyrauch, 1964,
Bulinus conspersus
Sowerby I, 1833,
Bostryx edmundi
Breure & Neubert, 2008,
Bostryx granulatus
Breure & Neubert, 2008,
Bostryx (Pseudoperonaeus) longispira
Weyrauch, 1960,
Bulinus modestus
Broderip, 1832,
Bostryx multiconspectus
Breure, 2008,
Drymaeus torallyi peruvianus
Pilsbry, 1944,
Bostryx primigenius
Breure, 2008,
Bulinus scalariformis
Broderip, 1832,
Helix sordidus
Lesson, 1826,
Bostryx (Multifasciatus) superbus
Weyrauch, 1967,
Helix torallyi
d'Orbigny
, 1835.
As
may be seen from this - necessarily incomplete - list, shell shape alone may be a misleading character for classification (e.g., with representatives of three
'subgenera'
). Further research needs to clarify which of the 22 synonyms of
Bostryx
(s.l.) may be given (sub)generic status within this subfamily.
Finally,
Breure and Romero (2012)
showed that
Helix apodemeta
d'Orbigny
, 1835,
Bulimulus (Scansicochlea) strobeli
Parodiz, 1956, and
Bulinus bilineatus
Sowerby I, 1833 may need to be re-classified with
Naesiotus
Albers, 1850; this genus (also treated s.l. in
Breure 1979
) is in need of an in-depth revision and its relationship to
Bulimulus
to be clarified.
Further research, especially using molecular data, will undoubtedly give new insights, thus leading to either more support for the current classification or perhaps other surprises.