Revision of the aperturally dentate Charopidae (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) of southern Africa - genus Afrodonta s. lat., with description of five new genera, twelve new species and one new subspecies
Author
Herbert, David G.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:0C09EE45-6198-482E-857A-EF690C2A016F
Department of Natural Sciences, National Museum Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF 10 3 NP, UK. Formerly at KwaZulu-Natal Museum, P. Bag 9070, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
phasianella@gmail.com
text
European Journal of Taxonomy
2020
2020-04-17
629
1
55
journal article
22877
10.5852/ejt.2020.629
3722aa65-b935-4294-ac20-0d1179da9015
3762280
ECEBD539-6E3E-45BE-A0CB-264DF3270CC0
Phialodonta perfida
(
Burnup, 1912
)
gen. et comb. nov.
Figs 14
,
16
E–H, 19I–J
Trachycystis rotula
Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907: 99
, pl. 6, figs 12, 12a.
Endodonta
[
Endodonta
(
Afrodonta
)
]
perfida
Burnup, 1912: 337
, pl. 24, figs 1–6.
Nom. nov
. for
Endodonta rotula
(
Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907
)
,
non
Hombron & Jacquinot, 1852.
Endodonta
(
Afrodonta
)
perfida
–
Connolly 1912: 128
.
Afrodonta perfida
–
Connolly 1939: 255
.
Afrodonta rotula
–
Solem 1970: 356
.
Diagnosis
Shell relatively large, spire distinctly raised, last adult whorl descendant, whorls slightly flat-sided; protoconch evidently smooth (somewhat worn in the material available), diameter ±425 μm; teleoconch sculptured by relatively strong, close-set, compound axial riblets, intervals between riblets with 3–4 microscopic axial threads; spiral sculpture of faint microscopic threads, but for the most part scarcely evident, even in umbilicus; aperture broadly lunate, with no visible dentition; parietal region with a single deeply recessed, low lamella, broadening inwardly; baso-columellar dentition lacking; palatal region with two recessed, relatively long, in-running ridge-like denticles, one at periphery the other in middle of base, visible by transparency; umbilicus wide. Shell translucent, corneous-brown when fresh; diameter up to
1.95 mm
.
Material examined
Syntypes
(of
Trachycystis rotula
Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907
)
SOUTH AFRICA
•
2 specimens
(initially registered in error as a single specimen 1907.7.20.45);
E. Cape
,
Grahamstown
,
Fernkloof
;
J. Farquhar
leg.; following ICZN
Art
72.7, these are also syntypes of
Endodonta
(
Afrodonta
)
perfida
Burnup, 1912
;
NHMUK 1907.7.20.44 to 45
.
Additional material
(used to re-describe and figure taxon under new name
Endodonta
(
Afrodonta
)
perfida
Burnup, 1912
)
SOUTH AFRICA
–
E. Cape
•
1 specimen
;
Grahamstown
,
Fernkloof
;
J. Farquhar
leg.;
NHMUK
1912.3.25
•
3 specimens
; same collection data as for preceding;
NHMUK 1937.12
.30.2790 to 2792
•
2 specimens
; same collection data as for preceding;
NMSA
A9618
/T617
•
3 specimens
;
Grahamstown
;
NMSA 2602/T617
•
2 specimens
; same collection data as for preceding;
NMSA 2603/T617
•
1 specimen
; same collection data as for preceding;
NMSA
A9617
/T617
.
Other material
SOUTH AFRICA
–
E. Cape
•
3 specimens
;
Grahamstown
,
Fernkloof
;
NMSA
V3565
•
6 specimens
; same collection data as for preceding;
NMSA
V3567
•
3 specimens
;
Grahamstown
,
Mountain Drive
;
NMSA
V3569
.
Fig. 18.
(next page)
Afrodonta
,
Amatholedonta
gen. nov.
,
Biomphalodonta
gen. nov.
and
Costulodonta
gen. nov.
species, detail of protoconch morphology and teleoconch microsculpture.
A–B
.
Af.unilamellaris
(NMSA A9186).
C–D
.
Am. bimunita
gen. et comb. nov.
(NMSA V9795).
E–F
.
Am. fordycei
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA V9343/T4266).
G–H
.
B. forticostata
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA V4886/ T4262).
I–J
.
C. acinaces
gen. et comb. nov.
(NMSA A9183).
K–L
.
C. bidens
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA P1018/T4265).
M–N
.
C. burnupi
gen. et comb. nov.
(NMSA A9187).
O–P
.
C. pluridens
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA V6287/T4269).
Q–R
.
C. trilamellaris
gen. et comb. nov.
(NMSA W462). Scale bars for protoconchs = 100 μm; scale bars for microsculpture = 50 μm.
Distribution and conservation
A narrow-range endemic (
Fig. 14
), known only from the vicinity of Grahamstown, E.
Cape
, at ±
700 m
a.s.l.; in leaf-litter of southern mistbelt forest. The only material available originates from the Albany Museum, Grahamstown and was collected by J. Farquhar in the early 1900s. Surveying forested habitats in the Grahamstown area should thus be identified as a priority in the hope of finding extant colonies of this species.
Fig. 19.
Iterodonta
gen. nov.
and
Phialodonta
gen. nov.
species, detail of protoconch morphology and teleoconch microsculpture.
A–B
.
Iterodonta ammonita
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA P1017/T4259).
C–D
.
Phialodonta atromontana
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA P1016/T4255).
E–F
.
P. aviana
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA W3524/T4247).
G–H
.
P. introtuberculata
gen. et comb. nov.
(NMSA W216).
I–J
.
P. perfida
gen. et comb. nov.
, paratype (NMSA 2602/T617).
K–L
.
P. rivalalea
gen. et sp. nov.
, paratype (NMSA V4734/T4250). Scale bars for protoconchs = 100 μm; scale bars for microsculpture = 50 μm.
Remarks
Burnup (1912)
proposed the name
perfida
on the grounds that the species was referable to
Endodonta
Albers, 1850
and that the name
rotula
Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907
was thus a junior secondary homonym of
Helix rotula
Hombron & Jacquinot, 1852
(
non
Lowe, 1831,
nec
Gould, 1851), a species that he also believed to be referable to
Endodonta
. Although
rotula
Melvill & Ponsonby, 1907
is not in fact referable to
Endodonta
, following ICZN Art 59.3, the pre-1961 replacement name remains valid.
Resembles
Phialodonta aviana
gen. et sp. nov.
in that the internal dentition is not visible through the aperture. In that species, however, there are two low, rounded, in-running parietal ridges and three inrunning ridge-like palatal denticles.
P. aviana
gen. et sp. nov.
is also somewhat smaller (diameter up to
1.55 mm
). See remarks thereunder.