Descriptions of new and little-known land snail taxa from Turkey, and establishment of a new genus (Gastropoda, Pulmonata: Lauriidae, Enidae and Vitrinidae)
Author
Ruud, A. Bank
Author
Henk P. M. G Menkhorst
Author
Eike Neubert
text
Basteria
2016
80
1
5
30
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.439745
e7d164f6-b22c-4120-b1f6-6464cfc6de0b
00056219
439745
Megavitrina
gen. nov.
(
Figs 21-23
)
Type species. –
Megavitrina imperatoria
spec. nov.
(by original designation).
Diagnosis. – Shell big (maximum diameter> 13 mm), orthostyl, with a closed umbilicus because of a reflexed (thickened) columellar peristome, and with a lacking membranous margin. Especially characteristic for the genus is the presence of 2 to 3 prominent growth interruptions.
Derivatio nominis. – Named after the large size of the two currently known species when compared to the
Vitrinidae
taxa living in continental Europe.
Differentiation. – Taxa of
Arabivitrina
have a more dome-shaped, subglobose shell, and lack the characteristic prominent growth interruptions.
Remarks. – It is well known that in some areas vitrinids occur with a relatively large shell, i.e, a shell with a maximum diameter above 11 mm. These areas are Macaronesia (Madeira, Canary Islands), Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the eastern part of Africa. From a geographical point of view, the below discussed species of Lebanon and Turkey are most closely related to those of Saudi Arabia, i.e.
Arabivitrina
.
Neubert (1998: 449)
already discussed the new genus in the context of
Arabivitrina
, and stated that a separate genus should be introduced, but postponed it “until preserved specimens are available for anatomical research”. Unfortunately, no such material has become available in the meanwhile. Since shell morphology prohibits the assignment of
libanica
and
imperatoria
into
Arabivitrina
or any other genus, we decided to make a new genus name available, despite the lack of anatomical data.
A marked feature of the new genus is the presence of 2 to 3 very marked growth interruptions; it can also be seen at the inside of the aperture as a radially arranged, whitish, callus. As far as we known, this is a unique feature in the
Vitrinidae
. The robustness of the growth interruptions can be compared with those seen in the genus
Eopolita
Pollonera, 1916
(family
Oxychilidae
).