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
Afrodonta inhluzaniensis inhluzaniensis
(
Burnup, 1912
)
Figs 4
A–C, 5, 17I–J
Endodonta
[
Endodonta
(
Afrodonta
)
]
inhluzaniensis
Burnup, 1912: 342
, pl. 24, figs 14–17.
Endodonta
(
Afrodonta
)
inhluzaniensis
–
Connolly 1912: 128
.
Afrodonta inhluzaniensis
–
Connolly 1939: 251
, text-fig. 19(5). —
Solem 1970: 362
. —
Herbert & Kilburn 2004: 248
, text-fig.
Fig. 4.
Shells of
Afrodonta
species.
A–C
.
Af. inhluzaniensis
inhluzaniensis
(
Burnup, 1912
)
, Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal, diameter 1.42 mm (NMSA V7240).
D–F
.
Af. inhluzaniensis
leptolamellaris
subsp. nov., holotype, diameter 1.2 mm (NMSA V7615/T4235).
G–J
.
Af. mystica
sp. nov.
, holotype, diameter 1.16 mm (NMSA V4993/4237).
K–N
.
Af. novemlamellaris
(
Burnup, 1912
)
, Somerset East, E. Cape, diameter 1.32 mm (NMSA W752).
Diagnosis
Shell very small, spire raised; protoconch smooth, at most microscopically shagreened (diameter 320– 350 μm); teleoconch texture silky; sculpture comprising simple, very fine and close-set axial riblets of alternating strength; spiral sculpture of indistinct threads in riblet intervals; parietal region lacking dentition; baso-columellar region typically with a strong, transversely-elongate denticle, its apex rounded or flat; palatal region with a single robust trigonal lamella just below periphery, angled upward and with a thickened crest; shape and strength of denticles somewhat variable; umbilicus relatively narrow. Shell corneous to golden-brown when fresh; diameter up to
1.5 mm
.
Material examined
Holotype
SOUTH AFRICA
•
KwaZulu-Natal
,
Inhluzani Mountain
[Dargle area, Nhlosane]; prior to 1912;
H.C. Burnup
leg.;
NHMUK 1912.3.25.2
.
Paratypes
SOUTH AFRICA
•
3 specimens
; same collection data as for holotype;
NMSA 2607/T614
.
Distribution and conservation
Endemic to eastern
South Africa
(
Fig. 5
), ranging widely from the Soutpansberg and Wolkberg in
Limpopo
, along the
Mpumalanga
escarpment, and throughout much of the
KwaZulu-Natal
interior, at altitudes in excess of
1000 m
; in leaf-litter of mistbelt and northern afrotemperate forest. Not of conservation concern.
Remarks
Specimens from the northern mistbelt forest in
Mpumalanga
and
Limpopo
closely resemble typical specimens from the
KwaZulu-Natal
interior. They retain a single baso-columellar denticle, but it is less robust than in the typical form and the palatal lamella is slender, strongly trigonal and its crest only slightly thickened. In addition, they rarely attain as large a size as those from
KwaZulu-Natal
and usually have a proportionately more elevated shell (H/D ratio closer to 0.65 compared with 0.55). Since these differences are relative and exhibit some overlap, I do not consider these northern populations worthy of recognition as a separate entity.