A unique radiation of marine littorinid snails in the freshwater streams of the Western Ghats of India: the genus Cremnoconchus W. T. Blanford, 1869 (Gastropoda: Littorinidae)
Author
Reid, David G.
Author
Aravind, Neelavara Ananthram
Author
Madhyastha, Neelavara Ananthram
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2013
2013-01-18
167
1
93
135
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00875.x
journal article
10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00875.x
0024-4082
5292273
CREMNOCONCHUS GLOBULUS
SP. NOV.
(FIGS 2E, 4F, 5K, L, 8, 11H–L, 12H–L, 13A, B)
Types:
Holotype
ZSI
/
WGRS
/IR.INV-2310 (Fig. 11I, J);
2 paratypes
ZSI
/
WGRS
/IR.INV-2311, 2312 (Fig. 11K);
Lesser Kadambi Falls
,
Chikmagalur Dist.
,
Karnataka
,
India
(
13.24384°N
,
75.17056°E
).
Etymology:
Latin
globulus
, globular, in reference to shell shape.
Diagnosis:
Shell globular, without ribs; pseudumbilicus moderate, sometimes perforated; surface with satin sheen, no microstriae. Operculum weakly calcified, no internal ridge. Penis with lateral glandular flange, slender filament. Western
Karnataka State
.
Shell (
Figs 4F
, 11H–L):
Shell H 6.0–
8.8 mm
. Shape (
Table 1
) globular; whorls rounded, without angulation; suture impressed; apex eroded; base slightly swollen. Columella moderately narrow, wider at base. Pseudumbilicus moderate (to
0.8 mm
), sometimes perforated, outlined by angled margin, sometimes forming a slight rounded rib. Surface almost always without ribs above periphery; rarely a slight thickening or indistinct rib near suture. Surface with satin sheen; spiral striae almost or entirely absent (
Fig. 4F
). Diameter of first whorl
0.50–0.66 mm
(
N
= 3). Colour: dark brown or olive-brown, sometimes darker on spire and in band at suture; columella and umbilicus purple-brown; aperture pale brown to whitish, with sutural band showing through.
Animal:
Head, tentacles, and sides of foot pale grey to black, tentacles darker, paler at tip of snout. Gills: up to 40 leaflets; black. Operculum (
Table 1
; Fig. 5K, L): opercular ratio
0.364
–0.421
; weakly calcified, dark red-brown, no internal ridge. Penis (
Fig. 12H–L
): unpigmented or slightly pigmented; base wrinkled, with long thickened flange running across left side towards eye, glandular knob on right side, and slight glandular swelling distally (sometimes opaque); invagination about half length of base in ethanol-fixed specimens; filament slender, rarely protruding in ethanol-fixed specimens. Pallial oviduct: as for genus.
Radula (
Fig. 13A, B
):
Relative radula length 2.66– 3.43. Rachidian: length/width 1.10–1.22; 5 cusps (+ 1 outer denticle on either side). Lateral: 5 cusps (+ 1 inner denticle). Inner marginal: 5 cusps. Outer marginal: 4–5 cusps. Major cusp of each of 5 central teeth triangular leaf-shaped with pointed to slightly rounded tip; other cusps pointed.
Range (
Fig. 8
):
Western
Karnataka State
, Kudremukh (
55 km
north-east of
Mangalore
). Records (see Supporting
Table S1
):
Karnataka State
: Lesser Kadambi Falls (ZSI/WGRS/IR.INV-2310, 2311, 2312); Greater Kadambi Falls (ZSI/WGRS/IR.INV-2308, 2309).
Habitat and ecology:
Common in film of water flowing over rock face beside waterfall (Fig. 2E); on stones in shallow streams (to
30 cm
deep) with fast-flowing water; in partial shade of riparian vegetation in wet evergreen forest. Altitude 941 and
967 m
.
Remarks:
Four
Cremnoconchus
species
have similar umbilicate, globular to turbinate, smooth shells (
Table 4
).
Cremnoconchus globulus
is distinguished by its lack of a basal rib (present in
C. cingulatus
), moderate pseudumbilicus and weakly calcified operculum (well calcified in
C. castanea
). Distinction from
C. hanumani
, with which it occurs in the same microhabitat, is discussed in the Remarks on that species. The penes of all four are diagnostic (
Figs 12
, 14, 15).