The genus Cerithidea Swainson, 1840 (Gastropoda: Potamididae) in the Indo-West Pacific region
Author
Reid, David G.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3775
1
1
65
journal article
36884
10.11646/zootaxa.3775.1.1
c2c6d40e-39c0-477c-9bc2-8eae0c3dd816
1175-5326
285731
D9FF6080-0316-4433-ABB8-7D6D6F2BF24B
Cerithidea rhizophorarum
A. Adams, 1855
(
Figures 14
B, 15A–I)
Cerithidea rhizophorarum
A. Adams, 1855
: 85
–86
(
Cagayan, province of Misamis, Mindanao [Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao,
Philippines
]; 3
syntypes
NHMUK
1996432/4–6,
Fig. 15A
,
seen;
Higo
et al.
2001
: 29
, fig.).
Sowerby, 1866
: sp. 13, pl. 2, fig. 13a, b (as
rhizoperarum
; as
rhizoporarum
in text of pl. 3 and index).
Tapparone-Canefri, 1874
: 142
–143, pl. 1, fig. 14 (as
rhizosperarum
).
Hidalgo,
1904
–1905: 203–204.
Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1905
: 134
–135 (in part, includes
C. moerchii
; as
rhizoporarum
).
Springsteen & Leobrera, 1986
: 64
, pl. 14, fig. 15.
Higo
et al.
, 2001
: 29
, fig.
Reid
et al
., 2013
: fig. 2 (map).
Cerithium rhizophorarum
—
Sowerby, 1855
: 886
, pl. 186, fig. 273.
Potamides (Cerithidea) rhizophorarum
—
Tryon, 1887
: 162
, pl. 33, fig. 67 (in part, includes
C. quoyii
; as
rhizoporarum
). von
Martens, 1897a
: 189
.
Cerithium (Cerithidea) rhizophorarum
—
Kobelt, 1890a
: 53
–54, pl. 11, figs 3, 4 (
Cecalupo 2005: pl. 31, fig. 13
).
Cerithidea (Cerithidea) rhizophorarum
—
Cecalupo, 2005
: 316
, pl. 31, fig. 3.
Cecalupo, 2006
: 136
, 234 (in part, includes
C. decollata
,
C. moerchii
,
C. weyersi
).
Cerithium (Cerithidea) freytagi
Kobelt, 1893: 152
–154, pl. 29, figs 1, 2 (
Philippines
;
types
not found;
Cecalupo 2005
: pl. 31, fig. 3).
Cerithidea rhizophorarum
var.
freytagi
—
Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1905
: 135
(in part, includes
C. moerchii
; as
freitagi
).
Taxonomic history.
The name ‘
C. rhizophorarum
’ has been widely applied to
C. moerchii
in
Japan
,
Korea
,
China
and
Vietnam
(see synonymy of the latter). However,
C. rhizophorarum
was originally described from the
Philippines
and is morphologically distinct, as recently noted by
Reid
et al
. (2013)
.
Higo
et al
. (2001)
noted that the status of the possible
syntypes
of
C. rhizophorarum
(NHMUK 1996432) was undetermined. This registration number includes nine specimens, three in each of three lots. In one of these lots there is an original label with the locality ‘Cagayan, Philippines’, and a label ‘
C. rhizophorarum
A. Ad.
’ in the hand of A. Adams himself, so the three shells in this lot are identified as unequivocal
syntypes
(NHMUK 1996432/4–6) and the other six have no
type
status. Apart from refiguring of
type
specimens (
Higo
et al.
2001
;
Cecalupo 2005
), only one original figure of this species has been published in more than a century (
Springsteen & Leobrera 1986
).
The identity of
Cerithidea similis
, described by
A. Adams (1855)
from the
Philippines
, is unknown, but some aspects of the description match the present species (see Excluded and Doubtful Species, above).
Diagnosis.
Shell: periphery rounded, spire whorls only slightly rounded; elongated-pupoidal outline; aperture slightly thickened and flared, sinuous apertural margin; 18–32 rounded axial ribs on penultimate whorl, ribs usually weak or absent after ventrolateral varix; ventrolateral varix a wide rib at 170–270°; 0–7 varices on spire; 5– 6 spiral cords above periphery; brown, paler at shoulder.
Philippines
.
Material examined.
18 lots.
Shell (
Fig. 15A–I
):
H = 18.0–
36.1 mm
. Shape elongated-pupoidal (H/B = 2.14–2.66; SH = 3.0–3.52); decollate, 6–7 whorls remaining; spire whorls slightly rounded, suture sometimes indistinct; spire profile convex, final whorl constricted so adults have pupoidal outline; 0–7 thick pale varices on spire; periphery rounded; moderate thickness. Adult lip slightly thickened and flared; apertural margin sinuous in side view; weak anterior projection adjacent to canal. Sculpture on spire of straight to slightly opisthocline axial ribs, becoming slightly curved (opisthocyrt) on later whorls, ribs low, rounded, interspaces equal to width of ribs, 18–32 ribs on penultimate whorl, ribs weak or absent after ventrolateral varix; spiral sculpture of 5 strong, flattened, primary cords on spire whorls, of which anterior cord is usually divided on later whorls to give 6 cords above periphery, posterior cord adjacent to suture is strongest and bears small nodules (corresponding to, or up to twice as numerous as axial ribs); spiral cords cross relatively weaker axial ribs; base with 8–10 flattened cords or ridges. Ventrolateral varix a wide rib at 170–270°; 0–7 wide varices on spire. Surface with fine spiral microstriae on periostracum; surface dull when worn. Colour: white, fawn or pale brown, often with paler zone across 2–3 posterior cords; spiral grooves darker brown, varices white; aperture pale brown.
Animal:
unknown.
Range (
Fig. 14
B):
Philippines
: Subic Bay, Luzon (
USNM
593859);
Mactan I., Cebu (
USNM
862804);
Panabutan Bay, Mindanao (
USNM
862797);
Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao (
NHMUK
1996432);
Nabas, Panay (S. Tracey); Palawan (
Springsteen & Leobrera 1986
).
FIGURE 15. A–I,
Cerithidea rhizophorarum
.
J–AA,
C. moerchii
.
A,
C.
rhizophorarum
A. Adams, 1855
, syntype, Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, Philippines (NHMUK 1996432/4).
B,
no locality (NHMUK 1996432/7; not a syntype of
C. rhizophorarum
).
C–H,
Guijulngan, Negros Oriental, Philippines (USNM 232846;
E–H
views of same specimen).
I,
Batangas, Luzon, Philippines (USNM 243643).
J,
Tai Mei Tuk, Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong (NHMUK 20130263).
K–N,
Shiu Hau, Tong Fuk Min Wan, Lantau I., Hong Kong (NHMUK 20130264);
L, M
views of same specimen).
O, P,
Yoshida R., Oiehama, Kasaoka City, Hiroshima Pref., Japan (NHMUK 20130265).
Q,
Kushida R., Matsunase, Mie Pref., Japan (NHMUK 20130266).
R,
Yonekura, Kiire-nukumi-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Pref., Japan (NHMUK 20130267).
S,
Tsuyazaki, Fukuoka Pref., Japan (NHMUK 20130268).
T,
Hikawa R., Kumamoto Pref., Japan (NHMUK 20130269).
U,
Cerithium moerchii
A. Adams
in G.B. Sowerby II, 1855, syntype, no locality (NHMUK 20060321).
V,
Funaura Bay, Iriomote I., Ryukyu Is, Japan (NHMUK 20130270).
W–Y,
Ura, Tatsugou-cho, Amami Is, Kagoshima Pref., Japan (NHMUK 20130271;
X, Y
views of same specimen).
Z, AA,
Tamshui R., Bali, Taiwan (NHMUK 20070387).
According to
Springsteen & Leobrera (1986: 64)
this species occurs “throughout the
Philippines
”.
Sowerby (1866)
gave ‘Borneo and the Philippines’ as the distribution, but occurrence in Borneo has not been verified and is considered unlikely in view of the many reliable records of other
Cerithidea
species from the island. Kobelt’s (1890a) record from northern
Australia
is incorrect.
Habitat and ecology.
On sandy mud near the estuary of a small drainage stream from a mangrove area at Nabas, Panay (S. Tracey, pers. comm.).
Remarks.
Until very recently (
Reid
et al
. 2013
), ‘
C. rhizophorarum
’ has been well known as an oriental species found from northern Honshu, throughout the coast of
China
and to
Vietnam
. However, the
type
locality of A. Adams’ species is Mindanao in the
Philippines
and it would be unusual for a predominantly warm-temperate oriental species to extend its range across the South
China
Sea to the tropical
Philippines
. Close comparison of shells revealed differences, which persuaded
Reid
et al
. (2013)
to treat the form from the
Philippines
as a distinct species,
C. rhizophorarum
s. s.
, while the mainland species was identified as
C. moerchii
. The differences are subtle.
Cerithidea rhizophorarum
has a pupoidal outline (i.e. convex spire profile), the whorls are nearly flat, the axial ribs are fine and numerous, and the colour is pale with broad light brown zones (without dark, narrow bands) (
Fig. 15A–I
).
Cerithidea moerchii
has a straight spire, more rounded whorls, often shows darker coloration and sometimes has rugose axial ribs (
Fig. 15
J–AA). Significantly, the shells of
C. moerchii
from the Ryukyu Islands and
Taiwan
, which from their geographical proximity could be expected to be most similar if all were conspecific, are in fact the most distinct from
C. rhizophorarum
in the
Philippines
(the shells from Ryukyus and
Taiwan
are small and rugose,
Fig. 15
U–AA; see Remarks on
C. moerchii
). So far, no molecular samples have been available to test this hypothesis, but it is predicted that
C. rhizophorarum
and
C. moerchii
will prove to be distinct sister species.
The intertidal shells of the
Philippines
are rather well known, so it is surprising that the presence there of
C. rhizophorarum
has been mentioned in the literature only once in the past century, when
Springsteen & Leobrera (1986: 64)
reported that it occurred “throughout the
Philippines
”. The species was not included in the family account by Lozouet (2008) in the comprehensive
Philippine
Marine Mollusks
and was not found by
Lozouet & Plaziat (2008)
in Bohol. There are, however, 15 lots from the
Philippines
in USNM, mostly collected by P. Bartsch in the early twentieth century. Two of these lots consist of>
100 specimens
and one of these was from Batangas Market, Luzon (USNM 243643), suggesting that the snails had been collected for food. A few specimens were found in Panay in 1979 by S. Tracey (pers. comm.). The conservation status of this species could be a matter of concern.