Studies on the Streptaxidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda Pulmonata) of Malaŵi 12 Four New Species of Gulella S.L.¹
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Studies on the Streptaxidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda Pulmonata) of Malaŵi 12 Four new species of Gulella s.l.¹ A.C. van Bruggen Bruggen, A.C. van. Studies on the Streptaxidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda Pulmonata) of Malaŵi 12. Four new species of Gulella s.l. Zool. Med. Leiden 85 (13), 30.xi.2011: 849-864, figs 1-18, tables 1-3.— ISSN 0024-0672. A.C. van Bruggen, NCB Naturalis/Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands ([email protected] and [email protected]). Key words: Gastropoda; Pulmonata; Streptaxidae; Gulella; Malaŵi; East Africa; taxonomy. Gulella annibiodiversitatis spec. nov. is described from a few scattered localities in montane forest above c. 1300 m in southern-central Malaŵi. It is mainly characterized by a smallish (4.9-6.3 mm high), smooth and generally featureless shell without apertural dentition. Gulella menkhorsti spec. nov., has a small (2.3-2.9 mm high) and smooth shell with a six-fold dentition and is probably a restricted range endemic; so far it has only been recorded from the Mpita Forest in southern Malaŵi. A single smooth and small shell (2.7 mm) with a seven-fold apertural dentition from the Misuku Hills in northern Malaŵi also does represent a new species, Gulella crux spec. nov. Another sample from the same area, introduced as Gulella nuchalis spec. nov., has a medium-smallish (about 7.0 mm) and costulate shell with apical spiral sculpture and a six-fold apertural dentition; it is particularly characterized by what looks like an old outer labrum behind the reflected labrum. Introduction Continued studies on the streptaxids among the terrestrial molluscs of Malaŵi have revealed the existence of various undescribed species of Gulella L. Pfeiffer, 1865, sensu lato. Recently additional material has been received from Messrs H.P.M.G. Menkhorst (Krimpen a/d IJssel) and W.N. Gray (Brixham, U.K.), who donated their collections to the Leiden Museum (now NCB Naturalis, abbreviated RMNH). Valuable Malaŵi mate- rial in the Museum of Comparative Zoology/Harvard University (abbreviated MCZ), collected by Arthur Loveridge in the years 1948-1949, has also been made available for examination. Material for comparison was kindly loaned by the Musée Royal de l ’A frique Centrale (Tervuren, Belgium, abbreviated MRAC). This is an opportunity to publish the descriptions of four new species of Gulella s.l. The genus is used here in its broadest sense – the time has not yet come to subdivide it because too few anatomical data are available (there are as yet no published data on the anatomy of the type species) and it would be sensible to wait for more molecular data – all reasons why the species below are simply described as new taxa in Gulella s.l. Attention is drawn to Rowson et al. (2010: 93-94), who already have started to unravel this problem. ¹ For no. 11 in this series vide Bruggen, A.C. van, 2010. Studies on the Streptaxidae (Mollusca: Gastro- poda Pulmonata) of Malaŵi 11. Gulella fortidentata (Smith), G. nyikaensis (Preston), and G. cruciata (Von Martens).— Basteria 74: 129-139. 850 Van Bruggen. Studies on the Streptaxidae of Malaŵi 12. Zool. Med. Leiden 85 (2011) The abbreviation l/d stands for the ratio length/major diameter as an indication of the shape of the shell; l/d values are calculated from micrometer readings before con- version to mm. Gulella annibiodiversitatis spec. nov., a new species without apertural dentition Specimens of a Gulella taxon with a smallish, smooth and generally featureless shell without apertural dentition were collected by the author during field work in Malaŵi in 1988 and 1990. New material from the H.P.M.G. Menkhorst and W.N. Gray collec- tions in the Leiden Museum has supplied additional specimens. An extensive search through material in various collections and relevant literature have shown it to repre- sent a new species. Gulella annibiodiversitatis spec. nov. (figs 1-2) Material.— Malaŵi, Thyolo Dist.: Thyolo Mt., above Satemwa Estate, in leaf litter on thin soil between rocks in rain forest, c. 1300 m, 7.x.1979, leg./don. W.N. Gray, WNG1086, “live animal cream” (RMNH Mol. 131909, holotype, figs 1-2; RMNH Mol. 131911, 3 paratypes); Thyolo Mt., c. 16°05’S 35°03’E, ever- green forest leaf litter, c. 1400 m, 6.viii.1983, leg./don. H.P.M.G. Menkhorst (RMNH Mol. 131912, 1 para- type); Zomba Dist.: Zomba Plateau, Chingwe’s Hole Nature Trail, leaf litter, c. 1900 m, 15.v.1988, leg. A.C. & W.H. van Bruggen, STA 1988-01 (RMNH Mol. 131913, 1 paratype); Nkhata Bay Dist.: Viphya Mts., Chamambo Hill evergreen forest E. of road M1 at Chikangawa, leaf litter, 1790-1800 m, 26.vi.1990, leg. A.C. & W.H. van Bruggen, STA 1990-16 (RMNH Mol. 131914, 2 paratypes). Diagnosis.— A species of Gulella s.l. characterized by a smallish to medium-sized (4.9- 6.3 mm), slender, smooth and generally featureless shell without apertural dentition. Description.— Shell (figs 1-2) smallish to medium-sized (4.9-6.3 mm), cylindrical, greatest width below the middle, always more than twice as long as wide, transparent when fresh to whitish when worn. Umbilicus rimate to completely closed. Spire pro- duced, hardly tapering, sides parallel to at most subparallel, not convex, apex flattened, hardly obtusely conical to mamillate, smooth, rarely somewhat pitted. Whorls five- and-three-quarters to six-and-a half, hardly convex, smooth but under high magnifica- tion with traces of very faint spiral sculpture, growth lines barely visible, not even be- hind the labrum. Sutures impressed, fairly shallow, simple and filiform. Aperture subo- vate, wide open and not obstructed by apertural dentition (i.e. the shell is completely edentate), always somewhat higher than wide, peristome slightly incrassate and re- flected, columella with a slight columellar twist. Of course, because of the absence of apertural dentition, there is no external depression behind the labrum. The twist of the columella, visible in front view, may possibly be interpreted as a columellar lamella. However, this is observed in most ‘edentulous’ taxa, sometimes more or less marked than in the present taxon, and normally in these shells this is not considered part of the apertural dentition. Measurements of shell: 4.9-6.3 × 2.1-2.5 mm, l/d 2.11-2.66, length last whorl 2.7-3.1 mm, aperture height × major diameter 1.6-2.0 × 1.3-1.6 mm, whorls 5¾-6½ (see table 1). Animal.— Unknown, but field notes of the W.N. Gray specimen state: “animal cream”. Van Bruggen. Studies on the Streptaxidae of Malaŵi 12. Zool. Med. Leiden 85 (2011) 851 1 3 5 2 4 6 Figs 1-6. Shells of Gulella species without apertural dentition. 1-2, G. annibiodiversitatis n. sp., holotype, front and side views (height 6.3 mm, RMNH Mol. 131909), Malaŵi, Thyolo Mt. 3-6, G. ingloria (Preston, 1913); 3-4, lectotype, front and side views (height 4.4 mm, MRAC 17533); 5-6, paralectotype, front and side views (height 3.8 mm, MRAC 17452), both Kenya, Mt. Nyiro. Note difference between lectotype and pa- ralectotype of G. ingloria; it is obvious that these represent two rather than one species. Scale bars figs 1-2: 2 mm, figs 3-6: 1 mm. Photography by Dr A.J. de Winter, layout by Ms Sancia E.T. van der Meij. Distribution.— So far the new species is only recorded from a few scattered locali- ties in southern-central Malaŵi. Ecology.— G. annibiodiversitatis n. sp. has only been reported from leaf litter in mon- tane forest above c. 1300 m. Derivatio nominis.— Research on the new species having been completed in 2010, 852 Van Bruggen. Studies on the Streptaxidae of Malaŵi 12. Zool. Med. Leiden 85 (2011) Table 1. Metric data of the type material of Gulella annibiodiversitatis n. sp. (all RMNH). The holotype shell has been indicated by an *; all other shells are paratypes. length × maj. l/d length last aperture number of locality diam. whorl height × width whorls 4.9 × 2.3 mm 2.11 2.7 mm 1.6 × 1.3 mm 5¾ Chamambo Hill 5.1 × 2.3 mm 2.22 2.8 mm 1.8 × 1.6 mm 6 Chamambo Hill 5.4 × 2.1 mm 2.53 2.7 mm 1.7 × 1.5 mm 5¾ Thyolo Mt. (Gray colln.) 5.6 × 2.5 mm 2.25 2.9 mm 1.9 × 1.5 mm <6 Zomba Plateau 5.9 × 2.3 mm 2.54 2.8 mm 1.7 × 1.4 mm 6 Thyolo Mt. (Gray colln.) 6.2 × 2.4 mm 2.63 3.1 mm 2.0 × 1.6 mm 6½ Thyolo Mt. (Menkhorst) 6.3 × 2.4 mm 2.66 2.8 mm 1.9 × 1.6 mm 6½ Thyolo Mt. (Gray colln.) *6.3 × 2.4 mm 2.59 2.7 mm 1.7 × 1.4 mm 6½ Thyolo Mt. (Gray colln.), figs 1-2 the International Year of Biodiversity on our planet, has resulted in it being named: an- nibiodiversitatis = of the Year of the Biodiversity (genitive), i.e. annus, Latin = year, and biodiversitas, Latin = biodiversity. Alpha biodiversity in tropical land molluscs has been much underrated so that this name, although for a somewhat featureless species, is entirely appropriate. Discussion.— The absence of apertural dentition results in a reduced number of shell characters; the only features distinguishing the new form are a combination of size, length/width ratio, suture, and sculpture. Initially the shells of the new taxon were interpreted as subadults of species with limited apertural dentition.