Bostrycinae, Breure, Abraham S. H., 2012

Breure, Abraham S. H., 2012, The status of the genus Bostryx Troschel, 1847, with description of a new subfamily (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Bulimulidae), ZooKeys 216, pp. 1-3 : 2-3

Subfamily Bostrycinae subfam. n.

Diagnosis.

Shells with a smooth protoconch; genital organs with a relatively long penis sheath (ca. 1/4-1/6 total phallus length) ( Breure 1978: fig. 176).

Type genus.

Bostryx Troschel, 1847; type species by monotypy Bulimus (Bostryx) solutus Troschel, 1847.

Remarks.

It should be stressed that this genus needs a thorough revision, based both on a re-evaluation of morphological characters and molecular data. In molecular analyses, species of this subfamily are forming a monophyletic group with Bostryx solutus (Troschel, 1847) included. Given current understanding ( Breure and Romero 2012, Breure unpublished data) the following, additional taxa at least belong to Bostryx s.str.: Bostryx (Peronaeus) agueroi Weyrauch, 1960, Bostryx (Bostryx) aguilari Weyrauch, 1967, Bostryx (Bostryx) agueroi beltrani Weyrauch, 1964, Bulinus conspersus Sowerby I, 1833, Bostryx edmundi Breure & Neubert, 2008, Bostryx granulatus Breure & Neubert, 2008, Bostryx (Pseudoperonaeus) longispira Weyrauch, 1960, Bulinus modestus Broderip, 1832, Bostryx multiconspectus Breure, 2008, Drymaeus torallyi peruvianus Pilsbry, 1944, Bostryx primigenius Breure, 2008, Bulinus scalariformis Broderip, 1832, Helix sordidus Lesson, 1826, Bostryx (Multifasciatus) superbus Weyrauch, 1967, Helix torallyi d’Orbigny, 1835.

As may be seen from this - necessarily incomplete - list, shell shape alone may be a misleading character for classification (e.g., with representatives of three ‘subgenera’). Further research needs to clarify which of the 22 synonyms of Bostryx (s.l.) may be given (sub)generic status within this subfamily.

Finally, Breure and Romero (2012) showed that Helix apodemeta d’Orbigny, 1835, Bulimulus (Scansicochlea) strobeli Parodiz, 1956, and Bulinus bilineatus Sowerby I, 1833 may need to be re-classified with Naesiotus Albers, 1850; this genus (also treated s.l. in Breure 1979) is in need of an in-depth revision and its relationship to Bulimulus to be clarified.

Further research, especially using molecular data, will undoubtedly give new insights, thus leading to either more support for the current classification or perhaps other surprises.