Angustopila subelevata Pall-Gergely & Hunyadi

Pall-Gergely, Barna, Hunyadi, Andras, Jochum, Adrienne & Asami, Takahiro, 2015, Seven new hypselostomatid species from China, including some of the world's smallest land snails (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Orthurethra), ZooKeys 523, pp. 31-62 : 37-38

Taxon classification Animalia Pulmonata Hypselostomatidae

Angustopila subelevata Pall-Gergely & Hunyadi sp. n. Figure 4

Type material.

China, Guangxi (广西), Hechi Shi (河池市), Bama Xian (巴马县), cliffs at the southern edge of Jiaole Cun (交乐村), 590 m, 24°7.045'N, 107°7.847'E, leg. Hunyadi, A. & Szekeres, M., 10.09.2013., HNHM 99438 (holotype), HNHM 99439/1 (paratype), HA/10 paratypes.

Diagnosis.

A tiny, conical species with rounded or almost quadrangular aperture without dentition.

Description.

Shell minute, light grey, conical with obtuse apex; spire tilted slightly left; protoconch consists of 1.25-1.5 whorls, microstructure finely pitted and granular with a powdery superficial texture, collectively radiating from the nuclear whorl; a prominent protoconch/teleoconch boundary is present (p/t), which is preceded by very faint rows of finely threaded microstructure; teleoconch finely reticulate with regularly-spaced radial growth lines crossed by rows of microscopic spiral threads.; on the last whorl, every 5 th– 6th radial line is stronger; the 4.25 whorls are separated by a deep suture; whorls shouldered; body whorl tumid; aperture slightly oblique to shell axis; umbilicus deep, relatively wide; aperture rounded or almost quadrangular, toothless; peristome slightly expanded, not reflected; parietal margin extends forward as a slight tongue-like projection along the columellar curvature; outer lip (side view) arched slightly and drawn back below suture.

Measurements

(in mm): SH = 0.83-0.91, SW = 0.77-0.81, AH = 0.27-0.3, AW = 0.29-0.32 (n = 8). See also Tables 3 and 4.

Differential diagnosis.

The most similar species is the Thai Angustopila elevata , which has a more slender shell, a deeper umbilicus and lacks the spiral striae on its base. Angustopila fabella sp. n. has a wider shell, a stronger peristome and a well-developed parietal tooth, whereas Angustopila subelevata sp. n. is toothless. See also the two sympatric species, Angustopila dominikae sp. n. and Angustopila szekeresi sp. n.

Etymology.

The name, subelevata, refers to the similarity to the Thai Angustopila elevata .

Type locality.

China, Guangxi (广西), Hechi Shi (河池市), Bama Xian (巴马县), cliffs at the southern edge of Jiaole Cun (交乐村), 590 m, 24°7.045'N, 107°7.847'E.

Distribution.

The new species is known from the type locality only (Figure 13).

Ecology.

As for Angustopila fabella sp. n.

Conservation status.

As for Angustopila fabella sp. n.

Remarks.

Angustopila elevata , which is known from approx. 1,000 km from the type locality of Angustopila subelevata sp. n., is strikingly similar to the new species, although the general shell shape and the sculpture seem to be reliably different. See also Discussion.