Helix (Helicigona) blanchetiana S. Moricand, 1834

Figs 38-39

Helix (Helicigona) blanchetiana S. Moricand, 1834: 539, pl. 1 fig. 3.

Helix (Helicigona) pyramidella Wagner in Spix. – S. Moricand, 1836: 418.

Type locality: “le Brésil, aux environs de Bahia ” .

Label: “ Bahia ”, in Moricand’s handwriting.

Dimensions: “Long. 15 mill. Larg. 15 mill.”; figured specimen herein H 15.6, D 17.4, W 6.4.

Type material: MHNG-INVE-60674, 63 syntypes (ex Blanchet, Moricand coll.); see remarks.

Remarks: Moricand did not state on how many specimens his description was based. In his second paper he placed this taxon in the synonymy of Helix pyramidella Wagner in Spix, 1827 (Moricand, 1836: 418), and ‒ on the next page ‒ as one of the several varieties (evidently colour forms) of this species. There he mentioned “Ayant reçu, depuis la publication de mon premier Mémoire (…), un grand nombre de variétés de cette coquille, j’ai reconnu que mon H. Blanchetiana rentre dans l’espèce de Spix, dont elle n’est qu’une des variétés que je classe ainsi”. The current lot has 63 specimens altogether, which are thus a mixture of the original lot and shells received later and (partly) considered as varietal forms by Moricand (1836: 419). It is impossible to untangle this lot completely. One shell, which best approaches the original figure of Moricand, is figured herein. The current systematic position follows Simone (2006: 148).

Current systematic position: Bulimulidae, Oxychona pyramidella (Wagner in Spix, 1827).