Afrodonta inhluzaniensis ( Burnup, 1912 )

Herbert, David G., 2020, Revision of the aperturally dentate Charopidae (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) of southern Africa - genus Afrodonta s. lat., with description of five new genera, twelve new species and one new subspecies, European Journal of Taxonomy 629, pp. 1-55 : 11

Afrodonta inhluzaniensis ( Burnup, 1912)

As noted by Solem (1970), this species exhibits considerable variation in the shape and size of the apertural denticles. He was, however, unable to detect any pattern in this variation or any consistent differences between populations. This notwithstanding, the larger amount material now available has revealed some variation that is broadly congruent with geographical location. The typical form with a single stout, ridge-like baso-columellar denticle and a well-developed palatal lamella with a thickened apical crest is found in the forests of the interior of KwaZulu-Natal, from the Midlands (southern mistbelt forest) to the Drakensberg foothills (northern afrotemperate forest), at altitudes of over 1000 m. By contrast, throughout the coastal strip from Zululand to East London, in coastal and scarp forests up to 500 m in altitude, specimens exhibit consistent differences in the form and strength of the apertural dentition, by which they can be readily distinguished from the typical form. Since this coastal form is geographically disjunct from the typical one, with a hiatus in distribution records at altitudes between approx. 500 m to 1000 m, I propose to recognise it as a separate subspecies.