Stanisicarion freycineti (Férussac, 1821)

Hyman, Isabel T. & Köhler, Frank, 2019, Phylogeny and systematic revision of the helicarionid semislugs of eastern Queensland (Stylommatophora, Helicarionidae), Contributions to Zoology 88 (4), pp. 351-451 : 440-443

Stanisicarion freycineti (Férussac, 1821)

Figs. 33 , 34A , 35 , 36A–B , 37

Helixarion freycineti Férussac, 1821: 20 .

Helicarion freycineti: Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 .

Vitrina (Helicolimax) australasia Blainville, 1824: 255 . [nom. nov. for Helicarion freycineti Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 ].

Helix (Vitrina) helicarion Voigt, 1834: 76 [nom. nov. for Helicarion freycineti Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 ].

Vitrina robusta Gould, 1846: 181 .

Vitrina virens Pfeiffer, 1849: 108 ; Reeve, 1962: pl. 3, sp. 14; Cox, 1868: 85–86, pl. 14, fig. 5, 5a; Pfeiffer, 1876: 26; Cox, 1909: 6.

Vitrina strangei Pfeiffer, 1850: 132 ; Pfeiffer, 1854: 17, pl. ii, figs. 9–12; Reeve, 1862: pl. vi, sp. 42; Cox, 1868: 85, pl. xiv, fig. 6.

Nanina (Helicarion) freycineti: Martens & Albers, 1860: 47 .

Vitrina freycineti: Reeve, 1862 : pl. 6, sp. 40; Cox, 1868: 83, pl. 14, figs. 4, 4a; Pfeiffer, 1876: 23.

Vitrina inflata Reeve, 1862 : sp. 64, pl. 9.

Helicarion virens: Tryon, 1885: 172 , pl. 39, figs. 69–71; Hedley, 1888: 49; Gabriel, 1930: 85; Iredale, 1937 c: 8.

Vercularion freycineti: Iredale, 1941: 6 , fig. 8.

Vercularion virens: Iredale, 1941: 6 .

Fastosarion freycineti: Smith, 1992: 231 ; Stanisic et al., 2010: 302.

Fastosarion virens: Smith, 1992: 232 ; Stanisic et al., 2010: 304.

Stanisicarion freycineti: Hyman & Ponder, 2010: 49 .

Stanisicarion virens: Hyman & Ponder, 2010: 50 .

Synonymy of V. robusta , V. strangei and V. inflata follows Iredale (1937, 1941).

Material examined

Types: Lectotype of H. freycineti: MNHP no number (Port Jackson, NSW).

Paralectotypes: MNHP no number .

Syntypes of V. virens: NHMUK 19776 ( Moreton Bay , QLD) .

Non-type material: See table 1 .

Description

External morphology: Shell (fig. 34A, 35) medium-sized (12.8–16.7 mm), amber, 3.2–3.8 whorls, subglobose with a low spire, reduced, ear-shaped with an expanded last whorl. Body (fig. 36A–B) 25–30 mm, grey-brown (often with a reddish tinge), darker on tail, with a red sole. Shell lappets and mantle lobes moderately large, pustulose, mottled with dark grey. Dark line along mantle edge. Tail keeled, keel often paler, slime network prominent.

Genital anatomy: Genitalia (fig. 37) with long vagina; bursa copulatrix moderately long, duct distinct, bursa spherical to oval. Penis long, slender, slightly swollen proximally, internally pustulose; 60% of penis contained in penial tunica. Penis longer than epiphallus; epiphallus enters penis through a short verge; epiphallus 2 much longer than epiphallus 1; epiphallic caecum very short; flagellum moderately long, slender.

Remarks

Stanisicarion freycineti was originally described as a member of southeastern Australian genus Helicarion (Férussac, 1821–1822); however, it has been clearly demonstrated that S. freycineti is not closely related to this genus ( Hyman et al., 2007; Hyman & Ponder, 2010; Hyman et al., 2017). In the current study we synomymise Vitrina virens with Helixarion freycineti . Previous authors have maintained the two species as distinct without specifically comparing them, but comparison of the species descriptions implies that discrimination was based on their disjunct ranges, slight differences in size and colouration, and anatomical characters such as the attachment of the penial retractor muscle and the presence or absence of longitudinal pilasters in the capsular gland ( Hyman & Ponder, 2010; Stanisic et al., 2010). We have sampled extensively throughout the range of both species and have found relatively low genetic variation (COI: 2.9%; 16S: 1%), consistent with the variation found within other widespread helicarionid species ( Hyman & Köhler, 2018a, b). A single, basally diverging specimen from Stradbroke Island is genetically more distinct; however, no significant anatomical differences were observed.

The anatomical differences previously noted between S. freycineti and S. virens ( Hyman & Ponder, 2010) include a terminal rather than basal attachment of the penial retractor muscle to the caecum in S. freycineti . The caecum is very short and quite rounded in this species, making it difficult to categorize the position of attachment. However, additional dissections have confirmed that the attachment is the same in S. freycineti and S. virens , and is best described as medial, near the base.

Iredale (1937, 1941) recognized Vitrina robusta (type locality Parramatta near Sydney, NSW) and V. inflata (type locality Sydney, NSW) as synonyms of S. freycineti , and V. strangei (type locality Brisbane, Qld) as a synonym of S. virens . However, this was disregarded by Smith (1992) and Smith et al. (2002), who listed V. robusta (with junior synonym V. inflata ) and V. strangei as accepted members of Fastosarion . Stanisic et al. (2010) followed Iredale’s (1941) lead regarding V. strangei , but did not include V.robusta or V. inflata either as synonyms or as valid species.

Each of these three nominal species are medium-sized semislugs with subglobose shells of 3.2–3.8 whorls and each matches the dimensions of S. freycineti (based on photographs of the syntypes of V. inflata and V. strangei , and the original illustration of V. robusta ; fig. 37). The type localities are also located within the known distribution of S. freycineti and therefore we treat all three names as synonyms of S. freycineti .

The range of S. freycineti now stretches from Sydney, NSW to Rockhampton in southeastern Qld (fig. 33). Stanisicarion freycineti co-occurs with congeners S. aquila and S. wolvi but can distinguished from these species by its smaller size and more reduced shell with a lower whorl count and more expanded last whorl. It also co-occurs with F. papillosus near the NSW / Qld border, but can be distinguished from this species by its reddish body colouration, its more expanded and rapidly descending last whorl and by the lack of a row of distinct pustules on the shell lappets. It can be distinguished from Helicarion , with which it also co-occurs, by its more globose shell and reddish foot-border.

Figures

FIGURE 33 Distribution of Clade C species. ▲ = S.aquila, ● = S. freycineyti, ◻ = S.wolvi.

FIGURE 34 Shells of Stanisicarion. A. Stanisicarion freycineti, MO70449. B. Stanisicarion aquila, MO49825. C. Stanisicarion wolvi sp. nov., AM C.581912.Scale bar 5 mm.

FIGURE 35 Shells of synonyms of Stanisicarion freycineti. A.Vitrina inflata, NHMUK 1977079 (syntypes). B. Vitrina strangei, NHMUK 1983076 (syntypes).C.Vitrina robusta, NHMUK 1926.9.1.63-73 (possible syntypes). All images NHMUK.

FIGURE 36 Stanisicarion live images (Clade C). A. Stanisicarion freycineti, Emu heights, Sydney (image J.Wradjan).B.Stanisicarion freycineti, AM C.506245, Oxley Wild Rivers NP.C. Stanisicarion aquila, C.512654, Broken Head.D.Stanisicarion aquila, C.512596, Mt Tamborine.E. Stanisicarion aquila, C.269856, Cicada Glen Creek.

FIGURE 37 Genitalia of S.freycineti, MO71655, Ingleburn. A. Reproductive system.Arrow shows the junction of the penis and epiphallus. B. Penis interior.Scale bars 2 mm.