Moussonia minutissima, Neubert, Eike & Bouchet, Philippe, 2015

Neubert, Eike & Bouchet, Philippe, 2015, The Diplommatinidae of Fiji - a hotspot of Pacific land snail biodiversity (Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea), ZooKeys 487, pp. 1-85 : 30

Taxon classification Animalia Mesogastropoda Diplommatinidae

Moussonia minutissima sp. n. Figs 61-62

Type material.

Holotype MNHN IM-2000-27443, paratypes MNHN/169 IM-2000-27444, NMBE 516854/20. Type locality: Lau Islands, Yacata (= Yathata), forest on limestone, 5-10 m, -17.2584 -179.5096, leg. Bouchet, 05.03.1999.

Etymology.

Latin adjective minutissimus, -a, -um = very small.

Diagnosis.

Shell dextral, small, light brownish, protoconch granulated, ribs with periostracal threads, inner parietalis very short, palatalis tooth-like directly above aperture.

Description.

Shell dextral, small, last whorl not constricted, translucent light brownish; protoconch of 2 whorls, granulated; teleoconch of> 5 whorls with an almost inconspicuous keel, sculpture of faint, widely spaced ribs with fine periostracal threads; suture deep; last whorl slightly ascending before aperture; aperture attached to last whorl, rounded, peristomial rim reinforced by a strong labial callus, columellar side with a strong columellaris; umbilicus slightly open; internal lamellar system with one columellaris, two parietal lamellae and one palatalis; columellaris a thin lamella, with a strong undulation at its end above the aperture; inner parietalis a very short thread-like lamella, outer parietalis small, spatulate; palatalis tooth-like, directly above the aperture (can be seen from the outside as a reflecting callus).

Operculum unknown.

Measurements.

Holotype (Fig. 61): H = 1.54; D = 0.85; PH = 0.54; PD = 0.57; W = 5.5.

Distribution

(Fig. 171). Only known from the type locality.

Remarks.

Moussonia minutissima sp. n. is remarkable because of its granulated protoconch. It differs from Moussonia barkeri sp. n. by its reduced tooth-like palatalis and very short inner parietalis, and from Moussonia fuscula by its smaller size and the short inner parietalis.