Satsuma katipolensis, Wu & Hwang & Lin, 2008

Wu, Shu-Ping, Hwang, Chung-Chi & Lin, Yao-Sung, 2008, Systematic revision of the arboreal snail Satsuma albida species complex (Mollusca: Camaenidae) with descriptions of 14 new species from Taiwan, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 154 (3), pp. 437-493 : 473-475

SATSUMA KATIPOLENSIS SP. NOV. ( FIGS 27 , 28 )

Material examined

Type specimen: Holotype: TMMT 0607 (from type locality, dry shell, tissue in alcohol). Eight paratypes: all from type locality, TMMT 0679 (dry shell, tissue in alcohol, dissected); TMMT 0638 (dry shell, tissue in alcohol); NMNS 005405-5 , BMNH 20060773– 20060774 , ANSP 413688 (N = 2), SMF 329396 (dry shell).

Type locality

Zhiben, Taitung County, eastern Taiwan ( Fig. 1 , Table 1) .

Diagnosis

Shell and soft body yellowish without pedal stripe; base of bursa stalk expanded; distal vagina short; principal pilaster short.

Etymology

From Katipol, the type locality name of the Puyuma aboriginal tribe, today known as Zhiben.

Description

Shell ( Fig. 27 ): Dextral, extremely thin, fragile, translucent, medium to small. Apex obtuse. Whorls inflated. Periphery bluntly angulated to arc-like. Base expanded. Pre-apertural constriction behind peristome absent. Shell colour light yellow, turning pale white when periostracum peeled away. Surface smooth, with fine axial and spiral striae. Aperture diagonal, ovate-lunate to trapezoid. Junction between outer lip and inferior lip angulated obtusely. Peristome thin, expanded. Inferior lip curved downward. Columellar lip subvertical, slanting to aperture side, reflected covering umbilicus. Umbilicus mostly covered by columellar lip, crevice-like. Junction between columellar lip and inferior lip bluntly angulated.

Band or stain: Polymorphism exists in this taxon. Band formula = 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0; 1 0 0 4 0 0 7 0 (Rare).

Reproductive system ( Fig. 28 ): Bursa stalk expanded at base, slender at apical half. Proximal vagina muscular, swollen, smooth, with 12–18 internal folds; middle vagina muscular, slender, constrictive, with fine, dense and wiggly folds internally; distal vagina swollen, short, one-fifth length of vagina. Flagellum long, conical, swollen at base, tapering at tip. Epiphallus contains four wide, low pilasters inside. Penial caecum depressed, conical, short; cecal pilaster two in number; remaining inner walls contain 17–25 weak ridges. Proximal penis not particular swollen, with a deep groove externally; principal pilaster medium in length, equal to cecal pilaster; middle penis long, muscular, unevenly furrowed, with five to six strong, wiggly and corrugated pilasters; distal penis smooth externally, with eight moderate and smooth internal folds that reduce gradually as fine wrinkles towards atrium. Spinules present in penis and vagina. Two individuals were dissected.

Distribution

This species is distributed in the low-altitude (<500 m) broadleaf forest habitats around Zhiben, southern Taitung County ( Fig. 1 , Table 1).

Remarks

Inhabiting from 2 to 5 m. Adults were found in autumn ( Fig. 27G ).

This species is morphologically similar to S. huberi and can be distinguished by the following characteristics: (1) the shell is thinner, (2) the shell colour is never ivory-white, (3) the base of the bursa stalk is expanded, (4) the base of the flagellum is more swollen, (5) the vagina is shorter than the penis and (6) the penial caecum is short.

Figures

Figure 1. Sampling localities of all taxa in Taiwan. Bold line, Central Range; thin line, administrative boundary.

Figure 27. Satsuma katipolensis sp. nov. A–D, holotype (TMMT 0607, shell height = 18.2 mm). E, F, paratype (TMMT 0638, shell height = 16.1 mm). G, living specimen.

Figure 28. Reproductive system of Satsuma katipolensis sp. nov. (paratype, TMMT 0679). A, whole genitalia; B, interior of genitalia. Scale bar = 5 mm. See text for abbreviations.