Satsuma huberi, 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 : 468-470

SATSUMA HUBERI SP. NOV. ( FIGS 23 , 24 )

Material examined

Type specimen: Holotype: TMMT 0608 (from type locality, dry shell, tissue in alcohol). Eleven paratypes: all from type locality, TMMT 0654 (dry shell, tissue in alcohol, dissected); TMMT 0634–0635 , TMMT 0652–0653 (dry shell, tissue in alcohol); NMNS 005405-4 , BMNH 20060764–20060765 , ANSP 413683 (N = 2), SMF 329391 (dry shell).

Type locality

Mt Dahanshan , Pingtung County, southern Taiwan ( Fig. 1 , Table 1) .

Diagnosis

Shell and soft body yellowish or white without pedal stripe; shell thick, robust; distal vagina short; principal pilaster short.

Etymology

The name is dedicated to the late Father Franz Huber (1913–1994), an Austrian priest who was also a biologist, in memory of his contribution to biological science education in Taiwan.

Description

Shell ( Fig. 23 ): Dextral, conical, hard, rigid, medium sized. Apex obtuse. Whorls expanded. Periphery curved, barely angulated. Base inflated. Pre-apertural constriction behind peristome absent. Shell colour ivory-white to pale yellow. Surface even, with fine axial and spiral striae. Aperture subvertical, elliptical to ovate. Junction between outer lip and inferior lip curved. Peristome thin, expanded. Columellar lip vertical, reflected, covering umbilicus. Umbilicus fully closed.

Band or stain: Polymorphism exists in this taxon. Most individuals are tinged with pale red-brown spiral stain extending around the darkly stained umbilicus. The apex has the same colour as the umbilicus. Such coloration is not observed at the inferior lip and outer lip. Band formula = 1 0 0 0 0 6 7 0; 1 0 0 0 (0 6 7) 0; 1 (0 0 0) 0 0 7 0 (very rare); 1 0 0 4 0 0 7 0 (very rare).

Reproductive system ( Fig. 24 ): Bursa stalk tapering, expanded at base, shorter than spermoviduct. Bursa copulatrix oval. Proximal vagina muscular, swollen, smooth, with 13–14 internal folds; middle vaginas constrictive, slender, muscular; distal vagina short, one-fifth length of vagina, swollen with one major internal fold in addition to fine corrugations. Flagellum conical, swollen at base, with short and digitate process. Penial caecum long and conical; cecal pilasters two to three in number, strong; remaining inner walls contained 15 weak ridges. Proximal penis long, muscular, twisted, with unevenly ridged surface, internally with seven strong and corrugated folds; principal pilaster medium in length, equal to or barely longer than cecal pilasters; middle penis obviously constrictive, smooth externally, with moderate and smooth internal folds; distal penis of same width as middle penis, with wide and low pilasters inside. Boundary between middle penis and distal penis not clear. Spinule present on pilasters of proximal and middle penis, not seen in vagina. Three individuals were dissected.

Distribution

This species was recorded only at Mt Dahanshan, Pingtung County, southern Taiwan ( Fig. 1 , Table 1).

Remarks

The perching distance from ground is typically more than 2 m. Adults can be found in winter and eventually breed in spring. Brood size is less than 30 ( Fig. 23I–K ).

The thick and robust shell is unique among the Satsuma albida species complex. Some specimens of S. insignis also have thick shells, but never as thick and robust as shells in this species. The polymorphic colour of shell, both white and yellow, is also unique.

Figures

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

Figure 23. Satsuma huberi sp. nov. A–D, holotype (TMMT 0608, shell height = 20.3 mm). E, F, paratype (TMMT 0634, shell height = 20.7 mm). G, H, paratype (TMMT 0635, shell height = 19.3 mm). I–K, living specimens.

Figure 24. Reproductive system of Satsuma huberi sp. nov. (paratype, TMMT 0654). A, whole genitalia; B, interior of genitalia. Scale bar = 5 mm. See text for abbreviations.