Pseudopomatias himalayae (Benson, 1859)

Figs 10 D–E

Pomatias Himalayae Benson, 1859: p. 183.

Pomatias Himalayae (partim)— Blanford 1864: p. 463.

Pomatias Himalayae Sowerby II 1864–1866: pp 266–267, plate 259, Figs 19–20. Pomatias Himalayae —Pfeiffer 1865: p. 169.

Pomatias Himalayae — Hanley & Theobald 1870: p. 4, plate 7, Fig. 9. Pomatias Himalayae —Pfeiffer 1871: p. 14, plate 112, Figs 11–13. Pomatias himalayanus (sic!)— Nevill 1878: p. 255.

Pseudopomatias Himalayae — Möllendorff 1885: p. 164.

Pseudopomatias Himalayae — Möllendorff 1886: p. 178.

Pseudopomatias himalayae — Kobelt & Möllendorff 1897: p. 140. Pseudopomatias himalayae — Kobelt 1902: pp 273–274.

Pseudopomatias himalayae — Godwin-Austen 1917: pp 578, 579. Pseudopomatias himalayae (partim)— Gude 1921: p. 159.

Diagnosis. A small, relatively slender turriform species with strong ribs and thick peristome margin.

Description. Shell light brown or yellowish-greenish, slender turriform, widest at its base; the 6.5–7.25 (n=4) bulging whorls are separated by deep suture; protoconch consists of 2 whorls, first whorl is granulated, the second is very finely, regularly ribbed; teleoconch also finely, regularly ribbed without spiral lines; ribs very sharp, but are becoming less regular and sharper on the last half whorl; aperture rounded with slightly angled columellar-parietal transition and sharply angled parietal-palatal transition; apertural rim very much thickened and reflexed; it consists of a slimmer inner and a wider outer circle, but these are usually fused that the transition is not visible.

Measurements (in mm). H: 5.6–7, D: 2.7–3.5 (n=5).

Differential diagnosis. See under P. s i y om en s i s, P. ab l e t t i n. sp. P. ha r l i n. sp. P. linanprietoae n. sp. and P. sophiae n. sp. and Table 5.

Type material. Syntype: UMZC 102695 Darjiling.

Museum material. Himalaya, Darjiling, coll. W. Blanford, NHMUK 1860.6.27.32.1–2 (2 shells; mixed sample with P. abletti n. sp.); India, NHMUK 20130409.1–2 (2 shells; mixed sample with P. abletti n. sp.); Darjeeling, H. Cuming coll, Acc. no.: 1829, NHMUK 20130410/3; Sikkim, Himalayas, NHMUK 1888.12.4.336–337 (2 shells; mixed sample with P. harli n. sp.); India, NHMUK 1871.9.23.147/2; Darjiling, Godwin-Austen coll, NHMUK 1903.7.1.3955.1–3 (3 shells; mixed sample with P. harli n. sp.); Rissom Peak, Darjeeling, Bhutan, leg. W. Robert, 1882, Godwin-Austen coll, NHMUK 20130411.1–2 (2 shells; mixed sample with P. h ar l i n. sp.); Darjeeling, coll Sowerby, 12/10/94 /112, J. J. MacAndrew coll, NHMUK 20130412/6; Himalayas, E. R. Sykes coll, Acc. no. 1825, NHMUK 20130413.1 (one very wide shell, labelled as “ cf. himalayae ”; mixed sample with P. harl i n. sp. and P. prestoni n. sp.); Darjeeling, B. R. Lucas coll, Acc. no.: 2351, NHMUK 20130414/2; no locality, NHMUK 20130415/1; Singtam-Sikhim, NHMUK 1906.1.1.1004.1–4/4; Indien, Dr. Stoliczka coll, 1880, NHMW 109195/3 (mixed sample with P. p res t o ni n. sp.: NHMW 109194 and P. abletti n. sp.: NHMW 109196); Darjiling, Indien, Oberwimmer coll, NHMW 66304/2 (mixed sample with P. abletti n. sp.: NHMW 109197); Himalaya, coll. Möllendorff, SMF 109827/3; Darjiling, coll Ehrmann ex Sowerby + Fulton, SMF 109828/1 (mixed sample with P. abletti n. sp.: SMF 342541).

Distribution. The species was mentioned from several localities, but the revision revealed that many samples belonged to other species. Confirmed P. himalayae samples are from Darjeeling and Sikkim. See also Fig. 2 and Table 3.

Remarks. In museum collections Pseudopomatias himalayae was frequently in mixed lots with P. abletti n. sp., P. harli n. sp. and P. prestoni n. sp.