Gastrocopta sp. CW1

Whisson, Corey S. & Koehler, Frank, 2013, Gastrocopta (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Pupillidae) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, ZooKeys 261, pp. 15-39 : 31-32

5. Gastrocopta sp. CW1 Fig. 2A

Gastrocopta pilbarana Slack-Smith 1993: 91.

Material studied.

Western Australia: Barrow Island: 20.7069°S, 115.4194°E (WAM S59641). Cape Range No. 2 Deep Well: 21.9500°S, 114.0333°E (WAM S14132). Cape Range (cave): 22.1166°S, 113.9833°E (WAM S34394); 22.1500°S, 114.0000°E (WAM S34395, WAM S60409, WAM S60831); 22.0833°S, 113.9833°E (WAM S 34396); 22.1833°S, 113.9833°E (WAM S80955). Exmouth rubbish tip: 21.9166°S, 114.1167°E (WAM S60408)

Distribution.

This species is recorded from the Cape Range and from an isolated site on Barrow Island (Figure 3).

Comparative morphology.

Shells of Gastrocopta sp. CW1 are easily recognized by their (1) small size (2) very solid, non-lamellate columellar tooth that projects horizontally from the columellar wall (shelf-like), slightly drooping at anterior end (3) long sigmoid lower palatal tooth (4) large, transverse upper palatal tooth (5) presence of a suprapalatal tooth.

Remarks.

Solem (1989) identified specimens from the Kimberley and Northern Territory as Gastrocopta recondita (Tapparone-Canefri, 1883) but in a later review, Pokryszko (1996) regarded that species as extralimital to Australia, describing the Australian representatives as a new sister species, Gastrocopta stupefasciens .

Gastrocopta sp. CW1. is very similar to Gastrocopta stupefaciens and Gastrocopta recondita but (1) is smaller (2) has longer apertural barriers and (3) has a thick, solid, non-lamellate columellar tooth and is here within regarded as a new species. Some of Solems`Gastrocopta recondita specimens from limestone outcrops near Katherine (station WA-685) and Lake Argyle (station WA-248) have a similar columellar tooth structure and their relationship to Gastrocopta sp. CW1 needs further work.

Slack-Smith (1993) listed cavernicolus specimens from the Cape Range as Gastrocopta pilbarana (which was later synonymised with Gastrocopta margaretae ) but those specimens were in fact Gastrocopta sp. CW1. She suggested that although this population of snails was ameliorated with the limestone caves of the Cape Range, although it was not generally cavernicolus. The accumulation and breakdown of leaf litter within caves combined with calcareous rocks was deemed advantageous for snails. Solem (1991) discussed an affinity with limestone for his Gastrocopta recondita . The few records of Gastrocopta sp. CW1 from the limestone dominated Barrow Island and Cape Range show similar requirements.