Leptoconchus inpleuractis, Gittenberger, 2011

Gittenberger, Adriaan Gittenberger Edmund, 2011, Cryptic, adaptive radiation of endoparasitic snails: sibling species of Leptoconchus (Gastropoda: Coralliophilidae) in corals, Organisms Diversity & Evolution 11 (1), pp. 21-41 : 36-37

Leptoconchus inpleuractis sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 , 24–26)

Etymology. The specific epithet reflects that the species has been found exclusively in corals of the subgenus Fungia (Pleuractis) . For the purposes of nomenclature, it is herewith declared (under ICZN 1999 Article 26) as not to be treated as a Greek, Latin or latinized word; thus, the spelling presented here is to remain unchanged.

Type material. Holotype female ( RMNH 102621 ), found in the mushroom coral Fungia (Pleuractis) paumotensis ; Palau, W of Babelthuap , Toachel Mlengui, 07°32′31″N 134° 28′24″E.

Paratypes (Fg = found with Fungia gravis ; Fm = with F. moluccensis ; Fp = with F. paumotensis ). Palau. Type locality ( RMNH 102622/e found with holotype, 102623 Fp/1sn: m in same coral as holotype); NE of Ngeremdiu, Lighthouse Reef, forereef, 07°16′30″N 134°27′25″E ( RMNH 102624 Fp/2sn: m&f+e, 102625 Fp/2sn: f); Lighthouse Reef, forereef, 07°16′47″N 134°27′50″E ( RMNH 102626 Fp/2sn: m&f+e); SW Ngeream, patch reef in KB channel, 07°20′22″N 134°31′05″E ( RMNH 102627 Fp/1sn: m); S of Garreru, Uchelbeluu Reef, inside barrier reef, 07°16′04″N 134°32′25″E ( RMNH 102628 Fp/3sn: m&2f).

Philippines. Cebu Strait, SW of Bohol, S of Panglao, NE Balicasag Island , 09°31′N 123°41″E ( RMNH 102629 Fg/1sn: f) .

Indonesia. NE Kalimantan, Berau Islands: E Derawan Island, 02°17′32″N 118°15′43″E ( RMNH 102630 Fg/2sn: f); NE Buliulin, S Samama Island , 02°07′07″N 118°20′32″ E ( RMNH 102631 Fg/1sn: f) .

N Sulawesi: Bunaken Island, 01°36′23″N 124°46′59″E ( RMNH 90047 Fp/3sn: m&2f+e); Bunaken Island, 01°39′09″ N 124°42′17″E ( RMNH 90058 * Fp/2sn: m&f+e); Bunaken Island , 01°37′50″N 124°46′14″E ( RMNH 90064 Fp/2sn: m&f+e); Lembeh Strait, 01°27′35″N 125°13′34″E ( RMNH 102632 Fp/2sn: m&f); SW Gorontalo, 00°21′31″N 124°03′14″ E ( RMNH 102633 Fp/2sn: m&f+e, 102634 Fg/2sn: m&f+e) .

Central Sulawesi: Tomini Bay, Togian Islands, N Togian Island , 00°18′41″S 121°58′45″E ( RMNH 102635 Fp/1sn: m, 102636 Fp/3sn: m&2f+e) .

SW Sulawesi, Spermonde Archipelago : W Bona Baku Reef , 05°07′56″S 119°21′39″E ( RMNH 90055 Fp/1sn: f+e, 90091 Fm/1sn: m); W Samalona Island , 05°07′31″S 119° 20′31″E ( RMNH 90017 Fp/1sn: m 2sh: m&f, 90018* Fm/ 1sn: f+e, 90042* Fp/2sn: m&f+e, 90046 Fp/1sn: f+e); SE Samalona Island , 05°07′39″S 119°20′38″E ( RMNH 90044 Fp/2sn: m&f+e); W Kudingareng Keke Island , 05°06′09″S 119°17′09″E ( RMNH 87827 Fg/1sh: f, 87828 Fg/1sn: f 1sh: f, 87832* Fg/1sn: f, 87835 Fp/2sn: m&f+e, 87836 Fp/ 1sn: f 1sh: f, 87837 Fg/1sn: m 2sh: f, 90111 Fg/1sn: m 2sh: f); SW Kudingareng Keke Island , 05°06′21″S 119°17′03″E ( RMNH 87848 Fm/1sn: f+e, 87850 Fm/1sn: m, 87855 Fp/ 1sn: m, 87856 Fm/2sn: m&f+e, 87869 Fp/1sn: f 1sh: f, 87870 Fp/1sn: f 1sh: f, 87875 Fg/2sn: m&f+e, 87876 Fp/ 1sh: f, 87877 Fm/2sn: m&f, 90107 Fg/1sn: f); W Kapodasang Reef, 05°05′35″S 119°15′20″E ( RMNH 90101 Fp/1sn: f, 90104 Fp/3sn: 2m &1f+e 1sh: f); W Bone Lola Reef, 05°03′07″S 119°21′09″E ( RMNH 87820 Fm/ 1sh: f, 87822 Fm/1sn: m, 87825* Fg/2sn: m&f+e 1sh: f, 87823 Fg/2sh: m&f); NW Bone Tambung Island, 05°02′ 05″S 119°16′16″E ( RMNH 90020 * Fp/2sn: m&f); W Badi Island, 04°58′05″S 119°16′54″E ( RMNH 90028 Fm/1sn: f, 90113 Fg/1sh: f) .

Bali: Sanur, Penjor Point, 08°41′36″S 115°16′20″E ( RMNH 102637 Fg/2sn: m&f+e); Penjor Point, 08°31′11″ S 115°30′37″E ( RMNH 102638 Fg/1sn: m); Tulamben Beach, drop-off, 08°16′40″S 115°35′45″E ( RMNH 102639 Fg/1sn: f 1sh: m, 102640 Fg/2sn: m&f+e 1sh: m, 102641 Fg/1sn: f 1sh: f); Tulamben Beach, 08°17′05″S 115°36′11″ E ( RMNH 102644 Fg/1sn: f 2sh: m&f, 102645 Fg/1sn: f+e, 102646 Fg/1sn: f+e, 102647 Fg/1sn: f 1sh: m, 102648 Fg/ 2sn: m&f+e, 102643 Fg/2sn: m&f+e); Tulamben Beach, Temple Bay , 08°16′43″S 115°35′49″E ( RMNH 102743 Fg/ 1sn: f); N Nusa Penida, off Desa Ped, 08°40′28″S 115°30′ 50″E ( RMNH 102649 Fg/1sn: f+e); NE Nusa Lembongan, Tanjung Jangka, 08°39′46″S 115°28′06″E ( RMNH 102650 Fg/2sn: m&f+e); NW Nusa Penida, Toyapakeh, 08°40′56″S 115°28′56″E ( RMNH 102651 * Fp/1sn: f+e); N Nusa Penida, of Tukad Adegan , 08°40′32″S 115°31′18″E ( RMNH 102642 Fg/1sn: f+e) .

Diagnosis. Among the Leptoconchus species with reduced and variable morphological characters and associated with fungiid corals, L. inpleuractis sp. nov. is differentiated by a unique combination of nucleotides in the Cytochrome Oxidase I barcoding sequence ( GB: EU 215834 – EU 215838, EU 215883, EU 215885 – EU215887), as indicated by underlined letters in Fig. 48 .

Shell. Holotype female (Figs. 24, 25) H 18.6 mm, W 20.1 mm (largest female); columellar callus covering most of surface of last whorl; lower part of outer lip with distinct angle at shell base. Figured male shell (found with holotype; Fig. 26) H 8.3 mm, W 5.9 mm; largest male shell H 10.0 mm, W 8.3 mm. Apical part of female shell protrudes slightly above apertural edge (Fig. 24), apex of male shell protrudes distinctly (Fig. 26).

Habitat. The snails and their egg capsules were found at 3– 20 m depth, with the mushroom coral species Fungia (Pleuractis) paumotensis Stutchbury, 1833 , F. (P.) gravis Nemenzo, 1955 , and F. (P.) moluccensis Van der Horst, 1919 . The siphon pores are located on the upper side of the corals.

Distribution. The range of this species extends from the Philippines to Indonesia and Palau.

Figures

Fig. 3 Cytochrome Oxidase I phylogeny reconstruction of fungiidassociated Leptoconchus species, showing strict consensus of five trees, i.e. the two most parsimonious trees resulting from a heuristic search, and the three 50% consensus trees with compatible groupings

Fig. 48 Partial Cytochrome Oxidase I sequences for 14 species of Leptoconchus; for each species, the respective combination of underlined nucleotides is considered diagnostic