Afrodonta inhluzaniensis leptolamellaris, Herbert, 2020

Herbert, David G., 2020, Revision of the aperturally dentate Charopidae (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) of southern Africa - genus Afrodonta s. lat., with description of five new genera, twelve new species and one new subspecies, European Journal of Taxonomy 629, pp. 1-55 : 13-15

Afrodonta inhluzaniensis leptolamellaris subsp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:823F6241-748D-4994-A5D1-56AE413A4553

Figs 4 D–F, 5, 17K–L

Diagnosis

Shell as in Af. inhluzaniensis inhluzaniensis , but baso-columellar denticle present as two smaller, unequally sized denticles, the larger of which is somewhat pointed with the smaller one lying to its right; the latter, though sometimes very small and hard to see through the aperture, is usually evident externally by transparency; palatal lamella prominent, but slender, strongly angled upwards, its crest only slightly thickened.

Etymology

From the Greek leptos (λεπτός): thin, slender, and the Latin lamina, diminutive of lamella: a small plate or blade; with reference to the narrow palatal lamella.

Material examined

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • KwaZulu-Natal, Ongoye Forest ; 28.848° S, 31.717° E; 350 m a.s.l.; 1 Sep. 1997; M. Lawes and H. Adie leg.; coastal scarp forest, in leaf-litter; diameter 1.2 mm, height 0.69 mm; NMSA V7615/T4235 .

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA – KwaZulu-Natal • 4 specimens; same collection data as for holotype; NMSA P1008/T4236 • 9 specimens; Amatikulu Nat. Res. ; 29.115° S, 31.598° E; 45 m a.s.l.; 22 Jan. 2000; D.G. Herbert leg.; coastal forest; NMSA V8084/T4231 • 4 specimens; Shongweni Resource Res. ; 29.8550° S, 30.7267° E; 400 m a.s.l.; 16 Mar. 1998; D.G. Herbert leg.; riverine woodland, in leaf-litter; NMSA V6597/T4233 • 3 specimens; Oribi Gorge Nat. Res., Hoopoe Falls trail; 30.70765° S, 30.26992° E; 225 m a.s.l.; 5 Oct. 2001; D.G. Herbert leg.; scarp forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA V9452/T4234 . – E. Cape • 33 specimens; Mkambati Nat. Res. ; 31.31806° S, 29.9672° E; 28 m a.s.l.; 26 Jan. 2008; Earthwatch leg.; station ECMF12; forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA W6446/T4230 • 8 specimens; East London, Umtiza Nat. Res. ; 33.016° S, 27.809° E; 170 m a.s.l.; 4 Mar. 2000; D.G. Herbert leg.; coastal forest, in leaflitter; NMSA V8039/T4232 • 7 specimens; East London, Umtiza Nat. Res., west side of Buffalo Pass ; 33.013472° S, 27.79553° E; 8 Apr. 2002; M.L. Bursey leg.; coastal forest, in leaf-litter; ELM D15561/ T171 .

Other material

SOUTH AFRICA – KwaZulu-Natal • 1 specimen; Hluhluwe Game Res. ; 28.077° S, 32.045° E; 460 m a.s.l.; 29 Nov. 1998; D.G. Herbert, M. Seddon and P. Tattersfield leg.; scarp forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA V7673 • 2 specimens; Ongoye Forest ; 28.83110° S, 31.72820° E; 23 Jun. 2015; D. Herbert and L. Davis leg.; scarp forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA P0388 • 3 specimens; Ongoye Forest ; 28.848° S, 31.700° E; 1 Sep. 1997; M. Lawes and H. Adie leg.; coastal scarp forest, regenerating Eucalyptus plantation, in leaf-litter; NMSA V7575 • 11 specimens; Shongweni Resource Res. ; 29.855° S, 30.730° E; 400 m a.s.l.; 1 Mar. 1997; NMSA Dept of Mollusca leg.; thick valley bushveld and woodland, in leaf-litter; NMSA V4125 • 1 specimen; Mpenjati Nat. Res., Yengele Trail ; 30.968° S, 30.285° E; 19 Dec. 1997; K. Cradock leg.; dune forest; NMSA V6808 • 1 specimen; Mpenjati Nat. Res., Yengele Trail ; 30.96910° S, 30.28197° E; 28 Dec. 2002; D.G. Herbert leg.; dune forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA W384 . – E. Cape • 7 specimens; Mtentu River mouth, forest on north side of gorge ; 31.2383° S, 30.0351° E; 20 May 2001; D.G. Herbert leg.; coastal forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA V9146 • 9 specimens; Mkambati Nat. Res., forest on south side of Mtentu estuary, on top of gorge ; 31.2419° S, 30.0299° E; 21 May 2001; D.G. Herbert leg.; coastal forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA V9149 • 1 specimen; Mkambati Nat. Res. ; 31.27292° S, 30.02169° E; 10 m a.s.l.; 27 Jan. 2008; Earthwatch leg.; station ECMF13, forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA W6461 • 1 specimen; Mkambati Nat. Res. ; 31.29027° S, 29.99026° E; 50 m a.s.l.; 26 Jan. 2008; Earthwatch leg.; station ECMF11, forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA W6441 • 2 specimens; Mkambati Nat. Res., Gwe Gwe forest walk; 31.2904° S, 29.9897° E; 90 m a.s.l.; 5 Mar. 2001; D.G. Herbert leg.; small patch of coastal forest, in leaflitter; NMSA V8975 • 4 specimens; Mkambati Nat. Res., ‘ Super Bowl’ forest at junction of Msikaba and KwaDlambu Rivers ; 31.2955° S, 29.9292° E; 5 Mar. 2001; D.G. Herbert leg.; indigenous forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA V8953 • 4 specimens; Mazeppa Bay area ; 32.48008° S, 28.64310° E; 23 Feb. 2006; D.G. Herbert and L.S. Davis leg.; dune forest, in leaf-litter; NMSA W5557 .

Distribution and conservation

Endemic to eastern South Africa ( Fig. 5 ), occurring in the coastal hinterland of KwaZulu-Natal and E. Cape, from Zululand (Hluhluwe) to East London, from sea level to 460 m a.s.l.; in leaf-litter of coastal and scarp forests. Not of conservation concern.

Remarks

Afrodonta inhluzaniensis leptolamellaris subsp. nov. is clearly close to the nominotypical subspecies. However, its geographical separation from the latter, together with slight but consistent differences in apertural characters indicate that it merits recognition as an entity distinct therefrom.

Figures

Fig. 4. Shells of Afrodonta species. A–C. Af. inhluzaniensis inhluzaniensis (Burnup, 1912), Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal, diameter 1.42 mm (NMSA V7240). D–F. Af. inhluzaniensis leptolamellaris subsp. nov., holotype, diameter 1.2 mm (NMSA V7615/T4235). G–J. Af. mystica sp. nov., holotype, diameter 1.16 mm (NMSA V4993/4237). K–N. Af. novemlamellaris (Burnup, 1912), Somerset East, E. Cape, diameter 1.32 mm (NMSA W752).

Fig. 5. Distribution of Afrodonta inhluzaniensis inhluzaniensis (Burnup, 1912) (orange squares) and Af. inhluzaniensis leptolamellaris subsp. nov. (blue triangles). Contour at 1000 m.