Meghimatium baoshanense, Tsai, Chi-Li, Lu, Chung-Cheng & Kao, Hsiao-Wei, 2011

Tsai, Chi-Li, Lu, Chung-Cheng & Kao, Hsiao-Wei, 2011, Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of the East and Southeast Asian Meghimatium slugs (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Philomycidae) and description of a new species, Zootaxa 2890, pp. 1-19 : 13-17

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.207472
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5628306
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FF8799-2A11-FFB2-FF26-F93DFEB5FCA4
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Meghimatium baoshanense
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Meghimatium baoshanense View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 4–8 View FIGURE 4 )

Type material. Holotype: National Science Museum, Taichung, Taiwan, catalogue no. NMNS-5943-001. Paratype 1: National Science Museum, Taichung, Taiwan, catalogue no. NMNS-5943-002 (specimen dissected for study of genitalia, radula and jaw, and molecular work, see Figs. 3–5 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 and Table 1). Paratype 2 (specimen dissected for study and drawing of the genitalia, see Fig. 6): Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, catalogue no. ESRI-MOL- 08-0128-1. 20 additional paratypes: Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, catalogue no. ESRI-MOL-0128- (2-21).

FIGURE 6. Radula of Meghimatium baoshanense sp. nov., showing the central tooth (4th tooth from the right side) and 1st to 3rd lateral teeth (paratype 1).

Type locality. Both holotype and paratypes were collected from Erjituan, Tengjhih, Bao-Shan Village, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan (23°3'19.49"N, 120°43'22.32"E).

Etymology. This species is named baoshanense for its type locality, Bao-Shan Village. The epithet is an adjective.

Referred material. See Table 1.

Description. Body coloration (of specimens preserved in 70% ethanol) creamy or yellowish-brown with brown-black irregular narrow streaks ( Figs. 4 View FIGURE 4 A–C). Sides generally darker than dorsum. Sides separated from dorsum by two dark longitudinal bands with frayed edges, which are more sharply contrasting towards the dorsum than towards the sides. Sole creamy in color.

Jaw ( Fig. 5): Arcuate and aulacognathic ( Barker, 1999), with about 22 fused plates in paratype 1.

Radula (Figs. 6–7): 7 mm in length and 2 mm in width. The radula has about 140 transverse rows, each with a central tooth and about 43 lateral and marginal teeth on each side. The central tooth (Fig. 6) has a pointed cusp with a slit on both sides; lateral teeth with an elongated triangular cusp, having a slit on the outer side of the cusp (Figs. 6) which increases in depth giving the cusps the appearance of separate denticles ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ). The further away from the center the laterals are situated, the smaller the denticles besides the main cusp become until they finally disappear ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ).

Genitalia ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ): Ovotestis of moderate size, about 4 mm in diameter and 8 mm high; hermaphroditic duct moderate in length (about 16 mm) and convoluted; albumen gland about 16 mm long and 8 mm wide; spermoviduct thick and short, about 8 mm long; free oviduct thick, about 8 mm in length and greatly expanded at its distal end where it meets the spermathecal duct; spermatheca oval, its duct about 8 mm long, with 10–18 papillae at its base; vagina of moderate size, about 3 mm long; vas deferens thin and long (about 46 mm); penis about 24 mm long, bent three times; vagina and penis opening into a barrel-shaped atrium. Genital pore located at 1/7 body length from the anterior end.

Measurements. (of specimens preserved in 70% alcohol; L=length, W=width, H=height).

Holotype ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 A): L 40.1 mm, W 8.3 mm, H 9.3 mm

Paratype 1 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 B): L 52.7 mm W 11.7 mm, H 9.5 mm

Paratype 2 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 C): L 44.6 mm, W 10.7 mm, H 8.8 mm

Distribution. Nantou, Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung Counties in central and southern Taiwan ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 , Tab. 1).

Habitat: Humid, deciduous mountain forest at low to medium altitude (500–1500 m).

Remarks. The jaw morphology of Meghimatium baoshanense sp. nov. is similar to that of the medium-sized Taiwanese Meghimatium ( M. bilineatum and M. pictum ) ( Table 2 View TABLE 2 ) and the American Pallifera dorsalis and Megapallifera ragsdalei , but differs from the jaw morphology of the large-sized Meghimatium ( M. frustorferi ). The jaw morphology of M. frustorferi is similar to that of the American Philomycus carolinianus .

The radular morphology of M. baoshanense sp. nov. is similar to the other four Taiwanese species, namely M. burchi , M frustorferi , M. pictum and M. bilineatum .

The genitalia of M. baoshanense sp. nov. differ from those of the other four Taiwanese Meghimatium in having 10– 18 papillae at the lower end of the spermathecal duct where it connects to the uterus; in addition, its vas deferens is thin and long.