Pyrgulopsis ojaiensis Hershler, Liu, Babbitt, Kellogg & Howard

Hershler, Robert, Liu, Hsiu-Ping, Babbitt, Caitlin, Kellogg, Michael G. & Howard, Jeanette K., 2016, Three new species of western California springsnails previously confused with Pyrgulopsisstearnsiana (Caenogastropoda, Hydrobiidae), ZooKeys 601, pp. 1-19 : 6-9

Taxon classification Animalia Littorinimorpha Hydrobiidae

Pyrgulopsis ojaiensis Hershler, Liu, Babbitt, Kellogg & Howard sp. n. Figs 3B, 5

Pyrgulopsis stearnsiana .- Hershler and Liu 2010 (in part).

Types.

Holotype, SBMNH 74347, Sisar Creek, Santa Paula Canyon, 3.4 km up flow from Sulphur Springs, Ventura County, California, 34.43213°N, 119.12414°W, 1/7/1962, W. B. Miller. Paratypes, SBMNH 460496 (19 dry shells and ca. 100 alcohol preserved specimens), from same lot.

Referred material.

California. Ventura County: * USNM 905259, USNM 1287762, ibid., 6/23/2000, 6/26/2015.

Diagnosis.

A medium-sized congener (maximum shell height, 3.1 mm) having an ovate-conic shell. Distinguished from closely similar Pyrgulopsis stearnsiana and Pyrgulopsis torrida (described below) in having an oblique penial filament and larger penial lobe. Further differs from Pyrgulopsis torrida in having a longer penial filament and smaller terminal gland.

Description.

Shell (Fig. 5A, Table 4) ovate-conic, whorls 4.00-4.25. Teleoconch whorls medium convex, narrowly shouldered. Aperture ovate, slightly angled above; parietal lip complete, nearly straight, narrowly disjunct, last 0.25 whorl sometimes separated, thin or slightly thickened; umbilicus small. Outer lip thin, weakly prosocline or orthocline. Teleoconch smooth aside from collabral growth lines.

Operculum (Fig. 5 B–C) as for genus; inner side nearly smooth. Radula (Fig. 5 D–F) as for genus; dorsal edge of central teeth concave, lateral cusps four–seven, basal cusp one. Lateral teeth having three–four cusps on inner and four–five cusps on outer side. Inner marginal teeth with 20-27 cusps, outer marginal teeth with 25-37 cusps. Radula data are from SBMNH 7437.

Penis (Fig. 3B) medium-sized (pigmentation unknown), filament medium length, narrow, oblique, tapering; lobe medium-sized, rectangular, oblique; terminal gland small, narrow, positioned along ventral edge of lobe. Penial data are from SBMNH 7437 (6 specimens).

Etymology.

The species name is a geographical epithet referring to Ojai Valley, the upper portion of which is drained by Sisar Creek. We propose "Sisar pyrg" as the common name for this species.

Distribution and habitat.

Endemic to the type locality; a small, spring-fed stream. Snails were found on small stones and pieces of wood.

Conservation status.

Pyrgulopsis ojaiensis was found in moderate abundance in Sisar Creek both in 2000 and 2015. This creek runs alongside a frequently used road (between Ojai and Santa Paula) in a populated area and has been considerably impacted by anthropogenic activities.