Huizhou H. Chen, Z.-G. Chen, H.-Q. Xiang, Y.-M. He & X.-P. Wu, 2025

Chen, Hui, Wang, Wen-Hao, Chen, Zhong-Guang, Xiang, Hong-Quan, He, Yue-Ming, Ouyang, Shan, Chu, Ke-Lin & Wu, Xiao-Ping, 2025, A new genus and species of freshwater mussel (Bivalvia, Unionidae) from Anhui, China, Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (4), pp. 2243-2250 : 2243-2250

Genus Huizhou H. Chen, Z.-G. Chen, H.-Q. Xiang, Y.-M. He & X.-P. Wu gen. nov.

Type species.

Huizhou xietianxiangi H. Chen, Z.-G. Chen, H.-Q. Xiang, Y.-M. He & X.-P. Wu , gen. et sp. nov. (Fig. 4 ).

Diagnosis.

Shell small-sized, oval, thick, solid; with a zigzag sculpture covering the entire surface, often adorned with elegant dark green rays. Umbo inflated, often eroded. Incurrent aperture and excurrent aperture obvious papillae arranged in one row, excurrent aperture papillae are more than twice the size of the incurrent aperture.

Etymology.

The name of this genus originates from the ancient Chinese place name Huizhou , which was an administrative region in Chinese history. The ancient name of the place where this species was discovered.

Vernacular name.

徽州蚌 (hui zhou bang). English common name: Huizhou Mussel.

Remarks.

The establishment of the new genus Huizhou is justified by congruent evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny. It differs morphologically from the type genus Globunio of the tribe Globunionini by lacking the diagnostic elongated-globular shell. Phylogenetically, the two genera form distinct, strongly supported lineages with a considerable genetic distance (11 % for COI), which falls within the range of intergeneric divergence observed in other unionid tribes. This combination of marked morphological discontinuity and significant genetic differentiation provides compelling evidence for their separation at the generic level.

Figures

Figure 4. Huizhou xietianxiangi gen. et sp. nov. A – E. Holotype, NCUAH 250801; F – H. Paratype, NCUAH 250802; I – L. Paratype, NCUAH 250803; M, N. Hinge structure of left and right valves; O. Anatomical features, p ia, papillae in incurrent aperture; p exa, papillae in excurrent aperture. Scale bars: 10 mm (A – L), 1 mm (M, N), 1 mm (O).