Erhaia pelkiae Gittenberger & Gyeltshen, 2020

Gittenberger, Edmund, Leda, Pema, Wangchuk, Jigme, Gyeltshen, Choki & Bjoern Stelbrink,, 2020, The genera Erhaia and Tricula (Gastropoda, Rissooidea, Amnicolidae and Pomatiopsidae) in Bhutan and elsewhere in the eastern Himalaya, ZooKeys 929, pp. 1-17 : 4-6

Erhaia pelkiae Gittenberger & Gyeltshen sp. nov. Figs 4 , 5 , 11

Material examined.

Holotype. (Fig. 4 ) Bhutan • District Thimphu, c. 5 km E of Chhuzom, W of Geneykha; in brooklet with a prayer wheel along the road; 2750 m a.s.l.; 27°18'43"N, 89°36'10"E; E. Gittenberger, Choki Gyeltshen & Pema Leda leg. 25.X.2018; NBCB 1059. Paratype. (Fig. 5 ) 1 shell; same data as for holotype; NBCB 1060.

Diagnosis.

Shell with a partly reflected peristome, teleoconch with spiral lirae.

Shell.

Shell elongated ovoid, with 3½ convex, shouldered whorls that are separated by a deep suture; clearly higher than broad; light yellowish brown with fine growth lines and some brown periostracal ridges. Peristome reflected at the columellar and the basal side. Parietal and columellar side of the aperture thickened by a whitish callus. An irregular umbilical chink only in the paratype might be represent a malformation resulting from repair of the shell wall. Protoconch encrustated; teleoconch with fine spiral lines.

Measurements.

(N = 2): holotype and paratype H 1.9 mm, B 1.1 mm.

Ecology

(Fig. 11 ). The snails are rare on the rocks in the shaded streamlet uphill the prayer wheel. See also the data for E. jannei .

Notes.

The differences between the sympatric E. pelkiae and E. jannei are too large to regard as sexual dimorphism.

Etymology.

The epithet pelkiae refers to Ms. Pelki Yangdon, the daughter of the fourth author.

Figures

Figure 11. Type locality of both Erhaia jannei and E. pelkiae; Bhutan, district Thimphu, W of Geneykha, brooklet with water powered prayer wheel, 2750 m a. s. l. Photo by EG.

Figures 2 - 10. Erhaia jannei sp. nov., holotype (2 H 2.25 mm) and paratype (3 H 2.02 mm). Bhutan, district Thimphu, W of Geneykha, brooklet with water powered prayer wheel, 2750 m a. s. l. Photos by J. Goud Erhaia pelkiae sp. nov., holotype (4 H 1.86 mm) and paratype (5 H 1.86 mm). Bhutan, district Thimphu, W of Geneykha, brooklet with water powered prayer wheel, 2750 m a. s. l. Photos by J. Goud Erhaia wangchuki Gittenberger, Sherub & Stelbrink, 2017. Shells from the type locality (6 H 1.98 mm) (7 H 2.03 mm); NBCB 1072. Bhutan, district Wangdue Phodrang, Gangchhu, Gangzetem brooklet, 2883 m a. s. l. Photos by J. Goud 8 Erhaia banepaensis Nesemann & S. Sharma, 2007, holotype (H 1.95 mm); NHMW 103319. Nepal, Central Zone, Kavre district, small forest stream, left tributary of the Chandeswari Khola upstream from Chandeshwari at Banepa. NHMW 9 Erhaia nainitalensis Davis & Rao, 1997, holotype of E. chandeshwariensis Nesemann & S. Sharma, 2007 (H 1.94 mm); NHMW 103315. Nepal, Central Zone, Kavre district, small forest stream, left tributary of the Chandeswari Khola upstream from Chandeshwari at Banepa. NHMW 10 Erhaia sugurensis Nesemann, Shah & Tachamo, 2007, holotype (H 1.95 mm); NHMW 104172. Nepal, Central Zone, Lalitpur district, Godawari, upper reaches of Sugure Khola forest stream, 1700 m a. s. l. NHMW.