Highlight Activities 2021: Integrative systematics reveals the new land-snail genus Taphrenalla (Eupulmonata: Ariophantidae) with a description of nine new species from Thailand

Integrative systematics reveals the new land-snail genus Taphrenalla (Eupulmonata: Ariophantidae) with a description of nine new species from Thailand

Asst. Prof. Ekgachai Jeratthitikul

ABSTRACT

The endemic terrestrial Crown Snail from Southern Thailand formerly in Macrochlamys Gray, 1847 is being named to Taphrenalla Pholyotha & Panha 2021, based on comparative morphology and molecular data. Overall, eleven Taphrenalla species are now recognized, including two nominal species: T. asamurai and T. diadema. A total of nine additional species are also proposed: T. alba, T. conformis, T. corona, T. dalli, T. incilis, T. macrosulcata, T. parversa , T. pygmaea and T. zemia. The molecular phylogeny constructed from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) and 16S rRNA gene fragments plus the nuclear 28S rDNA gene fragments revealed that Taphrenalla is monophyletic with a well-supported clade. The diagnostic characters of Taphrenalla. are the shell sculpture with several radial grooves, body with well-developed colourful stripes running from the head to tail, and genitalia similar to Macrochamys but with an un-coiling epiphallic caecum. The spermatophore has one or two spines near the sperm sac and a spineless tail.

Representative living specimens of Taphrenalla

Reference:

Pholyotha, A., Sutcharit, C., Tongkerd, P., Jeratthitikul, E., Panha, S. (2021). Integrative systematics reveals the new land-snail genus Taphrenalla (Eupulmonata: Ariophantidae) with a description of nine new species from Thailand. Contributions to Zoology 90: 21-69. https://doi.org/10.1163/18759866-BJA10013