Exiligada limbunya, Criscione & Law & Köhler, 2012

Criscione, Francesco, Law, Margot Louisa & Köhler, Frank, 2012, Land snail diversity in the monsoon tropics of Northern Australia: revision of the genus Exiligada Iredale, 1939 (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Camaenidae), with description of 13 new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 166 (4), pp. 689-722 : 703-704

EXILIGADA LIMBUNYA SP. NOV.

( FIGS 5F , 12D–F )

Holotype: AUSTRALIA, NT, VRD, 27 km southwest of Limbunya Station , limestone outcrop with small vine thicket patches, in talus, 17°28 ′ 27.0 ′′ S, 129°53 ′ 14.0 ′′ E (coll. T. Parkin, 23.vii.2010), dry ( AM C.475866).

Paratypes: AUSTRALIA, NT, VRD, same data as for holotype, 30 dry ( AM C.470205) .

Other material: AUSTRALIA, NT, VRD, 27.2 km south-west of Limbunya Station, small limestone outcrops with very small vine thicket patches, in talus, 55 dry (AM C.470200).

Etymology: In reference to the type locality, Limbunya Station, noun in apposition.

Description: Shell ( Figs 5F , 12D–F ). Small, weakly elevated, thin; micropustulations present; background colour brownish horn fading to whitish towards shell base, with one faint to very conspicuous, brownreddish peripheral band; no maculations.

Remarks: Species only known from dry shells, which differ significantly from all other congeners permitting recognition as a distinct species. Smallest shell of the genus, with lowest number of whorls and lowest height, diameter and H/D ratio. Micropustulation as fine as in E. calciphila , E. floraevallis , and E. unistriata . Shell colour pattern similar to E. calciphila , E. floraevallis , E. gregoriana , E. rivifontis , and E. unistriata . This species co-occurs with its putative sister species E. unistriata and shares the same shell coloration.

Figures

Figure 5. Shells of Exiligada species. A, E. negriensis (holotype AM C.64865). B, E. brabyi sp. nov. (paratype C.443279). C, E. calciphila sp. nov. (paratype C.462723). D, E. floraevallis sp. nov. (paratype WAM S49204). E, E. gregoriana sp. nov. (paratype AM C.462820). F, E. limbunya sp. nov. (paratype AM C.470205). G, E. longicauda sp. nov. (paratype WAM S49228). H, E. monochroma sp. nov. (paratype AM C.469772).

Figure 12. SEM micrographs of Exiligada shells. A-C, E. gregoriana sp. nov. (paratype AM C.462768). A, Apical view showing protoconch and first whorl. B, Close-up from above of sculpture across entire shell. C, Microsculpture on teleoconch whorl. D-F, E. limbunya sp. nov. (holotype C.475866). D, Apical view showing protoconch and first whorl. E, Close-up from above of sculpture across entire shell. F, Microsculpture on teleoconch whorl. Scale bars: A-B, D-E = 1 mm, C, F = 0.5 mm.