Moussonia uncinata, Neubert, Eike & Bouchet, Philippe, 2015

Neubert, Eike & Bouchet, Philippe, 2015, The Diplommatinidae of Fiji - a hotspot of Pacific land snail biodiversity (Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea), ZooKeys 487, pp. 1-85 : 32-34

Taxon classification Animalia Mesogastropoda Diplommatinidae

Moussonia uncinata sp. n. Figs 67-68

Type material.

Holotype MNHN IM-2000-27449, paratypes MNHN/257 IM-2000-27450, NMBE 516858/30. Type locality: Viti Levu, surroundings of Qauia village, secondary wet forest, 20-50 m, -18.1001 178.3999, leg. Bouchet & Warén, 15.03.1999.

Material.

Viti Levu, surroundings of Laselevu village, 80 m, rainforest, -17.7532 178.1416, leg. Bouchet, Warén & Dayrat, 14.02.1999, MNHN/13, NMBE 516893/3.

Etymology.

Latin adjective uncinatus, -a, -um = hooked; with reference to the hook-like palatalis of this species.

Diagnosis.

Shell dextral, deeply red-brown; teleoconch sculpture of fine, widely spaced riblets, suture with deep incision dorsolaterally on the last whorl, inner parietalis inconspicuous, outer parietalis spatulate, palatalis above angular edge of peristome.

Description.

Shell dextral, spindle-shaped, last whorl slightly constricted, deeply red-brown; protoconch of 2 whorls, smooth; teleoconch of> 6 slightly shouldered whorls, sculpture of fine, widely spaced riblets; suture deep, with a deep notch dorsolaterally on the last whorl indicating the inner end of the palatalis (see arrows); last whorl slightly ascending before aperture; aperture attached to last whorl, subquadrate, peristomial rim reinforced, doubled, white, columellar side with a strong columellaris; internal lamellar system with one columellaris, two parietal lamellae and one palatalis; columellaris a lamella with a large brown denticle on top of the lamellar area just above the aperture, extending into the interior of the shell, where it abruptly bends upwards; inner parietalis an inconspicuous broad and flat callus, not connected to the outer parietalis, which is a thin, spatulate lamella; palatalis deep inside the shell above the angular edge of the peristome forming a strong, hook-like lamella with a moderately deep corresponding furrow on the outer side of the shell, its inner end indicated by a sutural incision.

Operculum unknown.

Measurements.

Holotype (Fig. 67): H = 2.46; D = 1.29; PH = 0.8; PD = 0.84; W = 7.5.

Distribution

(Fig. 170). two localities on Viti Levu.

Remarks.

Moussonia uncinata sp. n. can be identified by the hook-like palatalis and the small furrow on the last whorl, indicating its end. It has some similarities with Moussonia obesa sp. n., but the latter has stronger ribs, a palatalis parallel to the suture, and non-spathulate prt2. Among the Fiji Moussonia species, Moussonia uncinata sp. n. is one of the largest. It shares the axial and deeply situated palatalis with Moussonia vitianoides sp. n.; for differences, refer to that species.