Plekocheilus (Eurytus) tatei Haas, 1955

Breure, Abraham S. H., 2009, New Orthalicidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) from Venezuelan Guayana: unravelling secrets from the Lost World, Zootaxa 2065, pp. 25-50 : 36

Plekocheilus (Eurytus) tatei Haas, 1955

( Figs 2 A, 6D─G)

Plecocheilus (Eurytus) tatei Haas, 1955: 385 , fig. 84. Type locality: Venezuela, Territory of Amazon, Cerro Duida, “ledge 23B”; holotype AMNH 73455.

Material. Venezuela, Estado Amazonas, Cerro Duida, G.H.H. Tate leg. ( FMNH 50346/3 paratypes).

Genitalia. Penis proximally somewhat swollen, thereafter more slender and distally subcylindrical, passing without external transition into the epiphallus, which is partly contorted and tapering towards the transition to the flagellum. The flagellum is somewhat tapering, relatively shorter than in Plekocheilus (Eurytus) juliani and P. (E.) mundiperditi ( Breure 1978: figs 6─7). The vas deferens is shorter than the length of the penis and epiphallus. Vagina rather short; proximal part of spermathecal duct subcylindrical, its intermediate part widened before distally tapering towards the globose spermatheca. Spermoviduct very contorted; albumen gland relatively long.

Remarks. According to Haas (1955) the type material was preserved first in formalin and later in ethanol. The conservation measures taken by Haas, viz. lacquer on the conchinic layer that began to peel off, have only been partly successful. Of the three paratypes studied, only one has retained the conchinic layer preserved as intended. But as a consequence of the lacquer application, the fine granular sculpture on the last whorl has become almost invisible. The preservation status of the two soft bodies included in the paratype material was rather poor, allowing only studying the genitalia.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Genitalia in Plekocheilus (Eurytus). A. P. (E.) t a te i Haas, 1955, FMNH 50346; B ─ D. P. (E.) huberi spec. nov., UF 284746; E ─ F. P. (E.) nebulosus spec. nov., UF 284723. Scale bar— 5 mm.