Endothyrella nepalica Budha & Pall-Gergely

Pall-Gergely, Barna, Budha, Prem B., Naggs, Fred, Backeljau, Thierry & Asami, Takahiro, 2015, Review of the genus Endothyrella Zilch, 1960 with description of five new species (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Plectopylidae), ZooKeys 529, pp. 1-70 : 34

Taxon classification Animalia Pulmonata Plectopylidae

Endothyrella nepalica Budha & Pall-Gergely sp. n. Figures 6E, 8 A–C, 9 C–F, 24 A–C, 25

Endothyrella nepalica 2015 Endothyrella affinis , - Budha et al., ZooKeys, 492: 18.

Type material.

Champadevi, Kirtipur, Kathmandu District, 1326-1500 m, 27.654868°N, 85.244084°E, leg. Budha, P., 02.10.2010., holotype (CDZMTU005.1), paratypes CDZMTU005.2-16 (15 shells), CDZMTU005P (2 paratypes = specimens dissected and preserved, 3 dry shells = paratypes, 2 juvenile shells = not paratype); W-Nepal, Dhaulagiri Zone, Myagdi District, Annapurna Conservation Area, right side of Kali Gandaki valley, 300 m NNW of Suke Bagar village along “Tatopani-Dana” track, 1430 m alt., 14.05.1996., leg. A. Kuznetsov, WM/10 paratypes; Nepal, Kathmandu Valley, NW end of Kathmandu, middle part of S slope of Swoyambhunath Hill, in dry oak forest, 1500 m, 25.04.1995, leg A. Kuznetsov, WM/4 sinistral and 1 dextral paratypes; W Nepal, Daulagiri zone, Hyagdi distr., Annapurna NP., right side of Kali Gandaki v., NNW od Suke Bagar, Tatop, leg. A. Kuznetsov, 14.05.1996., ex coll. W. Maassen, HNHM 95867/1 paratype (labelled as paratype of " Plectopylis nepalensis Schileyko and Kuznetsov"); Nepal, Swoyambhunath, Kathmandu District, 1366 m, 27.716971N, 85.289386 E, leg. Budha, P., 05.09.2008, CDZMTU006 (24 paratypes = shells); Siddha Cave, Tanahun District, 600 m, 27.94718°N, 84.421338°E, leg. Budha, P., 24.10.2008, CDZMTU004, CDZMTU007 (11 paratypes = shells, and one juvenile shell, which is not paratype) (Figs 6E, 24A); Dhunche, Rasuwa, 1985 m, 28.1092°N, 85.2916°E, leg. Budha, P., 31.05.2007., CDZMTU008 (2 shell = paratypes, and one damaged shell which is not paratype); Balaju, Kathmandu District, 1356 m, 27.741173°N, 85.293763°E, leg. Budha, P., 04.01.2009., CDZMTU009 (8 paratypes = shells), CDZMTU009P (2 paratypes = specimens preserved, 4 dry shells = paratypes); Mahadevsthan, Thankot, Kathmandu District 1500 m, 27.683366°N, 85.213834°E, leg. Budha, P., 06.02.2007., CDZMTU010 (25 paratypes = shells), CDZMTU010P 2 paratypes = specimens preserved, 4 dry shells = paratype, 5 juvenile shells = not paratypes); Arjewa, Baglung, 900 m, 28.154393°N, 83.630703°E, leg. Budha, P., 13.09.2006., CDZMTU011 (14 paratypes = shells, one juvenile shells = not paratype); Majhbeni, Parbat, 700 m, 28.205708°N, 83.674605°E, leg. Budha, P., 13.09.2006., CDZMTU012 (9 paratypes = shells, 6 juvenile/damaged shells = not paratypes); Sirsuwa, Parbat District, 780 m, 28.136478°N, 83.642135°E, leg. Budha, P., 13.09.2006., CDZMTU013 (6 paratypes = shells); Foksing, Parbat District, 790 m, 28.093252°N, 83.604283°E, leg. Budha, P., 11.06.2006., CDZMTU014 (11 paratypes = shells, 2 juvenile shells 7 not paratypes); Godawari, Lalitpur, 1868 m, 27.94718°N, 84.421338°E, leg. Budha, P., 01.10.2008., CDZMTU015a (1 paratype); Annapurna Conservation Area, Tatopani, 1282 m, 28.495172°N, 83.628883°E, leg. Budha, P., 01.10.2008., CDZMTU016 2 (2 paratypes = shells); Godawari, Lalitpur, 1575 m, 27.596459°N, 85.389432°E, leg. Budha, P., 30.06.2007., CDZMTU015b (1 paratype = shell); Ridi, Gulmi, 832 m, 27.945621°N, 83.43215°E, leg. Budha, P., 30.06.2007., CDZMTU017 (5 paratypes = shells); Godawari Botanical Garden, Lalitpur, 1453 m, 27.596671°N, 85.381758°E, leg. Budha, P., 03.09.2008., CDZMTU015c (50 paratypes = shells); Nepal, Pokhara, Khare, 1520 m alt., 28.2860°N, 83.8472°E, leg. C. Huber, 18.03.1991, NMBE 527538/1 paratype (Figure 24C).

Diagnosis.

A small to middle-sized, hairless species with domed dorsal surface and rounded body whorl; parietal lamella simple with one or two denticles posteriorly and sometimes a plica below the lamella, middle palatal plicae divided or almost divided.

Description.

Shell very small to small, sinistral, with somewhat elevated spire and domed dorsal surface; protoconch slightly elevates from the dorsal surface; usually brownish but sometimes turns into yellowish; protoconch consists of 1.5-1.75 whorls, very finely, regularly ribbed; teleoconch with very weak, irregular growth lines on the ventral surface and fine reticulated sculpture on the dorsal surface; in high magnification the surface is covered by flat periostracal folds; no spirally arranged large deciduous folds found; whorls 5.5-6.25, moderately bulging, separated by relatively deep suture; umbilicus wide and deep, whorls almost flat inside, resulting in an funnel-like shape, apertural lip whitish, rather thin, slightly reflexed; callus inconspicuous, but present, slightly S-shaped; no fold in the aperture.

Ten specimens were opened from different populations. Parietal wall with one slightly curved lamella with arms pointing in the direction of the aperture; lower end on the lamella more conspicuously curved than the upper end; two small denticles above and below posteriorly of the lamella (exceptionally, the lower one is missing); in some populations (e.g. Majhbeni - Parbat District, Champadevi - Kathmandu District and Siddha Cave - Tanahu District) with short plica under the lamella; palatal wall with six plicae; first slim and short, parallel with the suture; second plica is the longest, it shows a tendency towards dividing in the middle, but the two parts always fused; third, fourth and fifth plicae usually divided (third one sometimes not); last plica short, slightly curved with arms pointing in the direction of the lower suture (Figures 9 C–F).

Measurements

(in mm): D: 8.2-14.9, H: 4.0-6.0, Wh: 5.5-7.5 (n = 35, different populations).

Differential diagnosis.

Endothyrella nepalica sp. n. is usually larger than Endothyrella angulata sp. n., it has a domed dorsal surface, rounded body whorl and lacks hairs standing in spiral rows, whereas Endothyrella angulata sp. n. has a flat dorsal surface, shouldered body whorl and has hairs which are arranged in spiral rows. Endothyrella dolakhaensis sp. n. differs from Endothyrella nepalica sp. n. by the usually smaller size, fewer whorls, stronger sculpture, comparatively larger protoconch, conical dorsal surface, slightly angulated body whorl and the presence of hairs standing in five spiral lines. For comparison with Endothyrella oakesi and Endothyrella pinacis , see under those species. See also Table 5.

Description of the genitalia

(Figures 25 A–C): Three specimens from three populations were anatomically examined (Champadevi, Balaju of Kathmandu District and Godawari Botanical Garden, Lalitpur District). Penis short, narrow distally and slowly tapers toward the proximal end; internal surface with several tubercles including minute calcareous hooks; epiphallus slender, cylindrical, longer than the penis, it enters penis laterally; penial caecum very short, blunt, cylindrical, with a short retractor muscle attached at its proximal end; vas deferens thin and nearly 1.5 times longer than epiphallus, convoluted before connection to prostate; vagina shorter than the penis with well-developed vaginal bulb; gametolytic sac very thin throughout and ends into a small rounded sac; there is a slender diverticulum running parallel with the gametolytic sac; it is as long as the gametolytic sac.

Etymology.

The name nepalica refers to the country (Nepal) where the new species lives.

Type locality.

Champadevi, Kirtipur, Kathmandu District, Nepal, 1326-1500 m, 27.654868°N, 85.244084°E.

Distribution.

Endothyrella nepalica sp. n. inhabits a relatively large area in western and central Nepal (Figure 15).

Remarks.

Schileyko (1999) figured a shell from the "SW slope of Swayambhunat (= Swoyambhunath) hill, Kathmandu valley, Nepal" (Fig. 594.). The figured specimen is probably Endothyrella nepalica sp. n., but the drawing is not sufficient for identification.