Pyrgulopsis sanchezi Hershler, Liu & Bradford

Hershler, Robert, Liu, Hsiu-Ping & Bradford, Corbin, 2013, Systematics of a widely distributed western North American springsnail, Pyrgulopsis micrococcus (Caenogastropoda, Hydrobiidae), with descriptions of three new congeners, ZooKeys 330, pp. 27-52 : 35-38

Pyrgulopsis sanchezi Hershler, Liu & Bradford sp. n. Figs 4 E–F, 7

Pyrgulopsis micrococcus . - Hershler and Sada 1987 (in part).

Pyrgulopsis micrococcus . - Hershler 1989 (in part).

Pyrgulopsis micrococcus clade E. - Liu et al. (2003).

Types.

United States: Holotype, USNM 850333 (a dry shell), Purgatory Spring, Ash Meadows, Nye County, Nevada, 36.47200°N, 116.31617°W, 26 February 1985, R. Hershler and D.W. Sada. Paratypes, USNM 1204735 (from same lot).

Referred material.

CALIFORNIA. Inyo County: USNM 853505, USNM 853506, USNM 854609, USNM 854610, Grapevine Springs, spring brook on travertine bench above Scotty’s Ranch, Death Valley (37.019210°N, 117.38649°W), USNM 857964, USNM 883372, USNM 1152507, Grapevine Springs, spring outflow at Scotty’s Ranch, Death Valley (37.01830°N, 117.38770°W), USNM 1197772, Grapevine Springs, spring outflow below Scotty’s Ranch, Death Valley (37.01760°N, 117.39420°W), USNM 853503, Grapevine Springs, northern-most spring complex, outflow below base of hill, Death Valley (37.01970°N, 117.39288°W), USNM 894331, Grapevine Springs, third stream north of ranch, Death Valley (37.01867°N, 117.38900°W), BellMNH 21116, USNM 853501, USNM 857962, USNM 894335, USNM 1152506, Shoshone Spring, (35.98022°N, 116.27308°W), USNM 853502, USNM 857963, USNM 873153, USNM 883366, USNM 894354, Tecopa Hot Springs, northern-most spring, (35.88011°N, 116.22992°W), USNM 874035, Spring brook north of Tecopa, (35.85346°N, 116.22361°W). San Bernardino County: USNM 123904, USNM 883365, USNM 899902, USNM 1008345, USNM 1008725, USNM 1011485, USNM 1152503, Saratoga Springs, Death Valley (35.68099°N, 116.42245°W). NEVADA. Nye County: USNM 850339, USNM 859183, USNM 1122825, Shaft Spring, Ash Meadows (36.45109°N, 116.31552°W), USNM 850340, USNM 1122826, Chalk Spring, Ash Meadows (36.44913°N, 116.31497°W), BellMNH 20664, School Spring, Ash Meadows (36.42741°N, 116.30397°W), USNM 1204746, Rogers Spring, Ash Meadows (36.47931°N, 116.32632°W), USNM 850335, USNM 859180, USNM 859181, USNM 204755, USNM 1122554, springs south of Rogers Spring, Ash Meadows (36.47467°N, 116.32747°W), USNM 850337, USNM 850338, Five Springs, Ash Meadows (36.46476°N, 116.32023°W), USNM 859182, USNM 1122821, spring south of Five Springs, Ash Meadows (36.45109°N, 116.31552°W), BellMNH 20666, BellMNH 20743, BellMNH 21149, USNM 850341, USNM 850342, USNM 859195, USNM 1204752, spring ca. 100 m north of Collins Ranch, Ash Meadows (36.42038°N, 116.29921°W), BellMNH 20741, USNM 859179, USNM 883361, USNM 894337, USNM 1074313, USNM 1122759, USNM 1152498, Purgatory Spring, Ash Meadows, USNM 1204738, USNM 1197773, spring east of Crystal Reservoir, Ash Meadows (36.40790°N, 116.31297°W), USNM 859187, USNM 1204744, spring east of Crystal Reservoir, Ash Meadows (36.40742°N, 116.31197°W).

Diagnosis.

A small to medium-sized congener (maximum shell height, 2.9 mm) having an ovate to narrow conic shell. Differentiated from similar regional species by its short, strongly tapering penial filament.

Description.

Shell (Fig. 7 A–D) ovate to narrow conic, whorls 3.5-4.75. Teleoconch whorls medium convex, sometimes strongly shouldered, last 0.25-0.50 whorl sometimes slightly loosened. Aperture ovate, sometime strongly angled adapically, parietal lip complete, narrowly adnate or slightly disjunct, umbilicus usually narrow. Apertural lip sometimes rather thickened and/or slightly reflected, outer lip orthocline or prosocline.

Operculum (Fig. 7 E–F) as for genus; outer side smooth or with last 0.5 whorl weakly frilled; inner side smooth or slightly thickened along a small portion of the muscle attachment margin. Radula (Fig. 7 G–I) as for genus; dorsal edge concave, lateral cusps three–six, basal cusp one. Lateral teeth having one–four cusps on inner sides and two–six cusps on outer sides. Inner marginal teeth with 10-26 cusps, outer marginal teeth with 12-33 cusps. Radula data are from BellMNH 21116, USNM 857963, USNM 883361, USNM 883365, USNM 883372.

Penis (Fig. 4 E–F) medium-sized; filament short, broad, strongly tapering, oblique; lobe short, rectangular, horizontal or slightly oblique; small (terminal) ovate gland almost always present on ventral surface of lobe (92/93 specimens), gland usually positioned horizontally, rarely borne on a raised swelling (one specimen), one specimen had a second, dot-like gland on the ventral surface of the lobe. Penial data are from BellMNH 2116, USNM 857963, USNM 857964, USNM 883361, USNM 883666.

Distribution.

Distributed in five separate groundwater discharge areas of the Amargosa River basin: Grapevine Springs (M2), Ash Meadows (M8, M51, M53, M57), Tecopa (M25), Shoshone (M26), Saratoga Spring (SS) (Fig. 2). The type locality (Fig. 5B) is a flowing well that was drilled into a small spring mound ( Dudley and Larson 1976).

Etymology.

This species is named for Peter G. Sanchez, who spearheaded early efforts to protect and conserve regional springsnails and their associated aquatic habitats while serving as a Resource Management Specialist in the Death Valley National Monument (now National Park) and Chair of the Desert Fishes Council (1978-1980).

Remarks.

Pyrgulopsis sanchezi was resolved as sister to Pyrgulopsis arizonae (Gila River basin, Arizona) in the Bayesian analysis (Fig. 1). The five geographically separated groups of Pyrgulopsis sanchezi populations are genetically differentiated-e.g., mean genetic distance is 1.5+/-0.3% (ranging from 1.3-2.3%) for COI and 2.1+/-0.6% (ranging from 1.8-3.2%) for NDI, however we have not found consistent morphological differences to support their recognition as distinct species.