Chamalycaeus solidus (Godwin-Austen, 1914)

Fig. 17

Alycaeus theobaldi var. solidus Godwin-Austen, 1914: 383–384, pl. 155 fig. 10.

Alycaeus kezamaensis Godwin-Austen, 1914: 393, pl. 149 fig. 1. Syn. nov.

Alycaeus (Dicharax) kezamaensis – Gude 1921: 258.

Alycaeus (Dicharax) theobaldi var. solida – Gude 1921: 273–274.

Chamalycaeus (Dicharax) kezamaensis – Ramakrishna et al. 2010: 62.

Dicharax kezamaensis – Páll-Gergely et al. 2020: 66.

Dicharax theobaldi solidus – Páll-Gergely et al. 2020: 75.

Diagnosis

This species can be distinguished from other species of this species group by the long and inflated R3 swelling. Chamalycaeus sylheticus is the most similar species; for comparisons, see under that species.

Type material examined

INDIA • 1 syntype of A. kezamaensis (Fig. 17F–J); Kezama, Naga Hills; Godwin-Austen coll.; NHMUK 1903.7.1.2556 • 4 syntypes of A. theobaldi var. solidus (Fig. 17A–E); Garo Hills; NHMUK 1903.7.1.2560 .

Type localities

“Kezama, Anghami-Naga Hills” ( A. kezamaensis); “Garo Hills” ( A. theobaldi solidus).

Remarks

Alycaeus kezamaensis is very slightly smaller than the syntypes of A. theobaldi solidus, but all other traits (shell and aperture shape, morphology and ratios of shell regions, sculpture) are identical. Therefore, they represent the same species. Alycaeus kezamaensis was introduced later in the same publication, therefore the valid name is Chamalycaeus solidus . Chamalycaeus solidus is a species of its own right, because it differs in important traits from D. theobaldi, namely the latter is more depressed, its R2 is longer, and the R3 swelling is lower and shorter (and they belong to different genera).

This species was included in the genus Dicharax due to the absence of spiral striation on the corroded syntypes of Alycaeus theobaldi var. solidus and Alycaeus kezamaensis (Páll-Gergely et al. 2020) . Nevertheless, the other conchological characters agree with species of this species group, and therefore, this species is reclassified in Chamalycaeus .