Lepidochitona salvadorensis García-Ríos, 2006

Reyes-Gómez, Adriana, Flores-Garza, Rafael, Galeana-Rebolledo, Lizeth, Hernández-Vera, Gerardo, Galván-Villa, Cristian M., Torreblanca-Ramírez, Carmina, Flores-Rodríguez, Pedro, García-Ibañez, Sergio & Ríos-Jara, Eduardo, 2022, Intertidal chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from the rocky coastline of Guerrero, México, with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 5155 (4), pp. 451-492 : 473

Lepidochitona salvadorensis García-Ríos, 2006

Figures 2P , 14I–L , 15A–H

Distribution. From Bahía Navachiste, Sinaloa, México to Los Cobanos and Playa La Unión, El Salvador (ReyesGómez 2016).

Type specimens. Holotype ZSM Moll 20040210 ( García-Ríos 2006).

Type Locality. Los Cobanos , Sonsonate, El Salvador .

Material examined. 20 specimens, maximum size 11.2 mm long, 5.9 mm wide. R (n=1); B (n=2); U (n=1); S (n=1); F (n=3); I (n=1); E (n=1); K (n=2); N (n=3); P (n=2); M (n=3).

Habitat. This species was collected in surf areas in cracks of large rocks. The juveniles were found in shallow (3–6 m) depths on small rocks and shells, buried in sand or on rocks with crustose red or green algae. It was collected with Acanthochitona arragonites .

Remarks. This species differs from the other members of the genus found within the same area by the position and number of spicules in the girdle tufts and the valve sculpturing. Lepidochitona salvadorensis bears tufts of 2–6 hyaline spicules located near the girdle base and microgranular sculpturing appearing without sculpture, in contrast with the sympatric L. beanii , that exhibits tufts of 3–4 spicules located at the valve sutures and with somewhat raised lateral areas.

García-Ríos (2006) reported that the maximum body size observed for L. salvadorensis as 9.8 mm (specimen from Los Cobanos, La Unión, El Salvador). Our largest specimen (11.2 mm of body length) is from Parque de la Reina, Acapulco (e.g., UAGRO 0040). This species was first recorded from southern Mexican waters at Estacahuite, Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca ( Reyes-Gómez et al. 2010) and at Bahía Navachiste, Sinaloa, Jalisco and Nayarit (ReyesGómez 2016). These reports suggest that L. salvadorensis may be distributed throughout the Mexican Tropical Pacific, however, more exploration is needed in the central Mexican Pacific (Michoacán, Colima) and elsewhere before it is considered to have a continuous distribution range between Guerrero and El Salvador.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal view of the whole specimens that represent the analyzed species. A, Chaetopleura lurida, BL 27.48 x 15.70 mm, Majahua, Acapulco (CNMO 5229). B, Chaetopleura hanselmani, BL 11.02 x 7.16 mm, Tlacopanocha, Acapulco (CNMO 5804). Ischnochiton muscarius, C, BL 16.62 x 9.77 mm, Angosta, Acapulco (CNMO 5202); D, BL 15.12 x 9.55 mm, Barra de Potosí Protegida, Petatlán (CNMO 5338); E, BL 18.30 x 10.17 mm, Troncones, La Unión (CNMO 5327); F, BL 14.98 x 9.51 mm, La Barrita, Petatlán (CNMO 5315). G, Callistochiton elenensis, BL 12.32 x 7.76 mm, La Barrita, Petatlán (CNMO 5823). H, Callistoplax retusa, BL 20.41 x 9.68 mm, Parque de la Reina, Acapulco (CNMO 5185). Stenoplax limaciformis, I, BL 17.56 x 7.21 mm, Parque de la Reina, Acapulco (CNMO 5179); J, BL 20.12 x 9.15 mm, Tlacopanocha, Acapulco (CNMO 5208); K, BL 17.65 x 8.29 mm, Las Gatas, Zihuatanejo de Azueta (CNMO 5254); L, BL 19.78 x 9.84 mm, Isla Grande, Zihuatanejo de Azueta (UAGRO 0024). Chiton albolineatus, M, BL 23.84 x 14.63 mm, Piedra de Tlacoyunque, Tecpan de Galeana (CNMO 5337). Tonicia forbesii, BL 33.41 x 17.86 mm, Isla Grande, Zihuatanejo de Azueta (CNMO 5255). Acanthochitona arragonites, O, BL 8.80 x 5.2 mm, Las Salinas, Copala (CNMO 5267). Lepidochitona salvadorensis, P, BL 10.63 x 5.7 mm, Barra de Potosi Protegida, Zihuatanejo de Azueta (CNMO 5332).

FIGURE 14. Acanthochitona arragonites, SEM images of a specimen BL 8.80 mm, Las Salinas, Copala (CNMO 5267). Vales in dorsal view, A, intermediate valve IV; B, tail valve; C, ventral view of intermediate valve IV; D, detail of pustules of intermediate valve IV; E, detail of the tuft’s hyaline needles; F, detail of girdle spicules; G, radular teeth; H, detail of central and minor lateral teeth. Lepidochitona salvadorensis, disarticulated valves of a specimen BL 10.74 mm, Barra de Potosi Protegida, Zihuatanejo de Azueta (CNMO 5332). Valves in dorsal view, I, head valve; J, intermediate valve IV; K, tail valve; L, ventral view of head valve.

FIGURE 15. Lepidochitona salvadorensis, disarticulated valves of a specimen BL 10.74 mm, Barra de Potosi Protegida, Zihuatanejo de Azueta (CNMO 5332). valves in ventral view, A, intermediate valve IV; B, tail valve; C, detail of the tail valve and girdle tufts. SEM images of a specimen BL 10.7 mm, valves in dorsal view show the tegmentum details; D, head valve IV; E, intermediate valve IV; F, tail valve; G, intermediate valve IV in ventral view, H, central and minor lateral teeth detail.