Revision of the aperturally dentate Charopidae (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) of southern Africa - genus Afrodonta s. lat., with description of five new genera, twelve new species and one new subspecies Herbert, David G. European Journal of Taxonomy 2020 2020-04-17 629 1 55 7QTRY Herbert, 2020 Herbert 2020 [561,843,1560,1587] Gastropoda Charopidae Costulodonta Animalia Stylommatophora 31 32 Mollusca species pluridens gen. et sp. nov.   Figs 11, 12A–D, 18O–P    Diagnosis Shell small, spire flat or at most slightly raised; protoconch with close-set axial riblets; teleoconch sculpture of close-set, compound axial riblets and microscopic spiral threads; aperture with two rounded, in-running parietal lamellae, the lower one stronger, and a well-developed, in-running, ridge-like basocolumellar denticle; palatal region with four denticles recessed approx. ⅛ whorl behind outer lip. Shell translucent, corneous-brown to pale honey-brown when fresh; diameter up to 1.8 mm.    Etymology From the Latin plus: more, and dens: tooth; with reference to the many apertural teeth.    Material examined   Holotype   SOUTH AFRICA• KwaZulu-Natal, Utrecht area, Groenvlei, Guquka Hill(Arrarat Farm); 27.39° S, 30.34° E;  1700 ma.s.l.;  28 Jan. 1998; D.G. Herbertleg.; montane  Podocarpusforest, in leaf-litter; diameter 1.8 mm, height 0.9 mm; NMSA V5920/T4267.   Paratypes   SOUTH AFRICA• 8 specimens; same collection data as for holotype; NMSA P1019/T4268•  6 specimens; same collection data as for holotype; montane  Podocarpusforest, in moss on tree trunk; NMSA V6287/T4269.  Other material   SOUTH AFRICA–  KwaZulu-Natal• 1 specimen; Utrecht area, Bivane River catchment, Elandsnek, east of Pivaans Waterval Farm; 27.460° S, 30.421° E;  1850 ma.s.l.;  1 Dec. 1999; D.G. Herbertleg.; small patch of montane  Podocarpusforest, in leaf-litter; NMSA V7564•  1 specimen; same collection data as for preceding; NMSA V7581.    Description Shell small, diameter up to 1.8 mm, H/D ratio ±0.50; spire flat or at most slightly raised; whorls tightly coiled; last adult whorl very slightly descendant; suture indented, periphery evenly convex. Protoconch comprising apical cap plus approx. 0.75–1.0 whorl; diameter ±365 μm; initially smooth, but for the most part sculptured by close-set axial riblets, with indistinct traces of irregular spiral threads. Teleoconch of up to 3.25 whorls; sculptured by distinct, close-set, compound axial riblets with 3–4 finer, uneven, intermediary axial threads; intervals between riblets 1–2 times riblet width at whorl periphery; spiral sculpture of microscopic threads more or less throughout, 1–2 stronger threads below suture (visible only under SEM). Umbilicus relatively wide. Aperture lunate, broader basally; parietal region with two rounded, in-running lamellae, the lower one stronger and projecting slightly beyond aperture; baso-columellar region with a well-developed, in-running, ridge-like denticle; palatal region with four denticles recessed approx. ⅛ whorl behind outer lip, shape of denticles somewhat variable, the two below mid-whorl usually elongate, the one just above mid-whorl often more rounded, the fourth is subsutural and very small. Shell translucent, corneous-brown to pale honey-brown when fresh.    Distribution and conservation A narrow-range endemic ( Fig. 11), known only from the escarpment north of Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal, at 1700–1850 m; northern afrotemperate forest, in leaf-litter and amongst epiphytic moss on tree trunks. The neighbouring Paardeplats, Pongola Bush and Tafelkop nature reserves need to be surveyed in the hope of finding extant colonies of this species in formally protected areas.    Remarks The relatively complex apertural dentition of  Costulodonta pluridens gen. et sp. nov.renders it easily separated from other species of  Costulodonta gen. nov. 2605305694 montane Podocarpus forest, in leaf-litter 1998-01-28 NMSA D. G. Herbert South Africa Utrecht area 1700 -27.39 Guquka Hill 742 30.34 Groenvlei 32 33 V5920 1 KwaZulu-Natal holotype 2605305698 [189,1347,517,543] 1998-01-28 NMSA D. G. Herbert South Africa Utrecht area 1700 -27.39 SOUTH AFRICA 742 30.34 Groenvlei 32 33 P1019/T4268 8 KwaZulu-Natal paratype 2605305654 1998-01-28 NMSA D. G. Herbert South Africa Utrecht area 1700 -27.39 Guquka Hill 742 30.34 Groenvlei 32 33 V6287 6 KwaZulu-Natal paratype 2605305637 small patch of montane Podocarpus forest, in leaf-litter 1999-12-01 NMSA D. G. Herbert South Africa Utrecht area 1850 -27.46 Utrecht area, Bivane River catchment, Elandsnek 74 30.421 Bivane River 32 33 V7564 1 KwaZulu-Natal 2605305610 1999-12-01 NMSA D. G. Herbert South Africa Utrecht area 1850 -27.46 Elandsnek 74 30.421 Bivane River 32 33 V7581 1 KwaZulu-Natal