Tuesday, August 29, 2017

[Gastropoda • 2017] A Review of the Land Snail Genus Alycaeus (Gastropoda, Alycaeidae) in Peninsular Malaysia


 Alycaeus alticola sp. n., BOR/MOL 8398 Alycaeus charasensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 8399 Alycaeus clementsi sp. n., BOR/MOL 8364 Alycaeus costacrassa sp. n., BOR/MOL 6811 Alycaeus expansus sp. n., BOR/MOL 6367Alycaeus kurauensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6851  T Alycaeus regalis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6881 V Alycaeus senyumensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6249.
All photographs by Junn Kitt Foon.

Foon & Liew, 2017

Abstract
A total of 11 species and 1 subspecies of Alycaeus were recognised in Peninsular Malaysia prior to this study. However, these taxonomic descriptions of Alycaeus taxa were based on limited numbers of examined materials, where a whole spectrum of morphological variations were not accounted for and diagnoses were often provided without sufficient comparison between congeners from across the peninsula. We reviewed Peninsular Malaysian Alycaeus through the examination of 5137 specimens in 522 collection lots from all major museum collections and literature sources. Based on these examined materials, we utilised a more comprehensive revised set of 39 shell and operculum characters, as well as living animal colour to describe all Alycaeus species in this paper. We also noted their habitat and ecology, as well as updated the distribution of each species. Of the 12 previously described taxa, 10 are reconfirmed as present on Peninsular Malaysia (Alycaeus balingensis, Alycaeus carinata, Alycaeus conformis, Alycaeus gibbosulus, Alycaeus kapayanensis, Alycaeus kelantanensis, Alycaeus liratulus, Alycaeus perakensis perakensis, Alycaeus perakensis altispirus and Alycaeus thieroti) and 2 are confirmed as absent from the peninsula (Alycaeus jagori and Alycaeus pyramidalis). A new record of Alycaeus robeleni is reported for Peninsular Malaysia. One species, Chamalycaeus jousseaumei is confirmed as present on the peninsula and is reassigned to Alycaeus. The subspecies Alycaeus perakensis altispirus Möllendorff, 1902, is elevated to species. Examined Peninsular Malaysian materials that do not fit previously recognised species are described as new species. A total of 11 new species are proposed (Alycaeus selangoriensis sp. n., Alycaeus costacrassa sp. n., Alycaeus ikanensis sp. n., Alycaeus alticola sp. n., Alycaeus charasensis sp. n., Alycaeus kurauensis sp. n., Alycaeus regalis sp. n., Alycaeus virgogravida sp. n., Alycaeus senyumensis sp. n., Alycaeus expansus sp. n., Alycaeus clementsi sp. n.). Overall, 23 species of Alycaeus are now recognised in Peninsular Malaysia.

Keywords: land snail, shell morphology, operculum, Alycaeinae, limestone karsts, Southeast Asia


Figure 7. Photographs of 18 living Alycaeus species. 
AAlycaeus balingensis Tomlin, 1948, BOR/MOL 8356 Alycaeus liratulus (Preston, 1907), BOR/MOL 8334 Alycaeus thieroti Morgan, 1885b, BOR/MOL 6835 Alycaeus conformis Fulton, 1902, BOR/MOL 6809 Alycaeus gibbosulus Stoliczka, 1872, BOR/MOL 6850 Alycaeus gibbosulus Stoliczka, 1872, BOR/MOL 8526 Alycaeus jousseaumei Morgan, 1885a, BOR/MOL 8341 Alycaeus jousseaumei Morgan, 1885a, BOR/MOL 8336 J Alycaeus alticola sp. n., BOR/MOL 8398 K Alycaeus charasensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 8399 L Alycaeus clementsi sp. n., BOR/MOL 8364 
All photographs by Junn Kitt Foon.

Figure 7. Photographs of 18 living Alycaeus species.  
Alycaeus costacrassa sp. n., BOR/MOL 6811 N Alycaeus expansus sp. n., BOR/MOL 6367 O Alycaeus kapayanensis Morgan, 1885b, BOR/MOL 13005 P Alycaeus kelantanensis Sykes, 1902, BOR/MOL 8325 Q Alycaeus kelantanensis Sykes, 1902, BOR/MOL 6200 R Alycaeus kurauensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6851 S Alycaeus perakensis Crosse, 1879a, BOR/MOL 6852 T Alycaeus regalis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6881 U Alycaeus selangoriensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6371 VW Alycaeus senyumensis sp. n., BOR/MOL 6249.
 All photographs by Junn Kitt Foon.



 Junn Kitt Foon and Thor-Seng Liew. 2017. A Review of the Land Snail Genus Alycaeus (Gastropoda, Alycaeidae) in Peninsular Malaysia. 
 ZooKeys. 692; 1-81. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.692.14706