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| Burmochlamys Pholyotha & Panha, A Burmochlamys fasciola sp. nov. paratype showing left and right lateral views; D B. albida sp. nov. paratype; E B. moulmeinica sp. nov. paratype; F B. versicolor sp. nov. paratype; G B. whitteni sp. nov. paratype in Pholyotha, Sutcharit, Lin et Panha, 2022. |
Abstract
Salween River basin’s karst ecosystems in southeastern Myanmar remain largely unexplored and are likely to harbour a high terrestrial snail diversity that are often associated with high levels of snail endemism. Here, an outstanding group of new karst-associated terrestrial snails, Burmochlamys gen. nov., are discovered. A study of the comparative morphological and anatomical data reveals that the reproductive tract and radula of this new genus are closely related to the helicarionid genus Sophina Benson, 1859 but shell morphology (shape, size, and sculpture) and mantle extensions are distinct from the latter genus. Burmochlamys gen. nov. now consists of four known nominal species, B. cassidula comb. nov., B. cauisa comb. nov., B. perpaula comb. nov., and B. poongee comb. nov., and five new species; B. albida sp. nov., B. fasciola sp. nov., B. moulmeinica sp. nov., B. versicolor sp. nov., and B. whitteni sp. nov. The highlight is that the members of the new genus show site-specific endemism, being restricted to karstic habitat islands of the Salween River basin. In addition, the discovery supports that the unique and complex structure of Salween River basin’s karst ecosystems are habitats in which the terrestrial malacofauna have speciated and become endemic.
Keywords: Diversity, endemic, Indochina, land snail, limestone, Salween River basin, taxonomy
Family Helicarionidae Bourguignat, 1877
Subfamily Durgellinae Godwin-Austen, 1888
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| Living snails of Burmochlamys species A Burmochlamys fasciola sp. nov. paratype CUMZ 14214 showing left and right lateral views B B. cassidula specimen CUMZ 14209 C B. poongee specimen CUMZ 14210 D B. albida sp. nov. paratype CUMZ 14212 E B. moulmeinica sp. nov. paratype CUMZ 14217 F B. versicolor sp. nov. paratype CUMZ 14219 G B. whitteni sp. nov. paratype CUMZ 14222. |
Genus Burmochlamys Pholyotha & Panha, gen. nov.
Type species: Burmochlamys fasciola sp. nov., by original designation.
Etymology: The name combines Burmo in reference to Burma, the historical name of Myanmar, and the Greek word chlamys meaning mantle or cloak in reference to land snail with well-developed mantle extensions. Therefore, the generic name means the Burmese land snail with the well-developed mantle extensions. The gender of the new generic name is feminine.
Diagnosis: Shell subglobose to globose, small size, little high spire, and sculptured with spiral furrows and undulating radial lines. Snail with five well-developed mantle extensions; caudal horn raised. Genitalia with penial retractor muscle attached at tip of epiphallic caecum; gametolytic organ with rather short to moderate cylindrical duct and bulbous sac; well-developed dart apparatus; flagellum absent. Radula with large monocuspid central tooth and attached by two smaller teeth; laterals and marginals undifferentiated, large monocuspid, and at base of each tooth on outer side attached by a smaller tooth.
B. cassidula comb. nov., B. cauisa comb. nov.,
B. perpaula comb. nov., and B. poongee comb. nov.,
and five new species; B. albida sp. nov., B. fasciola sp. nov.,
B. moulmeinica sp. nov., B. versicolor sp. nov., and B. whitteni sp. nov.
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| A adult of Burmochlamys moulmeinica sp. nov. while climbing slowly on the karst wall after raining at Lun Nya Pagoda B mating pairs of B. versicolor sp. nov. on the karst wall at Bayin Nyi Cave C B. versicolor sp. nov. eaten by the carnivorous snail Carinartemis sp. on the karst wall at Bayin Nyi Cave D B. cassidula eaten by the carnivorous snail Haploptychius sp. on the karst wall at Kaw Gon Cave. |
Arthit Pholyotha, Chirasak Sutcharit, Aung Lin and Somsak Panha. 2022. Uncovering local Endemism from southeastern Myanmar: Description of the New Karst-associated Terrestrial Snail Genus Burmochlamys (Eupulmonata, Helicarionidae). ZooKeys. 1110: 1-37. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1110.82461
