Plekocheilus (Plekocheilus) glandiformis Lea 1838, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Borrero, Francisco J.
name: Breure, Abraham S. H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Stylommatophora
Orthalicidae
Plekocheilus
Plekocheilus glandiformis

description: Plekocheilus (Plekocheilus) glandiformis (Lea, 1838) comb. nov.
(Figs 8 A–F, 9D)
Bulimus glandiformis Lea, 1838: 83, pl. 23 fig. 92. Type locality: Colombia, between La Plata and Tocaima (see remarks below). Holotype USNM 105045. Plekocheilus glandiformis (Lea); Richardson 1995: 314 (references).
Eurytus couturesi Ancey 1900: 42. Type locality: “ Bolivie ” [see remarks]. Holotype NMW 1955.158.24074; Wood and Gallichan 2008: 39, pl. 9 fig. 10, x. Plekocheilus couturesi (Ancey); Richardson 1995: 308 (references). New synonymy.
Material. Cauca, Volcán de Puracé, Paletará, 3000–3200 m, leg./1951: FMNH 109715); “La Cumbre or Popayán (?),” F.W. Pennell & E.P. Killip leg./1922: ANSP 132450, FMNH 78741; Chocó, Rio Nuquí, Haught leg.: USNM 488861 (as Plekocheilus jucundus); Quindío, Hacienda Alaska, Finca Bengala, 3 km N of end of road Salento– Cocora, 3250 m, C. Restrepo leg./1982: UVZ 82252; “Quindío subpáramo,” F. Ortega leg./2004: UVZ; Tolima, Bolivia [see remarks]: NMW 1955.158.24074 (holotype of E. couturesi Ancey); Roncesvalles, Vereda La Yerbabuena, Páramo El Oasis, 3350 m, Linares leg./2005: ICNB 10571;? Between La Plata and Tocaima [Tolima?], J.H. Gibbon leg: USNM; Valle del Cauca, Hacienda Las Vegas, Santa Lucía, Tuluá, 3000 m, E. Velasco leg./1984: UVZ 84020; Páramo de Riofrio, 3350–3500 m, V. Rojas leg./1997: UVZ 97023, UVZ 97024 (in Bromeliaceae); Páramo El Duende, Riofrio, 3400 m, L.A. Neira leg./2004: UVZ; Parque Nacional Farallones [= PNF], trail to Pico de Loro, 2400–2500 m, F. Zapata leg./1981: UVZ 81246; PNF, Cerro Teta de la Viuda, 2800 m, G. Bolívar leg./ 1981: UVZ 81242; PNF, Campamento Corea: UVZ 82022 (2300 m, C. Restrepo leg./1982), UVZ 82197 (Zapata leg./1982), UVZ 81133 (~ 2700 m); Reserva Hato Viejo, 2900 m, R. García & A.F. Giraldo leg./1996: UVZ 97018; road to La Herrera, Florida [2500–3400 m], L.A. Neira leg./1993: UVZ.?, Colombia: USNM 532642 (ex Fulton); New Granada: ZMUZ 511629, ZMUZ 511630 (both not seen); “ U.S. Colombia:” UMMZ 147711 (ex Fulton, as P. couturesi Ancey).
Altitudinal range. The localities presented indicate a range of 1700–3500 m (but see remarks below).
Remarks. After having studied the holotype, we conclude that this species belongs to the nominate subgenus, contrary to the classification in P. (Eurytus) by Breure (1979: 30). The sculpture is clearly malleated as in typical Plekocheilus (P.), but also shows granulation that is typically found in a large number of species in P. (Eurytus). The figure of the sculpture in Pilsbry (1895: pl. 38 fig. 4) is somewhat misleading, as the granulation in P. glandiformis is less strong than suggested. This species is thus somewhat intermediate between the two subgenera, although we keep the distinction between the two and still classify P. glandiformis witin the nominate subgenus. Some variation exists in the height of the spire, and in the general coloration (some specimens are a very dark olive brown, frequently with pink peristome). Owing to the fact that no anatomical or molecular data are yet available, we treat them here as part of a single taxon. Further study is clearly needed. Has been found in Bromeliaceae, suggesting a partly arboreal habitat.
We consider the P. glandiformis group a high altitude group (all precise localities are at 2000 m or higher). Thus the type locality of P. glandiformis Lea, based on material collected by Gibbon, is likely in southern Antioquia; a finca Tocaima [05°32'20"N 075°55'56"W] is located at 1950 m. “La Plata” could be assumed to be La Plata [05°02'19"N 075°40'39"W] in Caldas (which is the nearest location of that name, ca. 60 km SSW of Tocaima as the crow flies), crossing high altitudes in the border region of Antioquia/Risaralda/Caldas. However, doubt remains, as we do not know anything about the itinerary of Dr. Gibbon. There are two localities with the name La Cumbre in Cauca, both (S)SW of Popayán, respectively 01°55'N 076°57'W and 01°45'57"N 076°47'06"W. Lot USNM 488861 (Chocó, Rio Nuquí) is problematic since it is the westernmost locality for this species, and is at a comparatively low elevation (probably at most 500 m).
The material of P. couturesi was collected by G. Coutures, but we have been unable to find any details about his travels in South America. The sculpture of the holotype consists of weak malleation and very fine granulation (cf. Fig. 4 D). This is unlike the sculpture found in Bolivian Plekocheilus, but completely in accordance with material of two other species we now place in the group of P. glandiformis. Thus we conclude that Ancey’s location has been misinterpreted and now consider this taxon as Colombian. When we realized that there could be a locality named ‘Bolivia’ in Colombia (‘Bolivie’ is the French version of this name), we found ten localities in the GNS Gazetteer (http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/index.html). Considering this a high altitude group, we could eliminate nine localities. We now assume that the type locality of P. couturesi is likely to be in the border area between Tolima and Valle del Cauca, where a place Bolivia exists at 3290 m (03°53'36"N 075°47'18"W). A second specimen labeled as P. couturesi Ancey, and certainly corresponding to this taxon, is held at UMMZ (lot 147711). The label accompanying the single shell states “original lot,” suggesting that it may be a paratype. However, this could not be confirmed as the label may not be the original from C.F. Ancey, but a label written later by H.C. Fulton (J. Gallichan, pers.comm.).
The specimens from Valle del Cauca, Florida, road to La Herrera (which is in southwestern Tolima) probably are from the area around the Parque Nacional Natural Las Hermosas. These specimens are more slender than typical P. glandiformis.
description: Published as part of Borrero, Francisco J. & Breure, Abraham S. H., 2011, The Amphibulimidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Orthalicoidea) from Colombia and adjacent areas, pp. 1-59 in Zootaxa 3054 on pages 21-22, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.278895