Gouldipoma coltrorum Watters, 2014, new species
Creators: name: Watters, G. Thomas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Neotaenioglossa
Annulariidae
Gouldipoma
Gouldipoma coltrorum

description: Gouldipoma coltrorum new species
Figure 5 A–L, 12 D, 13 A, L
Type material. UF 479664, holotype (figs. 5 A, B); UF 479666 (5), paratypes, from type locality; UF 479665 (3), paratypes (figs. C – H), Río Escobas, 60 m.
Type locality. 4 km N of Morales, Izabal Department, Guatemala.
Other material (specimens examined: 102). Guatemala. Izabal Department: UF 190586 (19), Río Escobas, 60 m; UF 9151 (46), UF 213711 (25), Puerto Mátias de Gálves [Santo Tomás de Castilla]; GTW 16018a (12), entrance to Cuevas del Silvino near Morales.
Distribution and habitat. Records are for each end of Cerro San Gil, although it undoubtedly occurs in the intervening range as well. Like G. chrysostiria (below), it appears to occupy the hills bordering a broad river valley, in this case the Río Motagua valley (famous as the only source of jade in Central America).
Conservation. The species’ known range is mostly in the Cerro San Gil Ecological Reserve. It may occur in the Cuevas del Silvino National Park as well.
Description. Shell conical, high-spired, thin, translucent, last 1/8 whorl solute. Smallest adult specimen seen 6.5 mm in length, largest 14.5 mm, average 10.7 mm (decollate). Protoconch usually lost in adult, 1.5 large, rounded, smooth, pale whorls, not clearly demarcated from teleoconch. Teleoconch of 3.5 – 4.5 rounded whorls. Umbilicus small, mostly occluded by outer lip. Spiral sculpture variable: on some specimens only apparent as scalloped margins of axial lamellae, which fade away towards the umbilicus; in others apparent as ca. 26 widely spaced threads. No delimiting cords in the umbilicus. Axial sculpture of numerous (ca. 100) fine, low, narrow lamellae. Suture strongly incised. Tufts absent but the axial lamellae may render the suture minutely serrate. Aperture nearly circular. Inner lip smooth, inconspicuous, scarcely exserted. Outer lip widely reflected perpendicular to whorl, evenly expanded except where joined to previous whorl, widely auriculate posteriorly, composed of numerous coarse lamellae. Base color orangish-tan, some specimens with faint, narrow tan bands; bands are not continuous over adapertural face of peristome. Inner lip (or just within) and first lamella of outer lip usually lavender, rose, or tan. There is a narrow band of the same color just before the abapertural side of the peristome. Operculum multispiral with a calcareous, erect but low reflected lamella. Radula and anatomy unknown.
Animal pale cream or tan (fig. 13 A); middle portion of antennae yellow, tips pale tan; area between bases of antennae darker brown, patternless. Eyes black.
Variation in specimens. The color and intensity of the colored ring behind the peristome varies from dark rose to barely perceptible. Sculpture varies from almost smooth to minutely scalloped. Populations vary substantially in size: specimens from Río Escobas average 12.6 mm in length whereas those from Puerto Mátias de Gálves average only 8.6 mm.
Comparison with other species. Other species also have a colored ring behind the peristome: G. thomasi and G. terecostatum. Gouldipoma coltrorum differs from G. thomasi in the broadly expanded outer lip. It differs from G. terecostatum primarily in possessing spiral sculpture, which is absent in G. terecostatum.
Remarks. With these snails’ apparent proclivity for living in broad river valleys bounded by limestone ranges, it might be worthwhile investigating such habitats elsewhere. The valleys of the Río Sico and Río Patuca in Honduras seem likely candidates for yielding new taxa.
Etymology. Named for José and Marcus Coltro of Femorale, Inc. who generously donated material of this species and others from Central America.
description: Published as part of Watters, G. Thomas, 2014, A revision of the Annulariidae of Central America (Gastropoda: Littorinoidea), pp. 301-350 in Zootaxa 3878 (4) on page 320, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3878.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/252701