Plekocheilus (Eurytus) pulicarius Reeve 1848
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 pulicarius

description: Plekocheilus (Eurytus) pulicarius (Reeve, 1848)
(Figs 14 B, 16G–M)
Bulimus pulicarius Reeve 1848: pl. 42 fig. 267. Type locality: New Grenada. Lectotype BMNH 1975281 (Breure 1978). Plekocheilus pulicarius (Reeve); Richardson 1995: 319 (references, synonymy).
Bulimus mabillei Crosse 1867: 197, pl. 6 fig. 4. Type locality: “in montibus Columbiae.” Syntype MNHN 21879. Plectostylus [sic] virgatus Pilsbry 1935: 84, pl. 6 figs 3–5. Type locality: Valle de Tensa. Holotype ANSP 164573.
Material. Boyacá, near Chiquinquirá, road Bogotá–Leyva: FMNH 109720, RMNH; Sora, W of Tunja, Breistroffer leg.: FMNH 109721; Guatoque: RBINS; Salchica, S of Leyva, leg./1949: FMNH 109722; small gorge S of Villa de Leyva, near quarry, 2350 m, Hausdorf leg./2000: ZMH 4116; Villa de Leyva: UAM (Daza & Estrada leg./1991), UVZ 83017, ZMH 4199 (oak forest near Manantiales de Iguaque in Vereda Capilla I, W slope, 2600 m, Hausdorf leg./2000), ZMH 4212 (5.8 km towards Gachantivá, dry forest of La Cabrera in Vereda La Sabana, 2170 m, Hausdorf leg./2000); 10 km NE of Villa de Leyva, 2350 m, Breure leg./1975: RMNH; 9 km NE of Villa de Leyva, Vereda La Capilla, Finca Buena Vista, sandstones at roadside, 2380 m, Hausdorf leg./2000: ZMH 4220; Villa de Leyva, Cañon de Mamaramo near Carrizal, entrance to Santuario de Flora y Fauna Iguaque, Andean forest, 2920 m, Hausdorf leg./2000: ZMH 4225; Villa de Leyva, Sector Rio La Colorada: ICNB (in front of auditorium, 2900 m, S. Obando leg./2000), UVZ 97017 (2580 m, Murcia leg./1997); Villa de Leyva, Sector Robledal, 2100 m, D. Campos leg./2000: ICNB; Alto de Verea Suscon, 7 km NW of Sogamoso, 2850 m, Olsson leg./1935: ANSP 166109; 7 km NW of Sogamoso, Olsson leg.: FMNH 78743; NW of Sagamoso [= Sogamoso]: DMNH 76788; Moniquirá: ZMH 4152 (5.4 km towards Arcabuco, roadside and SW exposed rocks near quarry Cantera el Porvenir in La Roca, 2150 m, Hausdorf leg./2000), ZMH 4161 (disturbed forest near quarry Cantera El Porvenir in La Roca, 2150 m, Hausdorf leg.); Iguaque Reserve (Medina 2007b); Tunja: ZMH 4339; “Boyacá-Cooper” [most likely Coper], 2300 m, leg. /1996: MLSB; Tunja, Cerro El Motorista, road Tunja–Barbosa, 2850 m, F. Escarilla leg./ 2004: ICNB; Macunal [probably Macanal]: DMNH 148705; Paipa (Femorale, as P. elaeodes (Pfr.)); road “Alto Gutida–3 Susacón,” 3070 m, under trunks of Espeletia sp., P.M. Ruiz et al. leg./1981: ICNB 0374; Muzo, 6800 ft [~ 2042 m], ex Rolle: UMMZ 147728; Cundinamarca, Valle de Tensa, M. Gonzalez leg./1929: ANSP (types of Plectostylus virgatus Pilsbry, 1935); Monteredondo, 2475 m, leg./1956: ANSP 323420; Salina de Sesquilé, E of Zipaquirá, NE of Bogotá: FMNH 109742; Zipaquirá, 2800 m, ex MCZ: MZSP 14642; Chicaque (Medina 2007b); Vereda El Vijón; La Calera, Escuela de Caballería; La Calera, Cementos Samper (all Medina 2007a); La Calera: S of Entrada Fábrica de Cemento Samper, degraded Andean forest, NW slope, 2750 m, Hausdorf leg./2000: ZMH 4080; La Calera: ZMH 4033 (0.5 km towards Bogotá, farm La Cabrera, Vereda San Rafael, Andean forest, NW slope, 2830 m, Hausdorf leg./2000), ZMH 4065 (N slope, 2840 m), USNM 488854 (N Bogota, Haught leg./1947), (Abbott 1989, as P. virgatus); Alto del Sisga, Andean forest, N slope, 2890 m, Hausdorf leg./2000: ZMH 4102; Cachipay 5.5 km towards Zipacón: small brook in forest with sandstone boulders, 2200 m, Hausdorf leg./2000: ZMH 4294; Laguna de La Herrera, 2600 m, Jaramillo leg.: RMNH; Mosquera, Creutzberg leg./1968: RMNH; Bogotá, Distrito Especial: UF 109858 [not seen]; Bogotá: FMNH 413, FMNH 31061, FMNH 31075, FMNH 125490 [as P. delicatus] RMNH), BMNH Acc. no.1829 (Cuming Colln), USNM 307380 (ex Webb), CM 106213 (ex S.I. Da Costa), UMMZ 160943 (Walker Colln), CMC C10792-10794 (ex Fulton?); above Bogotá, leg./1956, 2800–3000 m: FMNH 114077; “Near Bogotá, Colombia. Extinct?” (Abbott, 1989, as P. pulicarius); Bogotá, above Military Hospital, 2800 m, leg./1956: ANSP 323505; Fusagasugá, V. Guevara leg./1934: ANSP 164574; “Antiochia Bogota” [unclear entry: actual location unknown]: ZMUZ 511624 [not seen]; Chingaza: UMB; “Cundinamarca,” O.V. Castaño leg.: ICNB; La Guajira, “La Goajira:” ANSP 170738 (Hno. Apolinar María leg./1925); ANSP 164575 (V. Guevara & Hno. Apolinar María leg./1927); Meta, Municipio Fuente de Oro, km 9 road Puerto Limón–Puerto Lleras, Vereda La Esperanza, Finca La Virginia, left margin of Rio Ariari, 300 m, H. Romero leg./ 1983: ICNB [see remarks]; Nariño, Pasto: UF 166223 [not seen]; Valle del Cauca, Depresión El Crucero, 9 km S of Barragán (among frailejones [Espeletia sp.]), D. Henao leg./1988: UVZ 97037; near Páramo de Barragán, ~ 3100 m, L.A. Neira leg./1996: UVZ 97033;?, Colombia: FMNH 31275, UMMZ 147718 (Lathrop leg., as P. glandiformis), UMMZ 238570 (Marsh Colln, as P. glandiformis); New Granada: FMNH 100638, ZMUZ 511625 [not seen]. Venezuela. Mérida, Mountain SE Timotes, Cordillera de Mérida, 3350–3400 m, Beets leg./1954: RMNH.
Altitudinal range. Most records range between 1700–3000 m, with a maximum at 3400 m. See also remarks.
Remarks. In describing Plectostylus virgatus, Pilsbry (1935) stated that P. pulicarius is “much plumper.” He also referred to the suture of P. virgatus as descending first and then ascending to the lip, and to the coral-pink color of the peristome. We find these differences inconsistent when examining all samples available, and varying within and among samples of P. pulicarius. P. mabillei (Crosse, 1867) is known from the original collection only, and the type locality is not precise. Pilsbry (1895 [1895 –1896]: 80) mentioned small differences in the epidermis, shape, columellar margin, and width of the umbilical chink of P. mabillei and P. pulicarius. We feel that P. mabillei falls within the range of variation of P. pulicarius. Examination of the type material of all three named taxa, and consideration of the partially sympatric distribution of P. pulicarius and P. virgatus leads us to synonymize them all under P. pulicarius (Reeve). As currently understood, a great deal of variation is observed among samples of this species in terms of (a) shell shape (from relatively globose to high spired specimens), (b) shell thickness; (c) coloration (from very dark maroon/purple to tawny with brown marks), and (d) sculpture (from nearly smooth to deeply impressed growth lines). Spanning from La Guajira in the north, to Nariño in the south, its distribution includes the entire length of Colombia, mostly between the Central and Eastern Cordilleras, and may extend to the east into Venezuela (one record available). We have found no records from western Colombia. We have no explanation for Abbott’s (1989) statement (“Near Bogotá, Colombia. Extinct?”), as this continues to be a relatively common and abundant species mainly in Cundinamarca and Boyacá (Hausdorf, Medina, Vera, pers. comm.). The record from Meta, from a locality at an unusually low elevation for this species, needs further confirmation.
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 46-47, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.278895