Parachondria (Chondropomorus) muchai Watters, 2016, new species
Creators: name: Watters, G. Thomas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Littorinimorpha
Pomatiidae
Parachondria
Parachondria muchai

description: Parachondria (Chondropomorus) muchai new species
Figures 3 AE–AK, 5 A
Type material. UF 216486, holotype, 15.0 mm; UF 216486, paratype 1, 14.4 mm; UF 216486, paratype 2, 11.0 mm; UF 216 486, paratype 3, 12.2 mm (subadult).
Type locality. 840 m elevation, 12 km S of Elías Piña, Elías Piña Province, Dominican Republic.
Distribution and habitat. Known only from the northern face of the Sierra Neiba at ca. 500– 900 m. Karst area of mesic forest, under rocks. Portions of the range have been burnt for charcoal.
Material examined (30 specimens). Dominican Republic. UF 216486(7), 840 m, 12 km S of Elías Piña, Elías Piña Province; UF 216871(2), UF 216872(6), 900 m, 11 km S of Elías Piña, Elías Piña Province; UF 216718(6), 700 m, 6 km N of El Cercado, San Juan Province; UF 216667(5), 710 m, 4 km E of Vallejuelo, San Juan Province; UF 216717(1), 800 m, 6 km S of Vallejuelo, San Juan Province; UF 467469(1), El Capá, San Juan Province; UF 216668(2), 450 m, 1 km SSW of Cardón, San Juan Province.
Description. Shell thin but opaque, high-spired conic. Maximum size: 15.0 mm, non-decollate. Minimum size: 11.0 mm, non-decollate. Adult shell usually not decollated, protoconch of 1.5 minute, smooth whorls, white with dark brown suture at apex, demarcation between protoconch and teleoconch not well-defined. Teleoconch of 5–5.25 whorls. Axial sculpture of final whorl of numerous (120–130) very fine, flattened threads separated by spaces equal to or less than width of threads. Shell with regularly spaced growth stoppage marks, axial threads preceding marks microscopic and densely packed. Spiral sculpture of final whorl outside of umbilicus of 20–25 fine threads, same width as axial threads. There are irregular patches where axial and spiral sculpture are nearly fused together; these patches are always white. Intersections of axial and spiral sculpture form minutely fenestrated surface. Spiral sculpture continues into umbilicus with ca. 15 threads, inner-most forming weak spiral cords, inside smooth. Suture narrow, deep. Tufts composed of 1 (rarely 2) slightly enlarged axial threads, approximately every other axial thread forming tuft. Aperture oval, lip single. Inner lip absent. Outer lip very narrowly expanded, slightly narrower facing umbilicus, solute with previous whorl. Posterior edge with wide angle forming minute auricle. Color pattern complex and variable. Base color white, gray, or tan with white marbled patches. Brown zigzag or irregular blotches below suture followed by ca. 4 spiral rows of axially aligned brown spots. Two additional broken bands bound umbilicus, with single complete brown band deep within umbilicus. Both sides of outer lip with dark brown markings. Interior of aperture tan or pale yellowish. Tufts white. Operculum corneous, paucispiral, lacking calcification.
Variation in specimens. Although specimens vary in the height of the spire, the color pattern of distinct brown spots on a white vertical band is consistent.
Comparison with other species. See under P. stigmosus.
Remarks. This species is geographically isolated from the remainder of the genus. Whereas the related P. salleanus and P. stigmosus occur along the southern coast between Santo Domingo and Barahona, P. muchai is secluded on a range within the San Juan Valley some 90 km from the coast.
Etymology. Alfons Maria Mucha (1860–1939), Czech Art Nouveau painter, famous for his elaborate and intricate patterns derived from natural forms (as exemplified by this species). Pronounced approximately “mooksa.”
description: Published as part of Watters, G. Thomas, 2016, Review of the Hispaniolan Parachondria (Chondropomorus) complex (Gastropoda: Littorinoidea: Annulariidae), pp. 245-275 in Zootaxa 4127 (2) on pages 265-266, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4127.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/271772