Plekocheilus (Eurytus) plectostylus Pfeiffer 1848, 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 plectostylus

description: Plekocheilus (Eurytus) plectostylus (Pfeiffer, 1848) comb. nov.
(Figs 9 C, 10O–Q)
Bulimus plectostylus Pfeiffer 1848a: 230. Type locality: Venezuela, Est. Mérida, Chachopo. Lectotype BMNH 1975287 (Breure 1978). Plekocheilus plectostylus (Pfeiffer); Richardson 1995: 319 (references).
Bulimus speciosus Pfeiffer 1854: 14, pl. 3 figs 1–2. Type locality: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Lectotype BMNH 1975300 (Breure 1978). Plekocheilus (P.) speciosus (Pfeiffer); Breure 1984: 490, 495. Plekocheilus speciosus (Pfeiffer); Richardson 1995: 320 (references). New synonymy.
Material. Antioquia, Frontino: ANSP 362089 (ex Alfred Univ.), UMMZ 147726 (ex Rolle); La Ceja: USNM 517844 (SE Medellín, Hno. Daniel leg.), ANSP 166985 (Hno. Apolinar María leg./1935), DMNH 141723, UVZ 83018 (leg./1935); Támesis: DMNH 141728; Caldas, ca. 16 km NE Santa Rosa de Cabal, ca. 2500 m, cloud forest, J. de Jager leg./1988: RMNH; Cauca, Popayán: FMNH 31060 (as Plekocheilus coloratus coloratus); Cundinamarca, Bogotá: ZMUZ 511608 (not seen); Magdalena, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Ecoandes Transect Alto Buritaca, 1100–1300 m, van der Hammen et al. leg./1977: RMNH, ICNB (not seen) (Breure 1977b); Aduriameina (K.- J. Götting, pers. comm. [not seen]); “Magdalena:” ZMUZ 511600 (not seen); Norte de Santander, Pamplona, J. Harris leg.: ANSP 66419; Ocaña: ZMUZ 511601, 511602, 511603, 511609 (all not seen); La Palmita, 6000–7500 ft [~ 1830–2285 m], Carriker leg./1916: ANSP 140103; Táchira Valley, S Cúcuta, 4300–5500 ft [~ 1290–1950 m], Carriker leg./1947: USNM 590636.?, “ Colombia:” FMNH 31169 (as Plekocheilus coloratus coloratus); “ Columbia:” ZMUZ 511610 (not seen), CMC C11070 (ex Fulton); “ New Granada:” MCZ (ex Dohrn), ANSP 78578, BMNH 1873.10.30.4, UMMZ 160940, ZMUZ 511611, 544086 (both not seen). Venezuela, Bolívar, Distrito Cedeño, Sierra Guanay, E slope of Rio Parguaza, ~ 135 km ENE of Puerto Ayacucho, 40 km NW of Cerro Yaví, ~ 1700 m, O. Huber & S. Gorzula leg./1985: RMNH; Mérida, Chachopo: BMNH;?, “South America:” UMMZ 13842 (F. Stearns Colln).
Altitudinal range. 1100–3400 m.
Remarks. There is some variation in the height/diameter ratio, but we see no reasons to consider P. plectostylus and P. speciosus as separate taxa, given their overall similarity and largely overlapping distribution. Contrary to Breure (1984), this species is thus not endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, but occurs in both northeastern Colombia and the adjacent area in northwestern Venezuela. The identification of the lot from Sierra Guanay (RMNH) is tentative since it is a single worn specimen, which nevertheless seems to match the characteristics of this species.
This species does not show the malleation that is typical for Plekocheilus s. str. and, judging by the shell shape, seems to be closely allied to P. episcopalis and P. subglandiformis. Therefore we place it in this group.
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 page 28, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.278895